Microsoft explains Edge's low extensions count
Microsoft launched extension support in Windows 10's default system browser Microsoft Edge back in 2016 with the release of the Anniversary Update of Windows 10.
The new version of Edge launched with support for just a handful of extensions, and things did not speed up at all over the course of the year.
It was not clear why there were so few extensions available for Microsoft Edge. Was it because of a lack of developer interest? Because of Microsoft limiting what is released for the browser?
We asked you back then if you would give Edge a change if it would support your favorite extensions. Some said yes, others no, but many also said that they would at least try Edge in that case.
Microsoft's Edge team revealed in a blog post on the official Microsoft Edge Development blog why there are not that many extensions for Edge available.
The first reason that Microsoft gives is that Edge's extension system was -- and still is -- a work in progress. Microsoft improved the extension system of the Edge browser in the past year that extension developers can utilize to create extensions for the browser.
Before we could enable a wider ecosystem of extensions for our customers, we needed to improve the capabilities of our extensions platform to allow new categories of extensions and more features for existing extensions.
Microsoft maintains an extension API roadmap that lists supported and "under consideration" APIs.
More important than that is the second reason that the Edge team gives. According to the information, requirements exist for extensions that limit which extensions become available to users of Microsoft Edge.
We have taken a purposefully metered approach as we onboard new extensions. Extensions are one of the most substantial features in a new browser, and we have a high bar for quality. Because extensions interact so closely with the browser, we have been very attuned to the security, performance, and reliability of Microsoft Edge with these extensions enabled.
We are extremely sensitive to the potential impact of extensions on your browsing experience and want to make sure that the extensions we do allow are high-quality and trustworthy.
Poorly written or even malicious add-ons for browsers remain a potential source of privacy, security, reliability and performance issues, even today. We want users to be confident that they can trust extensions in Microsoft to operate as expected.
In short: Microsoft accepts extensions only if they meet certain requirements in regards to security, performance and reliability. In other words, if an extension falls short in one of the areas, for instance if it impacts performance too much or causes crashes or slow downs, it won't be released in Store until the issues are resolved.
Closing Words
Microsoft's approach in regards to extensions is different than that of other browser developers. Anyone can publish extensions for Firefox and Chrome for instance; these have to pass automated tests (Chrome), or a review (Firefox) before they are published.
While it is understandable that Microsoft wants only extensions in Store that don't impact the user experience in a negative manner, the lack of extensions may paint Edge in a negative light as well especially when compared to the thousands of extensions that are available for Chrome or Firefox.
Now you: Do you think that Microsoft's strategy in regards to Edge extensions makes sense?
Doesn’t Windows 8 know that www. or http:// are passe ?
Well it is a bit difficulty to distinguish between name.com domains and files for instance.
I know a service made by google that is similar to Google bookmarks.
http://www.google.com/saved
@Ashwin–Thankful you delighted my comment; who knows how many “gamers” would have disagreed!
@Martin
The comments section under this very article (3 comments) is identical to the comments section found under the following article:
https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/15/netflix-is-testing-game-streaming-on-tvs-and-computers/
Not sure what the issue is, but have seen this issue under some other articles recently but did not report it back then.
Omg a badge!!!
Some tangible reward lmao.
It sucks that redditors are going to love the fuck out of it too.
With the cloud, there is no such thing as unlimited storage or privacy. Stop relying on these tech scums. Purchase your own hardware and develop your own solutions.
This is a certified reddit cringe moment. Hilarious how the article’s author tries to dress it up like it’s anything more than a png for doing the reddit corporation’s moderation work for free (or for bribes from companies and political groups)
Almost al unlmited services have a real limit.
And this comment is written on the dropbox article from August 25, 2023.
First comment > @ilev said on August 4, 2012 at 7:53 pm
For the God’s sake, fix the comments soon please! :[
Yes. Please. Fix the comments.
With Google Chrome, it’s only been 1,500 for some time now.
Anyone who wants to force me in such a way into buying something that I can get elsewhere for free will certainly never see a single dime from my side. I don’t even know how stupid their marketing department is to impose these limits on users instead of offering a valuable product to the paying faction. But they don’t. Even if you pay, you get something that is also available for free elsewhere.
The algorithm has also become less and less savvy in terms of e.g. English/German translations. It used to be that the bot could sort of sense what you were trying to say and put it into different colloquialisms, which was even fun because it was like, “I know what you’re trying to say here, how about…” Now it’s in parts too stupid to translate the simplest sentences correctly, and the suggestions it makes are at times as moronic as those made by Google Translations.
If this is a deep-learning AI that learns from users’ translations and the phrases they choose most often – which, by the way, is a valuable, moneys worthwhile contribution of every free user to this project: They invest their time and texts, thereby providing the necessary data for the AI to do the thing as nicely as they brag about it in the first place – alas, the more unprofessional users discovered the translator, the worse the language of this deep-learning bot has become, the greater the aggregate of linguistically illiterate users has become, and the worse the language of this deep-learning bot has become, as it now learns the drivel of every Tom, Dick and Harry out there, which is why I now get their Mickey Mouse language as suggestions: the inane language of people who can barely spell the alphabet, it seems.
And as a thank you for our time and effort in helping them and their AI learn, they’ve lowered the limit from what was once 5,000 to now 1,500…? A big “fuck off” from here for that! Not a brass farthing from me for this attitude and behaviour, not in a hundred years.