Know Microsoft Edge to get an edge online — by Ujjwal Dey

Microsoft Internet Explorer was probably the most hated web-browser ever. Primarily, it started off wrong in public relations because Netscape Navigator alleged Microsoft was creating a monopoly by bundling a free web-browser with their operating system. Netscape went out of business but ensured plenty of innate hatred and bad publicity for Internet Explorer even though customers benefitted with a free browser that essentially did the same job.

BTW—in those days and even now, no one blamed Apple for monopoly of bundled software and its own hardware and its creativity stifling hold on Apple ecosystem. But that is an article and case-study in itself.

Internet Explorer soon became redundant with various other prominent companies offering a free to download and use web-browsers. Because even back then, the Silicon Valley knew—there is no money in apps and software—it is the data created and stored through them that is the real deal gold standard currency of IT industry.

Fast forward to 21^st century and finally Microsoft has a new CEO who worked his way to the top and understands IT and its users (Satya Nadella). The new Windows Operating System gradually unlearns and discards some of the longstanding coding carried forward for decades inside the operating system. Windows 11 is truly the best version so far of a modern operating system from Microsoft. I know, some users in India crave the lax and flexible Windows XP but clearly that is unsafe for the fans and anyone who connects with them.

So now, Internet Explorer is reborn or booted out in favor of a new web-browser called Microsoft Edge. Edge was created because naming it IE 10 or 11 or 25 would ensure no one would ever use it. A new name and a new range of features and functionality was essential to get the world of MS Windows 11 users to operate their now online only sessions through a Microsoft web-browser.

Yup—back then, we rarely connected and dialled the modem to use the very expensive internet for any activity. All our emails would sit in the Outbox until we decided we are ready to mail them all and thus connected to the internet. Now you know why there is ‘something stupid like’ an Outbox in various mail applications. Emails didn’t just get sent in an instant as they do now.

So, the modern computing lifestyle requires you all to be first connected to the internet before you do anything on the computer (or laptop or notebook). Hence, it was crucial for Microsoft to win back its own users for their web-browser usage. After all, what you do online, is crucial for every tech company and other companies who depend on online information of their customers. Besides, everything worth using on a computer now uses internet to make it work.

So, enter ‘Edge’ –why it is named so is because the developers of Internet Explorer often used an ‘edge mode’ to force the software to use its latest version. Of course, edge sounds modern and very different than the obvious sounding plain Jane ‘internet explorer’.

Why should you bother to learn and know more about Microsoft Edge? Well, because it is much better than most web-browsers running on Microsoft Windows 11 for sure. Yes, it is even better than Google Chrome browser and the Mozilla Firefox has become increasingly poorer compared to Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.

Working on the internet with multiple tabs is generally faster with Microsoft Edge because it is more efficient with system resources, especially RAM, compared to Chrome. Edge has built-in features like “Sleeping Tabs” and “Efficiency mode” that help reduce the resources used by inactive tabs, which can lead to a smoother multitasking experience on a single computer.

While both browsers have similar speeds in standard benchmarks, Edge’s resource management makes it the better choice for handling many open tabs. 

Microsoft Edge vs. Google Chrome for multiple tabs

• Resource management: Edge is more memory-efficient, using significantly less RAM than Chrome when you have many tabs open. This is especially noticeable on systems with limited memory, as it prevents the browser from slowing down your entire computer.
• Built-in efficiency features: Edge comes with built-in tools like “Sleeping Tabs” and “Efficiency mode” that are designed to suspend or reduce the power consumption of background tabs. Chrome does not have equivalent toggles and relies more on its own internal, less user-controllable settings.
• Performance: While both browsers perform similarly in standard benchmarks, Edge’s features give it a practical performance advantage for users with many open tabs. It can feel faster because it’s not using as much of your system’s processing power and memory.
• Compatibility: Edge is built on the same Chromium engine as Chrome, so it supports the same extensions, although Chrome has a larger extension library. This means you can still have access to the same tools while using a more efficient browser. 

Productivity and convenience features

• Immersive Reader: Offers a distraction-free reading experience by simplifying web pages and allowing customization of fonts and colors.
• Collections: A feature that lets users save, organize, and export web pages, images, and text into collections for later use.
• Built-in screenshot tool: Allows users to capture specific areas or an entire scrolling webpage, a feature not as easily accessible in Chrome.
• Enhanced PDF editing: Edge includes tools to open and annotate PDF files directly in the browser by adding text or drawing on them.
• Vertical tabs: An option to organize tabs vertically, which can save screen space. 

Privacy and security

• Tracking prevention: Edge offers three tracking prevention levels (Basic, Balanced, Strict) that can be configured to limit online tracking.
• Microsoft Defender SmartScreen: Uses a built-in security feature to protect against phishing and malware. 

Integration and customization

• Seamless Windows integration: As the default browser on Windows, it integrates tightly with the operating system, allowing for features like signing in to websites with Windows credentials and syncing history across Windows devices.
• Extensive customization: Provides more settings to customize the browser’s appearance and behavior compared to Chrome’s more minimalist approach.
• Progressive Web Apps (PWAs): Better support for PWAs, which allows users to install websites as apps. 

Now you know what is possible beyond simply browsing websites on a web-browser. So go ahead and try the Microsoft Edge and get an edge on others using the same Windows platform.

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