7 ms·

For me the compelling features of Firefox over chrome are * better search/address bar behaviour (particularly in finding relevant bookmarks. Chrome wants to tu

by snthd 9y ago

For me the compelling features of Firefox over chrome are * better search/address bar behaviour (particularly in finding relevant bookmarks. Chrome wants to turn everything into a Google search) * Integration with Firefox on android (which I need because it supports ad-blocking extensions)

fernandotakai 9y ago
the address bar behaviour on chrome is so obnoxious! i can never find stuff that is on my history -- with firefox, couple of keywords and i can find almost anything.
- bigbugbag 9y ago
  Is this also the case with vivaldi ? I miss opera where it would also search in page content from cache, not only URL or title.
  - digi_owl 9y ago
    Sadly it seems that Vivaldi, for now at least, only search the url and title.
problems 9y ago
Definitely agree with the address bar, I'll add a few: * Being able to disable unnecessary features and phoning home using about:config is great * Extensions look and feel more native (this will probably change because Mozilla has decided that cloning Chrome is the way to go) * Extensions are more capable, still no decent side tabs in Chrome * They're not an ad agency, so they don't ban extensions they don't like or nag you when you install something unapproved * Font rendering manages to not look terrible I'll admit though, Chrome still kills Firefox on UI speed and in many security technology ways. My biggest worry is that Mozilla will fail to achieve Chrome UI speed while ditching the things that make Firefox unique today.
- bloaf 9y ago
  I switched away from firefox once they announced they were moving to the Chrome extension model (and thereby sank their "better extensions" selling point.)
  - johnny22 9y ago
    they expanded the API so it's way less limited than chrome extensions. I don't understand how that's not known by folks who read HN at this point.
    - vetinari 9y ago
      It is less limited than chrome extensions API, but still way more limited than the old API. Still no Tree Style Tabs or DownThemAll!.
      - NoGravitas 9y ago
        There's a Tree Style Tabs-like WebExtension. It has a few quirks, though. It runs in the sidebar. It doesn't hide the top tabs (though you can do this with Stylish). It has its own menu for tabs which does not include some options (like send tab to device). There was a very good non-nested side-tabs extension in Firefox Test Pilot, but it has expired.
        vetinari 9y ago
        Tab Center (the extension from Test Pilot that expired) is not an WebExtension. It is a classic extension that will stop working in FF56. Yes, I'm using it ;)
    - bloaf 9y ago
      Sure. But in practice everyone is just going to make extensions that are compatible with "all" the browsers, and there are developers who have simply decided not to rewrite their firefox extensions. http://fasezero.com/lastnotice.html http://fasezero.com/lastnotice.html
bigbugbag 9y ago
the address bar behavior is actually inferior to what opera offered back when it was a browser.

by snthd 9y ago

fernandotakai 9y ago

the address bar behaviour on chrome is so obnoxious! i can never find stuff that is on my history -- with firefox, couple of keywords and i can find almost anything.

bigbugbag 9y ago
Is this also the case with vivaldi ? I miss opera where it would also search in page content from cache, not only URL or title.
- digi_owl 9y ago
  Sadly it seems that Vivaldi, for now at least, only search the url and title.

problems 9y ago

Definitely agree with the address bar, I'll add a few: * Being able to disable unnecessary features and phoning home using about:config is great * Extensions look and feel more native (this will probably change because Mozilla has decided that cloning Chrome is the way to go) * Extensions are more capable, still no decent side tabs in Chrome * They're not an ad agency, so they don't ban extensions they don't like or nag you when you install something unapproved * Font rendering manages to not look terrible I'll admit though, Chrome still kills Firefox on UI speed and in many security technology ways. My biggest worry is that Mozilla will fail to achieve Chrome UI speed while ditching the things that make Firefox unique today.

bloaf 9y ago
I switched away from firefox once they announced they were moving to the Chrome extension model (and thereby sank their "better extensions" selling point.)
- johnny22 9y ago
  they expanded the API so it's way less limited than chrome extensions. I don't understand how that's not known by folks who read HN at this point.
  - vetinari 9y ago
    It is less limited than chrome extensions API, but still way more limited than the old API. Still no Tree Style Tabs or DownThemAll!.
    - NoGravitas 9y ago
      There's a Tree Style Tabs-like WebExtension. It has a few quirks, though. It runs in the sidebar. It doesn't hide the top tabs (though you can do this with Stylish). It has its own menu for tabs which does not include some options (like send tab to device). There was a very good non-nested side-tabs extension in Firefox Test Pilot, but it has expired.
      - vetinari 9y ago
        Tab Center (the extension from Test Pilot that expired) is not an WebExtension. It is a classic extension that will stop working in FF56. Yes, I'm using it ;)
  - bloaf 9y ago
    Sure. But in practice everyone is just going to make extensions that are compatible with "all" the browsers, and there are developers who have simply decided not to rewrite their firefox extensions. http://fasezero.com/lastnotice.html http://fasezero.com/lastnotice.html

bigbugbag 9y ago

the address bar behavior is actually inferior to what opera offered back when it was a browser.