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EdgeHTML — Microsoft releases a new open source browser

In its latest move to stay relevant in the highly competitive mobile and desktop computing marketplace, Microsoft has released a new open source browser, a welcome alternative to their legacy Internet Explorer browser. Over the years, IE has suffered from vulnerabilities and waning popularity with the rise of Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and some other lesser known browsers.

Moving toward open source

Microsoft seems to be finally taking advantage of what many other tech companies have been utilizing throughout the sharing economy for years now, moving toward more open source options for its products and services as the world of tech moves at breakneck speed. Companies like Google have been operating this way for several years already, opening up their platforms to the public and developers everywhere. Open source solutions are being adopted by many organizations now, such as Thomson Reuters and a number of others. In order to keep pace and follow safe protocol for security, information policy and business practices, companies often need to develop policies for the use of open source that is used in conjunction with proprietary solutions. Companies may need to monitor these options using software options to track open source components. Due diligence is thus required for compliance with intellectual property.

More work ahead
Microsoft still has much work to do in the realm of building a reliable browser-based operating system like those available from Mozilla and Google. The challenge that Edge has is a battle with established systems that people are not only accustomed to, but have made popular in a direct effort to ditch Microsoft’s legacy software options like IE. With a new CEO and the acquisition of companies like Nokia, Microsoft is attempting to bridge the gap, but it will still be a very tough fight as the large company’s focus on building business solutions and consumer PC software still seem remnant of the days of old.

For example, Microsoft’s new open source Javascript, HTML and CSS based browser is only available for desktops and laptops running Windows 10 OS. But in the age of mobile computing via tablets and smartphones, it seems that Windows is still following that same old legacy path that has syphoned users away from its products and into Google and Apple’s frameworks.

Proof of concept stage
The browser is still considered to be proof of concept for MS at this point, according to sources. Edge, though, has been praised by Windows 10 users already and its rendering engine, EdgeHTML was released on the Microsoft Store with code available from GitHub, according to Venture Beat. With this, developers can now create a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app that leverages the EdgeHTML engine. MS put together a browser as proof of concept for using the engine, however it seems a bit lackluster at the moment. Built in Visual Studio 2015, the software still has a less than exciting name: “JavaScript Browser.”

Microsoft may need to move its concepts ahead quicker, but it must also provide the same kind of great quality users have come to expect in the highly competitive market for tech and software options. It may be an uphill battle indeed.

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