Edge vs GNU IceCat
When comparing Edge vs GNU IceCat, the Slant community recommends Edge for most people. In the question“What are the best fast browsers for YouTube and video streaming ?” Edge is ranked 5th while GNU IceCat is ranked 15th. The most important reason people chose Edge is:
The performance of Microsoft Edge not just outperforms Microsoft's previous browser known as Internet Explorer, but due to the better technologies used, it also performs faster than other browsers such as Chrome.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Better performance
The performance of Microsoft Edge not just outperforms Microsoft's previous browser known as Internet Explorer, but due to the better technologies used, it also performs faster than other browsers such as Chrome.
Pro Supports web notes (annotations, drawing and highlighting)
Microsoft Edge supports annotations, drawing and highlighting that can allow users to add annotations into the website as a reference, highlight the notes on the website and also draw anything on the website.
Pro Very efficient
Less battery draining than any other browser.
Pro Reading mode
Reading mode is a feature that can allow users to read an article in a reader mode, removing distractive elements such as ads and other elements, leaving only the main article and images, similar to Safari's reader mode and Firefox's recent addition of Reader View.
Pro No longer support legacy elements from Internet Explorer
Microsoft Edge drops supports of legacy elements that are previously available in Internet Explorer such as ActiveX, Browsers Helper Objects (BHOS) and VBScript in favor with JavaScript and HTML5.
Pro Reading list
Reading list is a read-it-later feature that can allow users to add article to this section and read the article later on similar to Pocket and Safari's Reading List
Pro Stacked Tabs
With the new Creators Update, tabs can now be stacked for later use.
Pro Works with Windows Defender - real time protection.
Edge has real-time protection from malicious websites and identity thefts by Windows Defender.
Pro Comes with Cortana
Cortana is a personal assistant and AI by Microsoft inside the Edge browser that can allow users to perform recommendation search, hints, highlights, answers and assistant based on the highlighted keywords user wish to perform and Cortana will give the results on the right side of the sidebar.
Pro Gorgeous new tab page
Users who launch a new tab will see a Google Now-like page where it shows the latest news, sports scores, weather, recommended apps, most visited sites, etc.
Pro All the benefits of Firefox, but with 100% free software
Pro LibreJS
LibreJS blocks proprietary JavaScript code, ensuring your user freedom.
Pro Protects your freedom, certified free by the FSF
Pro Extra security and privacy features
Pro Made by idealists
It is part of the GNU Project.
Pro No spyware
Pro Https-Everywhere by default
Pro SpyBlock
Blocks privacy trackers.
Cons
Con Proprietary
While Microsoft Edge is currently available for Windows 10 without additional monetary charge (free as in price), it is currently not free as in freedom (meaning that it does not allow users to view the source code used to create, to modify that code, or to redistribute modifications) and is therefore neither free nor open-source software.
Con Only for Windows 10
On desktops, Edge is only available on Windows 10. However, it is cross-platform on tablets.
Con Making Googles Blink monopoly even stronger
The new Edge uses Googles Blink engine, essentially turning Edge into a reskinned Chromium.
Con Flash embedded
The "security bug once a week" software flash is standard embedded and enabled in Edge.
Con Poor HTML5 support
Edge is considerably worse at rendering pages than Chrome or Firefox, or other leading competitors, and often encounters rendering issues where it doesn't render the page as the web designer expects.
Con Too much bloat
The browser comes with 15 addons installed by default, most of which are useless or ruin one's browsing experience.
Con Mainly just an old Firefox
It is mainly a renamend older version of Firefox that comes preinstalled with some extensions.
Con Not up to date
Latest binary is still version 60.7 ESR and was last updated over a year ago
Con Requires too much unnecessary configuration to use
You have to manually delete all the bloated addons from your files (only for them to show up again when the browser is updated) and manually install some addons and themes that the browser labels as "corrupt".
Con Very slow boot time
It takes 10+ seconds for the browser to load up
Con Can't install some Firefox themes/addons
"Installation aborted because the addon appears to be corrupt".
Con Includes LibreJS by default with no way to remove it
Con Very slow boot time
It takes 10+ seconds for the browser to load up
Con Dependent on Mozilla
Since IceCat is based off Firefox, it's dependent on all of Mozilla's decisions.
Con Made by idealists
It is part of the GNU Project.