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  • Showing only topics in ~tech with the tag "browsers". Back to normal view / Search all groups
    1. What browser extensions do you absolutely love to use?

      I have two that I will highly recommend: Vimium has completely changed the way that I use my browsers. They have extensions for firefox and safari as well, but the link I provided is for chrome....

      I have two that I will highly recommend:

      Vimium has completely changed the way that I use my browsers. They have extensions for firefox and safari as well, but the link I provided is for chrome. If you are used to vim keybindings, it makes websites almost completely navigable using only your keyboard! Here's a video demonstration of it in case you're interested.

      My other is SponsorBlock for youtube. This one makes using youtube a little more bearable by automatically skipping the baked-in sponsorships and advertisements. It has literally cut down my viewing times of some channels by like 20%.

      Are there any other extensions that you absolutely love?

      110 votes
    2. Which web browser do you use?

      Most of the world seems to be settled around Chrome and Safari these days. I remember using Firefox a long time ago myself but then everyone started switching to Chrome and that also turned out to...

      Most of the world seems to be settled around Chrome and Safari these days. I remember using Firefox a long time ago myself but then everyone started switching to Chrome and that also turned out to be a natural path of least resistance for web developers like me who had to test web apps in local environment.

      This switch happened in circa 2015-16 if I recall correctly, many other browsers have evolved since then and people are looking at alternatives. The Android Kiwi browser, for example, is a great alternative for power users on mobile who need plugins but Chrome won't allow that. Other alternatives have evolved too like Brendan Eich's Brave browser which seems to be promising. Anyone here tried that yet?

      I have half a mind to go back to Firefox but I recently learned about how Mozilla Corp is also funded by Google and that turned me off. Wouldn't you rather want to deal with the Devil directly instead of the Devil's assistant or sidekick!

      And then there are also those who use Garibaldi, Midori, etc. but I can't go that purist way. I'm way too dependent on the digital way of life and sites like amazon and flipkart won't work in those browsers. What do you think should be the right path ahead from here?

      24 votes
    3. Help me ditch Chrome's password manager!

      I've been trying to reduce my reliance on all things Google, and one of the big ones is password management. I've tried several times to make the jump, but every time I start researching options...

      I've been trying to reduce my reliance on all things Google, and one of the big ones is password management. I've tried several times to make the jump, but every time I start researching options I'm overwhelmed by the selection. There are a lot of popular options out there, and I really don't have the time/energy to endure a misstep. So without a clear idea of which manager will check all of my boxes, I end up bailing on the process and keep using chrome's built in option.

      So to start, here's what I like about Chrome:

      • Automatically offers to store passwords without extra clicks
      • Autofills automatically where it can, and gives me an easy choice when it can't
      • Works everywhere I need passwords. (basically everywhere I browse the internet since chrome works everywhere)
      • Minimal overhead. This is hard to beat since Chrome just includes it, so I'm fine with a little extra setup if necessary.

      I used to use keepass portable on a thumb drive (I want to say circa ~2009ish), but it became really inconvenient as my usage shifted more to mobile devices.

      I see this as a first step to also reducing my reliance on Chrome so I can start to consider other browsers. Right now I feel locked in to Google's ecosystem, but I know I can break it up if I don't get too bogged down by choice. Much appreciate any help. :)

      34 votes
    4. Getting tired of Firefox

      Am I the only one? They've made some serious improvements and I generally enjoy using Firefox but I occasionally run into issues that just shows complete disregard for end users. Assuming, of...

      Am I the only one?

      They've made some serious improvements and I generally enjoy using Firefox but I occasionally run into issues that just shows complete disregard for end users. Assuming, of course, my issues are not isolated.

      Every month or so, when Firefox updates, it completely resets itself. This doesn't happen with every update, but Mozilla pushes an update that breaks the functionality of my browser. My browser settings, my userChrome profile, my extensions and their settings, and my bookmarks are all gone. Everything.

      I do have sync but that doesn't work properly either. It only syncs some of my settings (which actually makes it harder for me to figure out what's enabled/disabled) and while I do get my bookmarks (none of which have their favicons), the extensions that manage to sync (meaning the ones that were installed from the store) don't sync their settings unless they have cloud support.

      I do not understand this. Why do I, as an end user who care about Mozilla's mission, have to deal with this? I'd overlooked many of Firefox's shortcomings in the past, but when the browser works, it works well. I have some issues, but browsers are complicated and running into issues are to be expected. I understand that, but I simply cannot understand how eager they are to break the end user's workflow. Isn't it supposed to be a cardinal sin for every software company, especially the ones trying to survive, to not do this?

