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I'm a long-time firefox user and very vocal hater. That said, I've had less and less to hate with each update. I used to hate ff mobile(too slow). I used to hat

I'm a long-time firefox user and very vocal hater. That said, I've had less and less to hate with each update. I used to hate ff mobile(too slow). I used to hate the browser on Linux(no Wayland, no hardware video, weak multi-process). But all that has been fixed. Plus, cookie isolation, auto cookie banner management, HTTPS preferred, and mobile extensions. Not to mention the promise to support content filtering extensions. Add to that local translation! FF is the best it has ever been and somehow it is losing user share faster than ever. I used to get all the hate, but now at days... I'm just not sure. I'd love to know why.

autoexec 4y ago
> Add to that local translation! FF is the best it has ever been and somehow it is losing user share faster than ever. I used to get all the hate, but now at days... I'm just not sure. I'd love to know why. I'm also a long time fan of firefox, but it does seem like there's always something I have to disable or fix with every major update. Firefox has always claimed to be very pro-privacy, but they don't always live up to that with their actions (From a privacy perspective perhaps the biggest slap in the face was Pocket). Even here "local translation" means that Firefox needs to repeatedly ping Google's servers in order to download the models. Still better than letting Google translate the contents of a page, but far from ideal from a privacy standpoint. As it stands I have modifications to over 100 settings in about:config that have to be made with each fresh install of firefox to get it locked down properly. Firefox is still the best browser out there because it gives you the ability to disable all that stuff, but its still a pain. User share is always going to suffer because for most people their phones come with something else already, their PCs and tablets do too, and they don't know any better. They don't see or understand the problems with using chrome so why look for a browser that gives them better solutions? I use firefox because I care about my security and privacy. If I didn't care about that I'd use Chrome or whatever Microsoft is shipping these days too because I know sites will make sure their stuff works in those browsers. All the hate I have for firefox comes from a place of love. I care about firefox. I depend on it. I want firefox to be better. Often that means I'm calling them out on their bullshit, bitching about the extra work they're giving me after updates, or just mentioning how they could have done better. Firefox users complain about firefox because if they didn't care enough to complain they'd just be using chrome.
- jerry1979 4y ago
  Would you mind sharing your list of modifications? Do you have a way to apply them from the command line?
  - throwaway0x7E6 4y ago
    pick one https://ffprofile.com/ https://ffprofile.com/ https://github.com/arkenfox/user.js/ https://github.com/arkenfox/user.js/
  - autoexec 4y ago
    It's too long to paste as a comment here, but I started by finding every entry with a URL and deleting the URL (leaving it blank) for basically any domain that wasn't mozilla.tld (careful here though) and then I used the recommended changes from arkenfox, ghacks, the TOR browser and https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-stop-firefox-making-automatic-connections https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-stop-firefox-making... and then tweak from there. I disable things like service workers, normandy, shield, pocket, the new tab page, WebRTC, searching from the address bar, prefetch, WebGL, push notifications, WebAssembly, and lots of dom. options You can backup your user.js but updates tend to add/rename/remove preferences so that gets ugly fast. I've also seen firefox reset prefs I've set but didn't lock. I've been meaning to automate monitoring the file for changes and notifying me for lines that were added or modified, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
- pomian 4y ago
  Exactly this. Love it so complain about it. {But only to those who understand.) Plus we (?) Have multiple versions of Firefox installed so we can use one with extensions, one with save page to pdf, one nightly, etc etc.
- jonathankoren 4y ago
  - yjftsjthsd-h 4y ago
    > I can assure you, you have no idea what you’re talking about. Like demonstrably, not a single valid argument. Like actively promoting misinformation no argument. Would you perhaps care to substantiate any of that, or just stick with the personal attacks?
geokon 4y ago
.. but the linked translation extension doesn't work on Firefox mobile.. (Fennec from FDroid)
Barrin92 4y ago
>I'd love to know why. well as an individual data point, I recently threw in the hat because both my regional bank's website and my health insurance page stopped working at all on Firefox. Not really something I can do without and it seems to be getting worse for companies with smaller web presences.
- BMorearty 4y ago
  That stinks. But I’m surprised. I went back to FF full-time in 2021 and have seen almost no compatibility issues with websites.
- kevin_thibedeau 4y ago
  Run multiple browsers. I have Chromium around just for banking and problematic e-commerce sites that can't tolerate my security posture.
- Andrew_nenakhov 4y ago
  I harrass support in cases like this. Like, are your web developer people completely incompetent?! It's not like making things work in FF takes some real big effort, just do everything properly. (We develop a lot of web products, so this isn't some baseless statement)
- jesup 4y ago
  Did you report those sites to https://webcompat.com https://webcompat.com ? Also, did you try disabling Enhanced Tracking Protection for those sites? (Shield icon in URLBar) Try in a fresh profile (via about:profiles)? (Sometimes people tweak a lot of about:config settings, which is generally NOT a good idea - there are no guarantees for those.)
Shorel 4y ago
It's because you were too noisy. Basically, reputation builds at glacial speed, and it is rapidly destroyed. Complaints and reports of bad user experience linger for years, if not decades, and reversing consumer trends requires humongous good will. They say there's only one chance for a good impression. But there's also basically no chance at all for a second bad impression.

