4 ms·

Multiple profiles is fully supported. It's just hidden behind a clunky UX. Also check out firefox containers which is to profiles what docker is to virtual mac

Multiple profiles is fully supported. It's just hidden behind a clunky UX. Also check out firefox containers which is to profiles what docker is to virtual machines.

luuurker 3y ago
Containers are useful, but it's like having a few similar terminal windows open. Eventually you'll type something on the wrong window... at least I found myself searching for personal stuff on my work Google container. With profiles I can have different bookmarks, extensions, and even a different theme so I'm aware I'm on my personal profile, not on a work profile. Since switching profiles on Firefox + macOS is a pain in the butt, I use 2 different Firefox channels (stable + dev). Anyway, containers are nice, but they're not a replacement for profiles.
- wsgeorge 3y ago
  > Anyway, containers are nice, but they're not a replacement for profiles. This, so much. Anytime I've brought up profiles on Firefox, I'm told about this alternative that isn't a replacement for the feature. Safari is (finally) bringing this, so maybe the folks at FF will begin to see this as a feature worth investing in. First-class profiles support is one of the main reasons I stick to Chrome, despite trying to switch.
SoftTalker 3y ago
Yeah, AFAIK to setup profiles you have to run: firefox --ProfileManager And then to use them you have to start firefox e.g. : firefox -P <profile-name> Very few casual users (nor even most technical users) start Firefox from a command line, and setting up shortcuts for these is also a step that most users won't do. The support for profiles is there, it's just hard to use in the context of a GUI desktop.
- justcool393 3y ago
  can't you just go to about:profiles?
  - SoftTalker 3y ago
    Wow. I never knew. Thanks!
wsgeorge 3y ago
> It's just hidden behind a clunky UX. That's part of the "problem" with Firefox's support of profiles. It feels more like an afterthought and less like a primary use case the product wants to surface. To approximate the functionality Chrome has, I had to bookmark "about:profiles" and make it my home page. Chrome also added this nifty feature that lets you open links as a Profile, making it easy to switch. These may seem like small issues, but the end up mattering.

Multiple profiles is fully supported. It's just hidden behind a clunky UX. Also check out firefox containers which is to profiles what docker is to virtual machines.

luuurker 3y ago

Containers are useful, but it's like having a few similar terminal windows open. Eventually you'll type something on the wrong window... at least I found myself searching for personal stuff on my work Google container. With profiles I can have different bookmarks, extensions, and even a different theme so I'm aware I'm on my personal profile, not on a work profile. Since switching profiles on Firefox + macOS is a pain in the butt, I use 2 different Firefox channels (stable + dev). Anyway, containers are nice, but they're not a replacement for profiles.

wsgeorge 3y ago
> Anyway, containers are nice, but they're not a replacement for profiles. This, so much. Anytime I've brought up profiles on Firefox, I'm told about this alternative that isn't a replacement for the feature. Safari is (finally) bringing this, so maybe the folks at FF will begin to see this as a feature worth investing in. First-class profiles support is one of the main reasons I stick to Chrome, despite trying to switch.

SoftTalker 3y ago

Yeah, AFAIK to setup profiles you have to run: firefox --ProfileManager And then to use them you have to start firefox e.g. : firefox -P <profile-name> Very few casual users (nor even most technical users) start Firefox from a command line, and setting up shortcuts for these is also a step that most users won't do. The support for profiles is there, it's just hard to use in the context of a GUI desktop.

justcool393 3y ago
can't you just go to about:profiles?
- SoftTalker 3y ago
  Wow. I never knew. Thanks!

wsgeorge 3y ago

> It's just hidden behind a clunky UX. That's part of the "problem" with Firefox's support of profiles. It feels more like an afterthought and less like a primary use case the product wants to surface. To approximate the functionality Chrome has, I had to bookmark "about:profiles" and make it my home page. Chrome also added this nifty feature that lets you open links as a Profile, making it easy to switch. These may seem like small issues, but the end up mattering.