It’s a brave new world

Microsoft Edge for Linux just took a decently-sized step closer to becoming a reality.

Sean Larkin, who works on the browser at Microsoft, says the Edge team is “fleshing out requirements to bring Edge to Linux”, but that to need a bit of help to do that.

To this end, a survey has been launched to gather feedback on what Linuxusers need from “a browser on Linux to meet […] development, test and/or CI/CD needs.”

At this stage there are no promises that Edge for Linux will happen. The Edge team is basically asking people us what we want for xmas, but not promising to give us anything.

But even so, this is a pretty solid step in that general direction.

Microsoft Edge on Linux?!

If the thought of Microsoft Edge on Ubuntu and other Linux distros surprises you, it really shouldn’t.

Firstly, the browser is now based on Chromium, and Chromium is already a very well supported, cross-platform foundation. Vivaldi, Opera, Google Chrome, et al all use it too.

Secondly, where have you been?! As we’ve reported on previously: Microsoft is very open to the idea. The company has already brought VSCode and Powershell to Linux, so it has form.

But let’s be clear: if you do not like the idea of using Edge on Linux you …do not have to use. You have the choice to not download it, not install it, and not open it should it come preinstalled anywhere you go.

It’s also very unlikely that any of the major Linux distributions would choose to bundle Edge as part of their default install, particularly while Mozilla Firefox continues to go from strength to strength (Quantum be praised).

That said, if you do use Linux and you’re not instantly allergic to the idea of running Edge on Linux, be it as your everyday web browser or an also-install you only open for code compatibility checking, go fill out the survey.

Just remember to write snap in the package preferences section, k? 😉

‘Web Development on Linux Survey’

H/T Stuart83; Heimen