Ask Paul: December 7 (Premium)

Happy Internet Tidal Wave day! As you might expect, given this week's blockbuster news, there are many questions about the future of Microsoft Edge. So let's dive right in.
Will Edge replace Edge?
Dan1986ist asks:
Since Edge as it is now is tied into Windows itself like IE, can Microsoft replace it with this alleged Anaheim browser, if they replace Edge entirely? Or will it more likely be an add it into Windows alongside Edge and IE thing?
I have to speculate a bit here, but from the wording that Microsoft has used, both in the vague, corporate-speak blog post by Joe Belfiore and in the more detailed post by the Microsoft Edge team, it appears that the new Microsoft Edge will eventually replace the existing version in Windows 10. Until that happens, I expect it to be a separate web download. But it's too early to say whether the two versions of Edge might run side-by-side.
Why is Windows 10 version 1809 so unreliable and buggy
jimchamplin asks:
We all know that 1809 has been a disaster, with huge errors causing very large issues. Am I the only one though who's noticing lots of smaller, amateurish, beta-quality problems? UAC prompts often ask for the admin password instead of PIN. The window borders have an error on UWP software where the top line of pixels is darker than the other three borders if titlebar colors is turned on. They're still off if it's turned off. Likely linked to the fact that the checkbox for titlebar colors now for some reason changes the borders. Because Windows 10 didn't have low enough contrast between foreground and background windows.

Okay, I really buried the lede here, sorry. My question is: What happened? A small number of big bugs, okay, that can happen. But the whole release is just awful. Death by a thousand paper cuts. How did 1809 get released being so damn bad?
You're hitting on a lot of the high-level issues I have with Windows development in particular and with Microsoft software in general, its inability to finish the job. Fit and finish has never been a priority at Microsoft because of a corporate culture that does not reward that kind of work. So the A-teamers are always moving on to the next big thing.

This is worse for Windows 10 specifically, because it's no longer a priority at Microsoft. So the impact of the best and the brightest heading on to greener pastures is even worse.

The good news? This year's problems were so bad, so widely reported, and so damaging to the credibility of both Microsoft and Windows that I feel like there will have to be a mandate from on high to right this ship. I think 2019 will be a better year for Windows.
Will the new Edge by a Store app?
simont asks:
With Edge possibly being replaced by the Anaheim browser, do you think Microsoft will make it a store app for more rapid updates (For good or for worse).
I don't believe that Microsoft Edge can be implemented as a "real" (e.g. UWP-based) Store app without losing a lot of functionality. But I can onl...