5 ms·

Aside from clickbaity title, I would have rather liked a list of reasons to switch from Chrome to any other browser (including Firefox). I am genuinely curious

by pllbnk 9y ago

Aside from clickbaity title, I would have rather liked a list of reasons to switch from Chrome to any other browser (including Firefox). I am genuinely curious why Chrome is the default for most technical people? The only reason I hear over and over is its developer tools. However, there are other Chromium-based browsers, like Opera or even Chromium itself, with exactly same dev tools. Why then keep using Chrome considering it being developed by such a controversial company?

blowski 9y ago
The most common reason I see is 'security'.
- Rotareti 9y ago
  Just out of curiosity: How do you know Chrome is more secure compared to Chromium?
  - blowski 9y ago
    I don't, as I'm a total numpty. But a lot of the security-minded folks that I trust seem to think it is.
Kequc 9y ago
It's unfortunately in part because Google holds a monopoly on a couple of services. Geolocation as an example doesn't work in Chromium all of the time. It falls at the whim of Google. In terms of services and functionality Chrome has a monopoly, it's used by devs because they need to support it. I tried to develop a map based application and I needed to code in a fallback for when geolocation fails just so that I could finish developing it. Where I had a short list of random locations. Google needs to lose its browser monopoly, but I'm not even sure at this point how that can happen. The internet allows monopolies to flourish like no other industry or sector known before. Many politicians are pushing for more monopolies on the internet, things like net neutrality come to mind.
- pllbnk 9y ago
  You are clearly doing something more advanced than the vast majority of developers who are coding interactive self-validating forms with React or Angular and are still swearing by Chrome, even though they do not even touch those edge cases where they would see something not working on other browsers. And that makes me sad because they, and their family members and friends, are giving Google this market share which could be distributed to other browsers which are as good and better than Chrome.
  - nawgszy 9y ago
    >to other browser which are as good and better than Chrome In which ways? I use Chrome because I'm used to it by now, and it doesn't seem to be lacking for features or extensions. I say this as a full stack engineer who spends plenty of time building React front-ends and using the dev tools. Can you tell me what I might gain by switching away from Chrome?
    - reitanqild 9y ago
      Can you tell me what I might gain by switching away from Chrome? - Vertical, nested tabs - A good feeling inside
    - pllbnk 9y ago
      What community would gain: competing browsers getting more traction due to larger share in the browser usage, better web standards support in the long run (remember Internet Explorer?). What you would gain: be less dependent on Google, use open source (e.g. Firefox, Chromium, Iridium), better extensions as Chrome doesn't support third party, better performance. Your argument about dev tools is the same as all others are saying. But everybody comfortably ignores the fact that dev tools are built into Chromium and Chrome just happens to use the same, so it is not special in that space.
      - nawgszy 9y ago
        >But everyone comfortably ignores the fact that the dev tools built into Chromium and Chrome are the same I comfortably ignore it from ignorance and not convenience for my position, so feel free to help change my mind here. Looking at an analysis[0], I see a few downsides to Chromium vs Chrome (presented as negatives when switching to Chromium from Chrome): - not evergreen - worse media support - worse flash support (I watch a reasonable amount of MLB.tv, where this is for whatever reason still important) So I am making a small amount of sacrifice for... the good of the community and, apparently, "better web standards support". Can you flesh out your argument for this better web standards argument? I am but a child of the web development sphere and arrived at a time where "fuck IE" was an overwhelming sentiment, so I never cared to pay attention to it, nor why it was hated, and consequently I don't follow your implication there. [0]: http://www.bloomtimes.com/chromium-vs-chrome/ http://www.bloomtimes.com/chromium-vs-chrome/
jansan 9y ago
Chrome is simply an amazing piece of software. We have a fairly large Javascript app and Chrome seems to be running circles around Firefox and Edge. Safari used to suck, but they caught up recently. So yes, if Firefox wants to stay in the game, for us performance is the key. They made great progress (for example flexbox layout has seen huge improvements recently), but there is still a long way to go.
ktta 9y ago
There's security, integration etc, but I think Chrome guys really nailed the UX. I see the care taken at every turn and most things are very well designed for the average user. Most don't browse enough to switch browsers based on performance, especially once they get used to something.
- derekp7 9y ago
  Can you give some examples of the UX? From my perspective, both browsers have a bar at the top to enter a URL, and a spot to click on next to a tab to open up a new tab. And a star at the top right side to bookmark a page. Not sure what else (other than configuration menus, perhaps?) where the UX really differs from one browser to another. And UX within a page (where I spend most of my time) is determined by the web site I'm visiting.
  - ktta 9y ago
    >From my perspective, both browsers have a bar at the top to enter a URL ... Not sure what else (other than configuration menus, perhaps?) That's where the difference exactly lies. Firefox feels like it is designed by a programmer, Chrome feels like it was planned by a UX person then built by the programmer. 1. There's still a search bar alongside the omnibox. Unnecessary. 2. History is an important part which firefox allocates a measly sidebar. Chrome offers the whole page although with less powerful options to navigate compared to firefox (by time, by site, etc). 3. Bookmarking experience is a lot more thought out in Chrome. When I bookmark something, Firefox just puts the bookmark in Other bookmarks but Chrome remembers the last folder you used. I really can't come up all the cases where Firefox frustrates me but Chrome doesn't, but that according to me is a sign of good design. Chrome has a lot less friction and minimal cognitive overload. Sure, Firefox has many features I would love to have in chrome, but I know that Chrome will present those options with a much smoother experience.
    - flukus 9y ago
      1. This is something the Mozilla suite got right, long before Firefox existed. I can't understand why they added and kept a seperate search box. For me Chrome's killer feature is tab handling though. There are at least half a dozen browsers I could comfortably use if only the had decent tab handling.

by pllbnk 9y ago

blowski 9y ago

The most common reason I see is 'security'.

