7 ms·

I'm posting this from Firefox. I think this article, on top of other recent efforts by Mozilla, is the final push to switch me from Chrome to Firefox. I trust M

by beat 8y ago

I'm posting this from Firefox. I think this article, on top of other recent efforts by Mozilla, is the final push to switch me from Chrome to Firefox. I trust Mozilla a lot more than I trust Google these days.

0xmohit 8y ago
But Mozilla trusts Google more than any search engine provider. That would be the only explanation for Google being the default search engine.
- ct0 8y ago
  Google just pays the most, I think that's where most of Firefox's income comes from.
- beat 8y ago
  I'm less concerned about the search engine than I am about tracking from within the browser. Feel free to mock me for that if you disagree.
  - 0xmohit 8y ago
    The browser may not be tracking you, but it does default to a search engine that tracks and profiles you. It can't get any worse.
    - jessaustin 8y ago
      Please don't challenge Google in that way.
    - cweagans 8y ago
      Sure it can! Google could be the only option in Firefox. But that's not the case. In any case, the vast majority of users simply do not care and will happily use whatever is given to them. The people that do care have the ability to change the defaults. I'm not really sure why you're viewing this as the end of the world, especially since all the money that Google pays to Mozilla enables the development of Firefox in the first place. What else are you gonna use? lynx?
- cweagans 8y ago
  A giant pile of cash is a pretty compelling reason to set Google as the default. I don't think trust has anything to do with it.
  - adiusmus 8y ago
    Mozilla trusts google to pay them.
    - TremendousJudge 8y ago
      well... yeah the bills don't pay themselves you know
      - adiusmus 8y ago
        Mine do. Direct debit for those companies I trust, scheduled payments for those I don’t. Welcome to the 21st century where the coffee is great and financial automation is a thing.
        tomcooks 8y ago
        I'm not sure I understand what you wrote nor why you're getting downvoted, can you expand?
        adiusmus 8y ago
        Which part?
- 394549 8y ago
  > But Mozilla trusts Google more than any search engine provider. That would be the only explanation for Google being the default search engine. The real explanation doesn't have anything to do with trust: Google pays Mozilla a lot of money to be the default search engine on Firefox. Deals like that are Mozilla's main source of revenue. https://www.zdnet.com/article/googles-back-its-firefoxs-default-search-engine-again-after-mozilla-ends-yahoo-deal/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/googles-back-its-firefoxs-defa...
ct0 8y ago
You and me both. Have you noticed that "some" apps google has developed run like garbage when using firefox? Also, have you switched search engines as well?
- 21 8y ago
  The YouTube experience is way worse for me in Firefox than in Chrome. Many times, after seeking inside a video 3 or 4 times, it just stops working. This never happens in Chrome. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but seeing this so often...
  - iscrewyou 8y ago
    I’m not the only one!! It simply keeps on spinning (remember buffering?) At this day and age, I can deduce it that it’s not my internet speed. It has to be google intentionally slowing it down. When I switch on over to chrome, it works like a charm.
    - taftster 8y ago
      Don't forget that ISPs have been known (at least in the past) to slow traffic down to certain sites. You shouldn't assume your bandwidth is necessarily routed fairly or anonymously. As a personal story, a few years ago I was having trouble accessing youtube videos, buffering, timeouts, etc. I couldn't figure out why, tried upgrading my hardware, software, router, everything. But eventually I started suspecting my ISP[1]. I eventually tried using a proxy service to access the youtube videos. I think I routed my traffic through Iceland or something. Low-and-behold, perfect video streams _through_ a proxy routing traffic from another country. I had plenty of bandwidth. My ISP was just throttling my traffic. Try a VPN, see if your ISP is messing with your traffic. I don't trust Google either, and they already own me. But I fear my ISP more and don't believe that Google would be intentionally slowing you down. It's probably more of a function that Google optimizes for Chrome, less that they are trying to force you to change browsers. [1] I will refrain from naming directly, but whose name starts with a 'C' and ends with an 'omcast'
Someone1234 8y ago
The thing that tipped it over for me was the Multi-Container Tabs[0] Mozilla extension. Aside from being a fantastic privacy and security tool, it is also wonderful for development. [0] https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/multi-account-containers/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/multi-account...
- sammorrowdrums 8y ago
  Yep, I switched and use that every day.
- mbroshi 8y ago
  My favorite hidden feature in Firefox is having multiple profiles[0],[1]. Unlike containers, profiles have separate bookmarks, extensions, etc. I have found profiles even more useful than containers for development. [0] about:profiles (paste into URL bar in Firefox) [1] https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-firefox-profiles https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-...
  - javajosh 8y ago
    This is a feature of Chrome as well, although it isn't very hidden. https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2364824 https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2364824
- some_account 8y ago
  Try the Temporary Containers plug-in, it's even better. It will automatically remove all site cookies when you close the tab, and can be configured to open all links as a self contained container. Basically every site you visit will be completely isolated - and fully cleaned up afterwards.
  - tedmiston 8y ago
    Why not just use private windows / incognito for this use case?
chrisjc 8y ago
I made the switch soon after the Firefox improvements (Quantum?). Chrome was becoming so slow and unstable (OSX), and although there are many sites with Firefox compatibility issues (or at least I assume it's comparability) I haven't looked back. It kinda reminds me of the day way back in time when I first discovered Firefox and I was liberated from IE. Thank you very much Firefox/Mozilla team! edit: One of the "compatibility" issues I always have with Firefox are sites complaining about the adblocker I'm using. The thing is, I'm not. lol

by beat 8y ago

0xmohit 8y ago

But Mozilla trusts Google more than any search engine provider. That would be the only explanation for Google being the default search engine.

