Release Pre-Chromium Edge?

[owlshrimp]

Not a feature request or bug, but a small suggestion related to Microsoft Edge's roadmap.

Microsoft has recently been very active in open source projects (for the example that surprised and delighted me the most, see PowerShell [1]).

I applaud Microsoft's effort to produce a browser engine that isn't Chromium-based and I think they did a very good job. They produced a browser fit for serious use on the real World Wide Web. I used Edge every day for almost two years and was proud that it demonstrated the Web could still be an even playing field.

Microsoft has chosen to pursue another technology in favor of the one they grew at home. That investment and the thousands of man-hours it represents doesn't have to become wasted effort.

Instead, I believe Microsoft and the Edge team should release the engine they created "as-is" under and open source licence, even without any promise of future support. This allows others to build upon their success and provides a starting point for independent vendors to produce a vibrant array of third party browsers.

Even if Microsoft made the right decision moving to the Chromium engine, everyone benefits from the Web being a more level playing field. Especially Microsoft, which like countless others has no direct influence on which way the Chromium engine moves.

There's nothing like competition to keep Google honest, and there's no reason Microsoft can't create it without having to continue footing the bill. And that competition will be forever grateful to them. ;)

-Matt

[1] https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell