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99% of "you should switch to Firefox" articles focus on the speed of the browser. I used Firefox since it was beta till Edge came out when everyone around me wa

99% of "you should switch to Firefox" articles focus on the speed of the browser. I used Firefox since it was beta till Edge came out when everyone around me was asking "why are you not using Chrome?", and the thing is, I never had much problem with the speed or the crashes, so I never felt the need to switch to Chrome. Until WP died and I bought an Android phone. Then I switched to Chrome so that I get perfect synchronization of my passwords, contacts, locations etc. I think the reason why majority of people are using Chrome and Safari is not because of speed, it is because of synchronization, because of integration of ecosystem. IMO, if Mozilla provided a suit of paid services with built-in privacy like mail, contacts, maps, they might have a better chance that people would also use Firefox as their browser. Nowadays, Microsoft follows that approach; they provide Android launcher, Edge browser, mail, and pretty much every other service you need. I am actually considering to give Microsoft ecosystem on Android a try, at least their main income is not selling your data. But it would be even better if Mozilla launched a similar suite of services.

hcal 7y ago
Firefox Lockwise and firefox sync are really good synchronizing tools. Between the two services, they do a good job of keeping my desktop, laptop, iPad and Android phone in sync. Since lockwise integrates with Android and ios' built in password manager systems it works everywhere including in apps. I don't feel like I am missing anything over the first party options. I've been a Firefox desktop user for years, but I just switched to the Firefox mobile apps. On the iPad it's fine. It's basically safari with Firefox sync. On Android it feels like someone finally made a full powerful browser for mobile. You can run standard browser extensions and that is a big win for me.
tstrimple 7y ago
> and Safari is not because of speed The main reason I stick to Safari on my Macbook is that I still get significantly better battery life from it than either Chrome or Firefox. Chrome has also switched to a UX breaking requirement to hold cmd+q to quit instead of just tapping it. I'm sure I could configure it back to what literally every single other app on my Mac uses, but it's incredibly annoying that they think they are special enough to deviate from the OS design.
- jhasse 7y ago
  > I'm sure I could configure it back [...] It's literally one click in the "Chrome" menu.
  - nvrspyx 7y ago
    They’re talking about the keyboard shortcut. It’s much quicker to use CMD + Q to quit any app on Mac, but Chrome insists on making you hold it down. Clicking through the menus defeats the purpose and misses the point. I’ve turned to using Alfred and typing “qgc” to Quit Google Chrome, although I use Alfred for most navigation now.
    - beder 7y ago
      FWIW, I turned this option (to not quit on Cmd+Q) a long time before it was the default, and it's saved me time so many times - I absolutely love it. Before, I would constantly try to hit "Cmd+W" and accidentally tap the Q, and the whole browser would close.
    - jhasse 7y ago
      I know, I meant that "configuring it back" is just one click on "Warn Before Quitting" in the Chrome menu. See https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/340517 https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/340517
      - nvrspyx 7y ago
        Oh wow. I thought you were referring to simply clicking Quit in the menu. Thank you for this. I hadn’t realized that was an option. It has bugged me for a long time.
TazeTSchnitzel 7y ago
> I think the reason why majority of people are using Chrome and Safari is not because of speed, it is because of synchronization, I think most people use Chrome simply because they switched once and never looked back, especially when “lol other browsers use Chrome” is pretty much a meme. Firefox Sync is great and I don't think it's lacking some key feature Google offers.
- ZuLuuuuuu 7y ago
  Firefox Sync does not have synchronization of contacts, calendar or map locations.
  - yoasif_ 7y ago
    There is a contact manager and calendar in Chrome? When did Chrome become a PIM?
    - ZuLuuuuuu 7y ago
      My original post is about Mozilla creating a suite of services so that people switch to Mozilla ecosystem which would, IMO, increase the usage of Firefox as well. Chrome itself does not have contact manager or calendar but Google ecosystem has.

hcal 7y ago

Firefox Lockwise and firefox sync are really good synchronizing tools. Between the two services, they do a good job of keeping my desktop, laptop, iPad and Android phone in sync. Since lockwise integrates with Android and ios' built in password manager systems it works everywhere including in apps. I don't feel like I am missing anything over the first party options. I've been a Firefox desktop user for years, but I just switched to the Firefox mobile apps. On the iPad it's fine. It's basically safari with Firefox sync. On Android it feels like someone finally made a full powerful browser for mobile. You can run standard browser extensions and that is a big win for me.

tstrimple 7y ago

> and Safari is not because of speed The main reason I stick to Safari on my Macbook is that I still get significantly better battery life from it than either Chrome or Firefox. Chrome has also switched to a UX breaking requirement to hold cmd+q to quit instead of just tapping it. I'm sure I could configure it back to what literally every single other app on my Mac uses, but it's incredibly annoying that they think they are special enough to deviate from the OS design.

jhasse 7y ago
> I'm sure I could configure it back [...] It's literally one click in the "Chrome" menu.
- nvrspyx 7y ago
  They’re talking about the keyboard shortcut. It’s much quicker to use CMD + Q to quit any app on Mac, but Chrome insists on making you hold it down. Clicking through the menus defeats the purpose and misses the point. I’ve turned to using Alfred and typing “qgc” to Quit Google Chrome, although I use Alfred for most navigation now.
  - beder 7y ago
    FWIW, I turned this option (to not quit on Cmd+Q) a long time before it was the default, and it's saved me time so many times - I absolutely love it. Before, I would constantly try to hit "Cmd+W" and accidentally tap the Q, and the whole browser would close.
  - jhasse 7y ago
    I know, I meant that "configuring it back" is just one click on "Warn Before Quitting" in the Chrome menu. See https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/340517 https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/340517
    - nvrspyx 7y ago
      Oh wow. I thought you were referring to simply clicking Quit in the menu. Thank you for this. I hadn’t realized that was an option. It has bugged me for a long time.

TazeTSchnitzel 7y ago

> I think the reason why majority of people are using Chrome and Safari is not because of speed, it is because of synchronization, I think most people use Chrome simply because they switched once and never looked back, especially when “lol other browsers use Chrome” is pretty much a meme. Firefox Sync is great and I don't think it's lacking some key feature Google offers.

ZuLuuuuuu 7y ago
Firefox Sync does not have synchronization of contacts, calendar or map locations.
- yoasif_ 7y ago
  There is a contact manager and calendar in Chrome? When did Chrome become a PIM?
  - ZuLuuuuuu 7y ago
    My original post is about Mozilla creating a suite of services so that people switch to Mozilla ecosystem which would, IMO, increase the usage of Firefox as well. Chrome itself does not have contact manager or calendar but Google ecosystem has.