Using firefox but concerned now

Read about some alternatives:

Edit 2/28: It seems there is no general consensus if we should switch and/or to what.

  • @[email protected]
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    182 months ago

    I still use firefox despite their questionable leadership, for one major reason: it prevents Google from setting whatever web standards they want. Sites that aren’t standards compliant will usually still work in Chromium-based browsers, but they will break in Firefox, and then I can report the bugs.

  • @[email protected]
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    2 months ago

    I use firefox and am actively looking to change to something, potentially librewolf.

    Edit: just installed librewolf. it’s super clean and I’m glad I got it. replaced firefox almost instantly.

    • @[email protected]
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      22 months ago

      I like librewolf but for me video is so incredibly slow. Is anyone else having this issue?

      • @[email protected]
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        22 months ago

        Have you tried enabling webgl, which by default is disable on Librewolf? You can do that by overwriting the corresponding setting, as it can be done for any Librewolf setting, in particular the webgl override needed is:

        defaultPref("webgl.disabled", false);
        

        If you do, Librewolf recommend using the extension “CanvasBlocker” given the fingerprinting allowed by webgl. There’s a settings doc BTW…

  • @[email protected]
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    82 months ago

    Firefox, while I dislike their new FAQ and TOS I build it from source and the TOS does not apply.

    I wish they would make Firefox Sync a self hostable product that they also host for you for like 5 bucks a month. I would pay for it (or any other way to directly give money to FX instead of Mozilla) like I do for Bitwarden.

      • @[email protected]
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        2 months ago

        Yes, but I actually would pay them for their services if they guarantee me that they will use that money to improve Firefox and Firefox services. I want to be a premium user of Firefox, but instead of trying to monetize their core userbase they annihilate them.

        I actually like their advertising business idea and their other services and I understand that they need money but is whay they are doing right now really the best way?

  • @[email protected]
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    72 months ago

    I’ve been using Zen for the past couple days and it’s absolutely spectacular. I really really been enjoying it.

    It claims to be a fork of Firefox but there’s still Firefox under the hood and you can tell. But I find that it runs significantly faster than Firefox standard. So who knows. The author seems to be making it as ambiguous as possible so I would think that it’s a soft fork that’s basically stock Firefox with a few minor changes and a new look.

    • Random Dent
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      62 months ago

      I use Floorp as my main browser! I like it, it’s very customisable and kind of weirdly Japanese lol

        • Random Dent
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          32 months ago

          Assuming you mean the “weirdly Japanese” part - it’s hard to say exactly, but it’s made by a small team in Japan and just a kind of vaguely Japanese vibe to it somehow. Sorry I know that’s not very helpful lol

          • @[email protected]OP
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            22 months ago

            Haha, I’ve tried it out but haven’t noticed any Japanese feelings to it. Would like to know if you later put words to it :)

  • SavvyWolf
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    182 months ago

    I’m a Firefox user and I’m not really that bothered about this tos changes. If they do mess things up I’ll probably just switch to some fork that doesn’t do the fuckery.

    Wouldn’t be surprised if Mint packages Firefox with it (whatever “it” is) disabled, since they build Thunderbird without telemetry.

  • @[email protected]
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    2 months ago

    I use several, depending on use case:

    • Tor Browser for general and anonymous web browsing (e.g. reading news, looking up stuff, and so on)
    • Mullvad Browser as a clear web alternative for general use
    • Librewolf for generally logging into sites with personally identifiable accounts (e.g. to buy stuff)
    • Ungoogled Chromium for those few sites which only work with a Chromium-based browser, or other specific cases
    • On Android (GrapheneOS): Tor Browser and Vanadium

    All regular browsers have some hardening applied and uBlock Origin installed.

    • @[email protected]
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      12 months ago

      Do you script it so when it is an Ebay/Amazon link, Libre Wolf is opened? Or you just remember to do so?/

  • @[email protected]
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    82 months ago

    My issue is that while i am concerned about privacy, i’m more concerned with security patching. And none of these smaller browsers have the resources to turn around security fixes as quickly as firefox or chrome.

    Firefox is the least of the concerns as long as we have the config options to disable anything deemed not privacy-respecting.

    • @[email protected]OP
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      12 months ago

      This is the only good critique in this entire thread (thank you) BUT librewolf is on the exact same version as Firefox. It appears their updates are pretty fast.

      Would you have config recommendations beyond the obvious?

      • @[email protected]
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        12 months ago

        I’m probably not the best person to talk to about Firefox hardening. Because… I don’t. I only go as far as using firefox containers.

        My threat model is to counter:-

        • ISP data logging
        • government filters
        • region blocking
        • hyper-personalised marketing

        I use a VPN for the first three, and I use Ublock, and don’t use google/meta/twitter/amazon/ebay for last.

        I personally believe it is impossible to escape fingerprinting unless you’re on Tor Browser, but using Tor paints you as a target in my country per the first item above.

        I also work in financial services, and am a user of my company’s product. We do significant ‘device intelligence’ and ‘behavioral intelligence’ on client devices, auth attempts, and actions taken in sessions. Log in too many times from too many different (seemingly) devices, user agents, IP addresses, regions, etc and it increases our customer risk assessment of you. Tick over a threshold and your account falls under enhanced customer due diligence. Tick over another threshold, and we’ll set auto-blocks until we can investigate. I assume that any other financial services provider worth their salt would do the same to counter fraud, money laundering, and meeting sanctions.

        I basically use a split tunnel VPN. VPN traffic for general browsing, email, etc. And looking as much as a regular user as possible when accessing financial services, government websites, etc.

        And yeah, agree LibreWolf is great. Only downside for the average user is the lack of an auto-updater. So the only tweak i’d do with LibreWolf would be to set up a cron/systemd timer to update it nightly.

  • xmanmonk
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    212 months ago

    Recent news about Firefox finally got me to go with LibreWolf.

  • @[email protected]
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    182 months ago

    Zen, absolutely love the workflow and the fact that it is not chromium based.

    Waiting excitedly for ladybird, it is already very impressive but still years left until it is daily drive able

    • @[email protected]
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      12 months ago

      Basically a firefox skin, although they have a VPN as a sponsor, did somebody did a thorough check on that browser?

    • @[email protected]
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      12 months ago

      I like zen a lot but I’m struggling to drag a tab from one window to another. The sidebar always collapses on the target window before the tab gets there. Any tips?

      • @[email protected]
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        12 months ago

        Perhaps right click on the sidebar -> disable compact mode? I haven’t had any issues moving tabs between windows, but then again I keep the sidebar persistent

  • 𝚝𝚛𝚔
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    162 months ago

    Firefox. And Thunderbird. And donate to Mozilla.

    Don’t really see the point in using a fork that, by the time you boil it down, just takes Firefox’s work and then releases it later.

    I want a Google and Apple alternative and I’d rather support it at the top of the chain.