      I just spent roughly half an hour of my day to get my browser back to its previous state. Adding the times I had had to deal with this issue before, I've spent hours on dealing with Firefox that I shouldn't have. I don't think I have another half an hour to spare for it and I don't want to anymore, but is there even an alternative for Windows that suck less?

      (Apologies for the rant, but I needed to vent and perhaps get a discussion going about the current state of browsers.)

      29 votes
    5. How often do you go through your bookmarks/favorites?

      I recently switch browsers from Safari to Orion after many, many years. I imported all of my bookmarks and then realized that I couldn't remember the last time I went through them to see what was...

      I recently switch browsers from Safari to Orion after many, many years. I imported all of my bookmarks and then realized that I couldn't remember the last time I went through them to see what was still useful (or even around).

      I also realized that I don't save a ton of bookmarks anymore as I keep all of my browsing history available and search through that.

      How often do you all go through your bookmarks/favorites?

      34 votes
    6. Do you use an alternative browser? Which one? Why?

      The big players today are Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge. Then there are a load of alternative browsers from Vivaldi and Brave to EWW and elinks and w3m, and then things like Dillo and Netsurf....

      The big players today are Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge. Then there are a load of alternative browsers from Vivaldi and Brave to EWW and elinks and w3m, and then things like Dillo and Netsurf. Do you use any of these alternative browsers? If yes, why, and why did you pick that particular one? I'd be interested to read why not, too.

      28 votes
    7. Must-have browser extensions?

      What are some of your must have browser extensions? I recently made an effort to switch to Firefox, and now I'm looking for some good browser extensions to make my web browsing experience better....

      What are some of your must have browser extensions?

      I recently made an effort to switch to Firefox, and now I'm looking for some good browser extensions to make my web browsing experience better. Here are the ones I currently use:

      19 votes
    8. What simple features would you want in a new browser?

      So, I'm planning on building yet another browser (based on Firefox, since we already have too much Chromium forks around) I'm intending to target the people worried about their privacy, but aren't...

      So, I'm planning on building yet another browser (based on Firefox, since we already have too much Chromium forks around)

      I'm intending to target the people worried about their privacy, but aren't technical enough to dabble with about:config tweaks and deal with any site breakages.

      So, for this project, I'm planning on doing the following modifications to Firefox:

      • Tweaked by default to get a balance between increased privacy, and less site breakage
        • Tweaks include cutting any "background" communication with Mozilla (while I trust them, some people might not) and Google (safe browsing, geolocation)
        • Maybe, possibly, an "advanced privacy settings" menu for more privacy settings in exchange for site breakage?
      • Integrated ad blocker (Decided on uBlock Origin, maybe adding Nano Defender to bypass any nag screens)
      • Maybe a way to "pretend" to be a Chromium browser, since some sites require that nowadays (More user agent complexity, yay!)

      So, this is where this thread comes in. What would you guys want in a (Gecko-based) browser, that I can provide?

      I am definitely not planning any substantial under-the-hood changes, since that would
      a) make maintaining it a pain
      b) be way out of my skill level.

      I am only looking for stuff that can be applied with some simple source code patches, or an integrated extension, as I will not "fork" the entire FF source. This project is essentially a rebranded patchset. (Also allows for faster updates!)

      ps: Please be realistic, and remember that this is a one man thing. I can not make any substantial changes, like bringing XUL add-ons back, if you know what those are.

      pps: If you can, and are willing to help with anything, let me know and I'll put up a repo online :)

      ppps: Please let me know if I've made a mistake while creating this topic.

      15 votes
    9. Tom Scott warns viewers that Brave donations do not reach him

      @tomscott: This warning is prompted by a company called Brave, who've been taking cryptocurrency donations "for me", using my name and photo, without my consent. I asked them not to, and to refund anyone who's donated; they said "we'll see what we can do" and that "refunds are impossible".

      33 votes
    10. Tab viewer/organizer?

      Weird question, but does anyone know of a simple tab viewer or organizer for Firefox (bonus points if it works on iOS)? I have... way too many tabs open, and I want to see what I can bookmark...

      Weird question, but does anyone know of a simple tab viewer or organizer for Firefox (bonus points if it works on iOS)? I have... way too many tabs open, and I want to see what I can bookmark before closing rather than having to either close everything or manually check each tab.

      11 votes
    11. Anyone using the BRAVE web browser? Thoughts? Experiences?

      I was reading about it here: https://www.cnet.com/news/brave-browser-matures-with-move-to-chromium-foundation/ First I heard of it and was curious if anyone has tried it. I love the idea of...

      I was reading about it here:

      https://www.cnet.com/news/brave-browser-matures-with-move-to-chromium-foundation/

      First I heard of it and was curious if anyone has tried it. I love the idea of blocking ads and trackers by default.

      19 votes