6 ms·

Why would you use a proprietary browser when Firefox is around?

by viklove 6y ago

encryptluks2 6y ago
Chromium is open source and Firefox collects quite a bit of data by default as well.
- ocdtrekkie 6y ago
  Chromium is open source, but almost nobody uses it. Almost everyone uses either of the proprietary forks, Chrome and Edge.
  - encryptluks2 6y ago
    Not if you use Linux, and Chromium is also in the Chocolatey repo and Homebrew.
    - URfejk 6y ago
      And on Android you can use Ungoogled Chromium.
    - ocdtrekkie 6y ago
      People who use Linux to browse the web, or install browsers with Chocolately or Homebrew, are all an extreme minority of browser users. Also, this post is about iOS...
      - deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
- smt1 6y ago
  Chromium is Chrome with a lot of code ripped out. Specifically most things that interact with google, widevyne, etc.
- dblohm7 6y ago
  (Mozilla employee) Yeah, but how much of what Firefox collects is PII? (And no, Telemetry is not PII)
woofster 6y ago
Maybe cos it's a laggy as hell?
- tinus_hn 6y ago
  Firefox on iOS, like Chrome, is a shell around the engine behind Safari. Performance is pretty similar.
- qzx_pierri 6y ago
  Firefox has been faster than Chrome for months now. I switched over to it on Windows and I'm enjoying myself so far. It's not for everyone though, so I get your apprehension.
- xwolfi 6y ago
  It changed recently, it's quite amazing tbh, I'm back on FF however weird it sounds !
  - nso 6y ago
    I'm all-in with Edge. After lasts weeks update the startup time is... wow. I've since started closing my browser when not using it. https://www.computerworld.com/article/3586259/whats-in-the-latest-edge-update-rollbacks-and-new-browser-telemetry-policies.html https://www.computerworld.com/article/3586259/whats-in-the-l...
- eingaeKaiy8ujie 6y ago
  Enabling either the OpenGL or WebRender compositor might help in case of performance issues (`layers.acceleration.force-enabled` and `gfx.webrender.all` in `about:config`).
dredmorbius 6y ago
Not all devices permit installing freestanding browsers (applies more to iOS /Safari). The Chrome engine provides app Web functionality (on Android). Forcing all Chrome users to disclose data is coercive. Chrome has ~70% browser share.
tapoxi 6y ago
Performance problems on macOS/Linux, Firefox seems fine on Windows but that's where I spend the least of my time.
- kristofferR 6y ago
  Yeah, I had to use Chrome on my old Macbook 12' before I got my M1 Macbook Air (now everything is instantaneous with Firefox).
- yoyohello13 6y ago
  I've been using firefox for years and I have no idea what these performance problems are.
  - olyjohn 6y ago
    Same here. I don't get the complaints. I use it regularly on macOS, iOS, Linux and used to run it on Windows every day...
  - hackerfromthefu 6y ago
    Lucky you!
- hitpointdrew 6y ago
  I have had 0 performance issues on macOS or Linux with Firefox. I use both OS'es extensively.
- staplers 6y ago
  I use Firefox everyday for work and home. For a few years now Firefox has beaten Chrome in speed/usability for me.
shadowgovt 6y ago
Because Chrome syncs to my Google account so the large collection of devices I browse on have shared history, defaults, and bookmarks.
- kennywinker 6y ago
  Firefox does that https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/sync/ https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/sync/
  - shadowgovt 6y ago
    Firefox does not sync to my Google account. I appreciate that Firefox Sync exists, but I've already got a lot of configuration invested in my Google profile, and it's not worth the effort to switch to another sync system.

Why would you use a proprietary browser when Firefox is around?

encryptluks2 6y ago

Chromium is open source and Firefox collects quite a bit of data by default as well.

ocdtrekkie 6y ago
Chromium is open source, but almost nobody uses it. Almost everyone uses either of the proprietary forks, Chrome and Edge.
- encryptluks2 6y ago
  Not if you use Linux, and Chromium is also in the Chocolatey repo and Homebrew.
  - URfejk 6y ago
    And on Android you can use Ungoogled Chromium.
  - ocdtrekkie 6y ago
    People who use Linux to browse the web, or install browsers with Chocolately or Homebrew, are all an extreme minority of browser users. Also, this post is about iOS...
    - deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
smt1 6y ago
Chromium is Chrome with a lot of code ripped out. Specifically most things that interact with google, widevyne, etc.
dblohm7 6y ago
(Mozilla employee) Yeah, but how much of what Firefox collects is PII? (And no, Telemetry is not PII)

woofster 6y ago

Maybe cos it's a laggy as hell?

tinus_hn 6y ago
Firefox on iOS, like Chrome, is a shell around the engine behind Safari. Performance is pretty similar.
qzx_pierri 6y ago
Firefox has been faster than Chrome for months now. I switched over to it on Windows and I'm enjoying myself so far. It's not for everyone though, so I get your apprehension.
xwolfi 6y ago
It changed recently, it's quite amazing tbh, I'm back on FF however weird it sounds !
- nso 6y ago
  I'm all-in with Edge. After lasts weeks update the startup time is... wow. I've since started closing my browser when not using it. https://www.computerworld.com/article/3586259/whats-in-the-latest-edge-update-rollbacks-and-new-browser-telemetry-policies.html https://www.computerworld.com/article/3586259/whats-in-the-l...
eingaeKaiy8ujie 6y ago
Enabling either the OpenGL or WebRender compositor might help in case of performance issues (`layers.acceleration.force-enabled` and `gfx.webrender.all` in `about:config`).

dredmorbius 6y ago

Not all devices permit installing freestanding browsers (applies more to iOS /Safari). The Chrome engine provides app Web functionality (on Android). Forcing all Chrome users to disclose data is coercive. Chrome has ~70% browser share.

tapoxi 6y ago

Performance problems on macOS/Linux, Firefox seems fine on Windows but that's where I spend the least of my time.

kristofferR 6y ago
Yeah, I had to use Chrome on my old Macbook 12' before I got my M1 Macbook Air (now everything is instantaneous with Firefox).
yoyohello13 6y ago
I've been using firefox for years and I have no idea what these performance problems are.
- olyjohn 6y ago
  Same here. I don't get the complaints. I use it regularly on macOS, iOS, Linux and used to run it on Windows every day...
- hackerfromthefu 6y ago
  Lucky you!
hitpointdrew 6y ago
I have had 0 performance issues on macOS or Linux with Firefox. I use both OS'es extensively.
staplers 6y ago
I use Firefox everyday for work and home. For a few years now Firefox has beaten Chrome in speed/usability for me.

shadowgovt 6y ago

Because Chrome syncs to my Google account so the large collection of devices I browse on have shared history, defaults, and bookmarks.

kennywinker 6y ago
Firefox does that https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/sync/ https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/sync/
- shadowgovt 6y ago
  Firefox does not sync to my Google account. I appreciate that Firefox Sync exists, but I've already got a lot of configuration invested in my Google profile, and it's not worth the effort to switch to another sync system.