autoexec 4y ago

> Add to that local translation! FF is the best it has ever been and somehow it is losing user share faster than ever. I used to get all the hate, but now at days... I'm just not sure. I'd love to know why. I'm also a long time fan of firefox, but it does seem like there's always something I have to disable or fix with every major update. Firefox has always claimed to be very pro-privacy, but they don't always live up to that with their actions (From a privacy perspective perhaps the biggest slap in the face was Pocket). Even here "local translation" means that Firefox needs to repeatedly ping Google's servers in order to download the models. Still better than letting Google translate the contents of a page, but far from ideal from a privacy standpoint. As it stands I have modifications to over 100 settings in about:config that have to be made with each fresh install of firefox to get it locked down properly. Firefox is still the best browser out there because it gives you the ability to disable all that stuff, but its still a pain. User share is always going to suffer because for most people their phones come with something else already, their PCs and tablets do too, and they don't know any better. They don't see or understand the problems with using chrome so why look for a browser that gives them better solutions? I use firefox because I care about my security and privacy. If I didn't care about that I'd use Chrome or whatever Microsoft is shipping these days too because I know sites will make sure their stuff works in those browsers. All the hate I have for firefox comes from a place of love. I care about firefox. I depend on it. I want firefox to be better. Often that means I'm calling them out on their bullshit, bitching about the extra work they're giving me after updates, or just mentioning how they could have done better. Firefox users complain about firefox because if they didn't care enough to complain they'd just be using chrome.

jerry1979 4y ago
Would you mind sharing your list of modifications? Do you have a way to apply them from the command line?
- throwaway0x7E6 4y ago
  pick one https://ffprofile.com/ https://ffprofile.com/ https://github.com/arkenfox/user.js/ https://github.com/arkenfox/user.js/
- autoexec 4y ago
  It's too long to paste as a comment here, but I started by finding every entry with a URL and deleting the URL (leaving it blank) for basically any domain that wasn't mozilla.tld (careful here though) and then I used the recommended changes from arkenfox, ghacks, the TOR browser and https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-stop-firefox-making-automatic-connections https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-stop-firefox-making... and then tweak from there. I disable things like service workers, normandy, shield, pocket, the new tab page, WebRTC, searching from the address bar, prefetch, WebGL, push notifications, WebAssembly, and lots of dom. options You can backup your user.js but updates tend to add/rename/remove preferences so that gets ugly fast. I've also seen firefox reset prefs I've set but didn't lock. I've been meaning to automate monitoring the file for changes and notifying me for lines that were added or modified, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
pomian 4y ago
Exactly this. Love it so complain about it. {But only to those who understand.) Plus we (?) Have multiple versions of Firefox installed so we can use one with extensions, one with save page to pdf, one nightly, etc etc.
jonathankoren 4y ago
- yjftsjthsd-h 4y ago
  > I can assure you, you have no idea what you’re talking about. Like demonstrably, not a single valid argument. Like actively promoting misinformation no argument. Would you perhaps care to substantiate any of that, or just stick with the personal attacks?

geokon 4y ago

.. but the linked translation extension doesn't work on Firefox mobile.. (Fennec from FDroid)

Barrin92 4y ago

>I'd love to know why. well as an individual data point, I recently threw in the hat because both my regional bank's website and my health insurance page stopped working at all on Firefox. Not really something I can do without and it seems to be getting worse for companies with smaller web presences.

BMorearty 4y ago
That stinks. But I’m surprised. I went back to FF full-time in 2021 and have seen almost no compatibility issues with websites.
kevin_thibedeau 4y ago
Run multiple browsers. I have Chromium around just for banking and problematic e-commerce sites that can't tolerate my security posture.
Andrew_nenakhov 4y ago
I harrass support in cases like this. Like, are your web developer people completely incompetent?! It's not like making things work in FF takes some real big effort, just do everything properly. (We develop a lot of web products, so this isn't some baseless statement)
jesup 4y ago
Did you report those sites to https://webcompat.com https://webcompat.com ? Also, did you try disabling Enhanced Tracking Protection for those sites? (Shield icon in URLBar) Try in a fresh profile (via about:profiles)? (Sometimes people tweak a lot of about:config settings, which is generally NOT a good idea - there are no guarantees for those.)

Shorel 4y ago

It's because you were too noisy. Basically, reputation builds at glacial speed, and it is rapidly destroyed. Complaints and reports of bad user experience linger for years, if not decades, and reversing consumer trends requires humongous good will. They say there's only one chance for a good impression. But there's also basically no chance at all for a second bad impression.