Rotareti 9y ago
Just out of curiosity: How do you know Chrome is more secure compared to Chromium?
- blowski 9y ago
  I don't, as I'm a total numpty. But a lot of the security-minded folks that I trust seem to think it is.

Kequc 9y ago

It's unfortunately in part because Google holds a monopoly on a couple of services. Geolocation as an example doesn't work in Chromium all of the time. It falls at the whim of Google. In terms of services and functionality Chrome has a monopoly, it's used by devs because they need to support it. I tried to develop a map based application and I needed to code in a fallback for when geolocation fails just so that I could finish developing it. Where I had a short list of random locations. Google needs to lose its browser monopoly, but I'm not even sure at this point how that can happen. The internet allows monopolies to flourish like no other industry or sector known before. Many politicians are pushing for more monopolies on the internet, things like net neutrality come to mind.

pllbnk 9y ago
You are clearly doing something more advanced than the vast majority of developers who are coding interactive self-validating forms with React or Angular and are still swearing by Chrome, even though they do not even touch those edge cases where they would see something not working on other browsers. And that makes me sad because they, and their family members and friends, are giving Google this market share which could be distributed to other browsers which are as good and better than Chrome.
- nawgszy 9y ago
  >to other browser which are as good and better than Chrome In which ways? I use Chrome because I'm used to it by now, and it doesn't seem to be lacking for features or extensions. I say this as a full stack engineer who spends plenty of time building React front-ends and using the dev tools. Can you tell me what I might gain by switching away from Chrome?
  - reitanqild 9y ago
    Can you tell me what I might gain by switching away from Chrome? - Vertical, nested tabs - A good feeling inside
  - pllbnk 9y ago
    What community would gain: competing browsers getting more traction due to larger share in the browser usage, better web standards support in the long run (remember Internet Explorer?). What you would gain: be less dependent on Google, use open source (e.g. Firefox, Chromium, Iridium), better extensions as Chrome doesn't support third party, better performance. Your argument about dev tools is the same as all others are saying. But everybody comfortably ignores the fact that dev tools are built into Chromium and Chrome just happens to use the same, so it is not special in that space.
    - nawgszy 9y ago
      >But everyone comfortably ignores the fact that the dev tools built into Chromium and Chrome are the same I comfortably ignore it from ignorance and not convenience for my position, so feel free to help change my mind here. Looking at an analysis[0], I see a few downsides to Chromium vs Chrome (presented as negatives when switching to Chromium from Chrome): - not evergreen - worse media support - worse flash support (I watch a reasonable amount of MLB.tv, where this is for whatever reason still important) So I am making a small amount of sacrifice for... the good of the community and, apparently, "better web standards support". Can you flesh out your argument for this better web standards argument? I am but a child of the web development sphere and arrived at a time where "fuck IE" was an overwhelming sentiment, so I never cared to pay attention to it, nor why it was hated, and consequently I don't follow your implication there. [0]: http://www.bloomtimes.com/chromium-vs-chrome/ http://www.bloomtimes.com/chromium-vs-chrome/

jansan 9y ago

Chrome is simply an amazing piece of software. We have a fairly large Javascript app and Chrome seems to be running circles around Firefox and Edge. Safari used to suck, but they caught up recently. So yes, if Firefox wants to stay in the game, for us performance is the key. They made great progress (for example flexbox layout has seen huge improvements recently), but there is still a long way to go.

ktta 9y ago

There's security, integration etc, but I think Chrome guys really nailed the UX. I see the care taken at every turn and most things are very well designed for the average user. Most don't browse enough to switch browsers based on performance, especially once they get used to something.

derekp7 9y ago
Can you give some examples of the UX? From my perspective, both browsers have a bar at the top to enter a URL, and a spot to click on next to a tab to open up a new tab. And a star at the top right side to bookmark a page. Not sure what else (other than configuration menus, perhaps?) where the UX really differs from one browser to another. And UX within a page (where I spend most of my time) is determined by the web site I'm visiting.
- ktta 9y ago
  >From my perspective, both browsers have a bar at the top to enter a URL ... Not sure what else (other than configuration menus, perhaps?) That's where the difference exactly lies. Firefox feels like it is designed by a programmer, Chrome feels like it was planned by a UX person then built by the programmer. 1. There's still a search bar alongside the omnibox. Unnecessary. 2. History is an important part which firefox allocates a measly sidebar. Chrome offers the whole page although with less powerful options to navigate compared to firefox (by time, by site, etc). 3. Bookmarking experience is a lot more thought out in Chrome. When I bookmark something, Firefox just puts the bookmark in Other bookmarks but Chrome remembers the last folder you used. I really can't come up all the cases where Firefox frustrates me but Chrome doesn't, but that according to me is a sign of good design. Chrome has a lot less friction and minimal cognitive overload. Sure, Firefox has many features I would love to have in chrome, but I know that Chrome will present those options with a much smoother experience.
  - flukus 9y ago
    1. This is something the Mozilla suite got right, long before Firefox existed. I can't understand why they added and kept a seperate search box. For me Chrome's killer feature is tab handling though. There are at least half a dozen browsers I could comfortably use if only the had decent tab handling.