Advice Request Should I switch to Firefox?

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Danielx64

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Mar 24, 2017
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So at late, I see that Firefox is starting to include more options that I am starting to feel that would be useful:

Stop canvas fingerprinting
Tracking Protection features

So is it time to jump ship yet? Also the fact that there is a portable version also appeal to me as well.
 

HarborFront

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FF has 2 minor annoyances as compared to Chrome browser........but I can accept them

1) It's difficult if you pinch-and zoom beyond 100% screen resolution and tries to return to 100%. Although there's an improvement with a screen resolution percentage indicator it's still difficult to do it. Chrome can return to default screen resolution with ease.

2) Using finger touch (as I'm using touch screens) on the links in FF requires greater precision and accuracy than in Chrome browser otherwise the links won't response despite 'touching' them.

:rolleyes:
 

Danielx64

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Hehe Netscape Navigator once had a market share of over 90%, then Internet Explorer came bundled with Windows.
I remember using Netscape Navigator when I was at primary school....
I have been using Google Chrome for a long time since the old Firefox has been slow at starting up. So, I downloaded the newer and improved firefox and I cannot believe how fast it loads up. So, I set my brand new Firefox as a defaulted web browser.

Yeah I used firefox in the past and dumped it. Now that I given it a good run for a few hours I removed chrome. I also made it portable as well so I didn't need to worry about needing to reinstalling it when I format.
 

ZeroDay

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I have both installed so I don't think it's a case of either or. You could have both installed and see which suits you best. Personally I'll be sticking with Google Chrome no matter what new features firefox has. I find chrome to be secure, stable and it's getting some pretty good new features too. For me, Chrome runs extremely quickly. I will use Firefox from time to time but I've no intention on dumping Chrome just because Mozilla have finally decided to get back in the game. It's like dropping your security software because a product that use to be great starts scoring well on testing sites even though your security software has never let you down. It is great to see Firefox doing so well again though.
 

zzz00m

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Jun 10, 2017
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I have both Firefox and Chrome installed. I have been using Firefox as my main default browser for years, and it keeps getting better. I have always like the bookmark management better in Firefox. It seems that Google is forcing you to use their search to find stuff instead. :sneaky:

I do not have Flash installed in Firefox, so I run it as a pure HTML5 browser. I use Chrome for sites that still require Flash, such as certain mainstream media sites that still use Flash for streaming video, but have not yet adopted fallback to the HTML5 standard. At least Chrome always updates to the latest Flash plugin, so I know that protects from most recent patched Flash vulnerabilities.

I also run uBlock Origin in both browsers.

Firefox now has a 64-bit exe, and runs multiprocess as well, so it is catching up with Chrome technology. Multiprocess Firefox

In older versions of desktop Firefox, the entire browser was running in a single operating system process. In particular, the JavaScript that ran the browser UI (also known as "chrome code") used to run in the same process as the code in web pages (also known as "content" or "web content").

Latest versions of Firefox run the browser UI in a separate process from web content. In the first iteration of this architecture, all browser tabs run in the same process and the browser UI runs in a different process. In future iterations, we expect to have more than one content process. The project that's delivering multiprocess Firefox is called Electrolysis, sometimes abbreviated to e10s.

It has been quite some time now since I last had a Firefox crash... (y)
 

shmu26

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Chrome generally works better and introduces new features earlier.
Every time Firefox makes major improvements, and starts to become a serious threat to Chrome, the folks at Google come up with something new and better for Chrome.
But Firefox should be your first choice if privacy is your first priority.
 

gorblimey

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Aug 30, 2017
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I have never been convinced that Chromium is as secure/easy-to-use/etc as it says it is. Old School I may be, but the inability to easily lift the hood (UK: bonnet) is a major liability. Google does the brand no favours.

I actually don't use--and never will--FF per se. BUT, I do use K-Meleon which is built using Windows APIs rather than XUL, and Pale Moon as a backup. And IE11. You'd be surprised how often just having that has let me continue browsing (well done web-weavers :mad:). The minions have installed Chrome on their lappies, but being offspring naturally they're too proud to admit they got it wrong and can they has KM?
 

gorblimey

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Aug 30, 2017
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Is Firefox as secure as Chrome? I mean, Chrome has good sandboxing for websites ...

I'm trying to remember... AAAHhhhhhhh, gottit. A while ago on Major Geeks, a rogue ad hijacked the MG page and tried to drop a trojan. Is that what you were thinking? It didn't know I had CryptoPrevent locking down %AppData\Temp%, so the hijack wound up imploding up its own orifice and left about a dozen fragments on my HDD. Sandbox? Well, it would have saved me a sweep-and-vacuum :).
 

browneylad

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Sep 27, 2017
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For extensions issue, try Chrome Store Foxified extension to run Chrome extensions. It has some problems, the foxified addons may or may not work properly and you'll have to register and sign up extension(for stable and beta Firefox) but worth a try in your free time.

Thank you! Did not know that. Going to give good try. I hope they work on versions below 57.
 

zzz00m

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Jun 10, 2017
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Is Firefox as secure as Chrome? I mean, Chrome has good sandboxing for websites, but does Firefox have a secure sandbox also?

Firefox to Expand Sandbox Security Feature

Electrolysis "content" process sandbox already live on Windows

Mozilla started deploying Electrolysis over the past summer, starting with Firefox 48. Initially, multi-process support was rolled out for a small percentage of the Firefox userbase, who didn't use extensions. After a week, Electrolysis was then deployed to all users who used Firefox in a default state, without any extensions.

With Firefox 49, Electrolysis support was expanded to users that used a small number of well-tested extensions, and in Firefox 50, the current version, more Firefox users that used extensions received multi-process support.

Firefox 50, released at the start of the month, also included a first version of the Firefox sandbox feature, which now also covers the second Electrolysis process, the one that works with web content.

This Firefox web content sandbox feature is currently live only for Windows users, but Mac and Linux users are set to receive it as well "over the next few releases."
 
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