Where the Edge Browser Fails

Microsoft took a big step forward with Windows 10 but there are some issues the company has failed to address. In an attempt to deliver speed, the Edge browser defaults to not retrieving graphics on a page every time even if that graphic has changed. The results, many captcha routines fail leaving people unable to sign up and even log in to some sites. Once again, Microsoft missed the point. So determined to impress people with fancy features like browser annotation and reading view that they sidestepped key issues. What users need most is a secure browser that gets the job done - not over the top features that get in the way of usability.

In my tests, I found links at the bottom of the page in the left hand margin hard to click on because tool tips get in the way. Even worse, the Back button does not always bring you back to the point where you were at on the previous page. This extremely annoying quirk means the user has no choice but to constantly scroll down after clicking Back! How Microsoft could have missed such basics is beyond me. However, the one thing they did actually get right is backwards compatibility regarding the way Edge handles file paths with the HTML input type=file option. Although Microsoft addresses some issues correctly, overall the Edge browser is still somewhat awkward and needs to be rethought.

Robert Haskell writes technical reviews for OfficeSalesUSA.com and has over 20 years experience programming, writing and consulting.