ct0 8y ago
Google just pays the most, I think that's where most of Firefox's income comes from.
beat 8y ago
I'm less concerned about the search engine than I am about tracking from within the browser. Feel free to mock me for that if you disagree.
- 0xmohit 8y ago
  The browser may not be tracking you, but it does default to a search engine that tracks and profiles you. It can't get any worse.
  - jessaustin 8y ago
    Please don't challenge Google in that way.
  - cweagans 8y ago
    Sure it can! Google could be the only option in Firefox. But that's not the case. In any case, the vast majority of users simply do not care and will happily use whatever is given to them. The people that do care have the ability to change the defaults. I'm not really sure why you're viewing this as the end of the world, especially since all the money that Google pays to Mozilla enables the development of Firefox in the first place. What else are you gonna use? lynx?
cweagans 8y ago
A giant pile of cash is a pretty compelling reason to set Google as the default. I don't think trust has anything to do with it.
- adiusmus 8y ago
  Mozilla trusts google to pay them.
  - TremendousJudge 8y ago
    well... yeah the bills don't pay themselves you know
    - adiusmus 8y ago
      Mine do. Direct debit for those companies I trust, scheduled payments for those I don’t. Welcome to the 21st century where the coffee is great and financial automation is a thing.
      - tomcooks 8y ago
        I'm not sure I understand what you wrote nor why you're getting downvoted, can you expand?
        adiusmus 8y ago
        Which part?
394549 8y ago
> But Mozilla trusts Google more than any search engine provider. That would be the only explanation for Google being the default search engine. The real explanation doesn't have anything to do with trust: Google pays Mozilla a lot of money to be the default search engine on Firefox. Deals like that are Mozilla's main source of revenue. https://www.zdnet.com/article/googles-back-its-firefoxs-default-search-engine-again-after-mozilla-ends-yahoo-deal/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/googles-back-its-firefoxs-defa...

ct0 8y ago

You and me both. Have you noticed that "some" apps google has developed run like garbage when using firefox? Also, have you switched search engines as well?

21 8y ago
The YouTube experience is way worse for me in Firefox than in Chrome. Many times, after seeking inside a video 3 or 4 times, it just stops working. This never happens in Chrome. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but seeing this so often...
- iscrewyou 8y ago
  I’m not the only one!! It simply keeps on spinning (remember buffering?) At this day and age, I can deduce it that it’s not my internet speed. It has to be google intentionally slowing it down. When I switch on over to chrome, it works like a charm.
  - taftster 8y ago
    Don't forget that ISPs have been known (at least in the past) to slow traffic down to certain sites. You shouldn't assume your bandwidth is necessarily routed fairly or anonymously. As a personal story, a few years ago I was having trouble accessing youtube videos, buffering, timeouts, etc. I couldn't figure out why, tried upgrading my hardware, software, router, everything. But eventually I started suspecting my ISP[1]. I eventually tried using a proxy service to access the youtube videos. I think I routed my traffic through Iceland or something. Low-and-behold, perfect video streams _through_ a proxy routing traffic from another country. I had plenty of bandwidth. My ISP was just throttling my traffic. Try a VPN, see if your ISP is messing with your traffic. I don't trust Google either, and they already own me. But I fear my ISP more and don't believe that Google would be intentionally slowing you down. It's probably more of a function that Google optimizes for Chrome, less that they are trying to force you to change browsers. [1] I will refrain from naming directly, but whose name starts with a 'C' and ends with an 'omcast'

Someone1234 8y ago

The thing that tipped it over for me was the Multi-Container Tabs[0] Mozilla extension. Aside from being a fantastic privacy and security tool, it is also wonderful for development. [0] https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/multi-account-containers/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/multi-account...

sammorrowdrums 8y ago
Yep, I switched and use that every day.
mbroshi 8y ago
My favorite hidden feature in Firefox is having multiple profiles[0],[1]. Unlike containers, profiles have separate bookmarks, extensions, etc. I have found profiles even more useful than containers for development. [0] about:profiles (paste into URL bar in Firefox) [1] https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-firefox-profiles https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-...
- javajosh 8y ago
  This is a feature of Chrome as well, although it isn't very hidden. https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2364824 https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/2364824
some_account 8y ago
Try the Temporary Containers plug-in, it's even better. It will automatically remove all site cookies when you close the tab, and can be configured to open all links as a self contained container. Basically every site you visit will be completely isolated - and fully cleaned up afterwards.
- tedmiston 8y ago
  Why not just use private windows / incognito for this use case?

chrisjc 8y ago

I made the switch soon after the Firefox improvements (Quantum?). Chrome was becoming so slow and unstable (OSX), and although there are many sites with Firefox compatibility issues (or at least I assume it's comparability) I haven't looked back. It kinda reminds me of the day way back in time when I first discovered Firefox and I was liberated from IE. Thank you very much Firefox/Mozilla team! edit: One of the "compatibility" issues I always have with Firefox are sites complaining about the adblocker I'm using. The thing is, I'm not. lol