WHY am I being FORCED to deal with Microsoft edge?

I'm not the type to complain frequently, but we as users very much have a right to complain, and in this case, I damn right will.

Yes, you have the right to complain, so while you are doing it why not do it somewhere where it matters than here where your rant does not change anything.

Use the Alt-Shift-I feedback mechanism from within Edge to leave the development team feedback as they rarely, likely never, visit these forums.

Microsoft is not forcing anything. You gave them permission to install Edge or any other updates when you agreed to the Terms and Conditions when you installed Windows 10.  Microsoft granted you the right to install and use Windows 10 but, they kept ownership of Windows 10 and the to determine what features would be installed, When, and by what method. 

Legally, yes, you are correct, but you are missing the rather obvious point.

Most people here aren't talking about the legality of this, but rather the ethics of this. I have yet to see if this is an ongoing problem, but I am a long-term windows user, yet I virtually never use edge or explorer, although I keep both installed as alternatives should my preferred browser (primarily chrome, alternatively firefox) fail to be able to do something.

Now I've set the scene, let me walk you through the what I would hope is painfully obvious here. I've used Windows 10 for 4, maybe 5 years? Pretty soon after it launched, before that I used Windows 7. Software has compatibility with windows, and while I could use Linux or Mac, my workflow is quicker with Windows given I've spent over a decade at least using it solidly.

I appreciate that Windows can do a lot thanks to sweeping T&C agreements, most companies have T&C agreements like that so they can never be legally caught out (easily at least), but we also assume as ordinary people (perhaps naively, though we don't have much of a choice in today's world) a company is going to behave in good faith, in this case comandeering my entire screen, not simply when I open edge, but rather when I've simply opened up windows, with effectively a spam advertisement, lacking the obvious way to close it (the little 'x' button in the top right corner of a window, a pretty iconic feature of windows!) is not exactly acting in good faith. Likewise, thankfully this time round my default browser preference is unchanged, but trying to seize control away from me while I use my computer, is really not what I expected from Microsoft 4 or 5 years ago, let along over a decade ago when my relationship with them began.

I'm not the type to complain frequently, but we as users very much have a right to complain, and in this case, I damn right will.

Microsoft is not forcing anything. You gave them permission to install Edge or any other updates when you agreed to the Terms and Conditions when you installed Windows 10.  Microsoft granted you the right to install and use Windows 10 but, they kept ownership of Windows 10 and the to determine what features would be installed, When, and by what method. 

Sad to say that you are probably right. Next might be TV manufacturers that force channels you must watch. Buyer beware!

Microsoft is not forcing anything. You gave them permission to install Edge or any other updates when you agreed to the Terms and Conditions when you installed Windows 10.  Microsoft granted you the right to install and use Windows 10 but, they kept ownership of Windows 10 and the to determine what features would be installed, When, and by what method. 

Sad to say that you are probably right. Next might be TV manufacturers that force channels you must watch. Buyer beware!

Windows was at its best with win 7 and has declined ever since. Edge one of dozens of "forced" apps that suck. Most of the garbage they put in the start menu I never wanted and will never use.