this post was submitted on 19 Jul 2023
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[–] stagen@feddit.dk 60 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I'm sticking with Firefox until some dev decides to use it's engine to make a new better browser. I truly enjoy Arc and Vivaldi, but since they're chromium i don't trust them an inch with my personal data.

[–] HughJanus@lemmy.ml 21 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

since they're chromium i don't trust them an inch with my personal data.

This is such a ridiculous position. Do you have any evidence at all that every Chromium browser (even the ones specifically designed to avoid this) are transmitting your personal data?

[–] russjr08@outpost.zeuslink.net 34 points 1 year ago (2 children)

This is such a ridiculous position.

I'm not the original person you responded to, but I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I disagree. While I personally do not think that all Chromium browsers (especially since there are projects like ungoogled-chromium) transmit your personal data, I can't verify this myself because the Chromium codebase is far too much of an undertaking for myself to review.

While the same is also true for Firefox (and really any potential open source browser), on a pure personal-trust factor I trust Mozilla/Firefox to be more caring about protecting my personal data than I do Google, who literally revolves around data collection. Inevitably its a moot point for me since I do use Google services anyways, but I don't think its that far reaching for someone who potentially doesn't to take the original person's stance.

[–] fernandofig@reddthat.com 9 points 1 year ago (4 children)

While I personally do not think that all Chromium browsers (especially since there are projects like ungoogled-chromium) transmit your personal data, I can't verify this myself because the Chromium codebase is far too much of an undertaking for myself to review.

Don't you think that, with so many contributors and projects having eyes on it (arguably more so than on gecko), if there was foul play wouldn't anyone have sounded the alarm?

[–] barryamelton@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

but they did sound the alarm? Debian took Chromium out of their repos for a time because they found unreported telemetry sent encrypted back to Google. All the info is on the net. You just need to read it.

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[–] stagen@feddit.dk 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] helvedeshunden@kbin.dk 20 points 1 year ago

Brave is icky. It's smeared in crypto and they were caught injecting affiliate links in 2020.

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[–] barryamelton@lemmy.ml 26 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Evidence? OF COURSE!

Have you even tried searching for it?

Google even says so for Chromium on its own official page!

https://security.stackexchange.com/questions/144289/privacy-with-chromium

You don't need to trust us. Trust Google, they are telling you legally if you want to listen.

Also, look up the handful of open bugs on the Debian but tracker, where known people, with name and faces (I've met some on conferences), showcase and share how Chromium calls home and sends encrypted data. They share their Wireshark logs.

https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=792580;msg=53

Look up how Debian removed Chromium for a time, until some of it got removed upstream.

And all of this doesn't mean that Google cannot re-introduce it or add different approaches in new updates.

Plus, Google actively creates and pushes for their "standards" via Chrome(ium), which allows them to push for even more surveillance.

In addition, Chromium is not a community project. It's developed behind closed doors, with a secret roadmap, and a code dump happens on release. That's no way to develop the 90% of web browser market that society needs in this day and age. But, don't think you will care about that, do you? you are happy with papa Google for the foreseeable.

[–] HughJanus@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

Have you even tried searching for it?

Of course I have. I've never found any substantiation, which is why I'm asking. I use them every day so I would certainly like to know if there is, but the concerns I constantly see only apply to Chrome, and not Chromium-based browsers.

Google even says so for Chromium on its own official page!

This is specifically for the Chromium browser, not Chromium-based browsers. I know, it's confusing. Chromium is basically just the open-sourced version of Chrome.

Plus, Google actively creates and pushes for their "standards" via Chrome(ium), which allows them to push for even more surveillance.

This is yet another item attributed to Chrome and it's users. You can totally create a Chromium fork that adheres to conventional standards.

[–] Builtin@lemmy.one 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

How hard can you simp for Vivaldi. Jesus Christ.

You don't think Google themselves admitting that Chromium has the same privacy notice is substantial? What more could you possibly need?

What's worse is that Vivaldi took an open source browser with a bunch of privacy concerns, added some things and closed the source. And you think it's somehow less of a cause of concern.

You're nuts.

[–] HughJanus@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

How hard can you simp for Vivaldi. Jesus Christ.

I use 5 different browsers, zero of which are Vivaldi, and thus do not "simp" for Vivaldi. The only "simping" I do is for the truth. The Google hate train is valid but misplaced in this instance.

You don't think Google themselves admitting that Chromium has the same privacy notice is substantial?

You're simply deliberately misreading my comment because what I said is not that it's unsubstantial, I said that it's inaccurate. Google does not and cannot have any control over any Chromium forks or their respective individual privacy policies'. This statement only pertains to the Chromium web browser.

I can see that you have no interest in an honest discussion so I won't be engaging with you further. Bye.

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[–] stagen@feddit.dk 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The mere fact that you're forced to use a Google service for synchronicity between devices? Yes, Firefox has the same but i find them much more trustworthy.

Give me a browser that allows for using a synchronization service of my own choice.

Decentralize!

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[–] CalcProgrammer1@lemmy.ml 16 points 1 year ago

LibreWolf is an option. It's mainly just a Firefox fork but removes the adware and sponsored garbage as well as had more privacy-focused defaults, though IMO the defaults are too much and need to be toned back. No ads though so it's 100% worth the switch.

[–] TheSaneWriter@lemmy.thesanewriter.com 58 points 1 year ago (9 children)

Congrats to Firefox, it really has made substantial improvements over the years.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Maybe it'll start maintaining Mozilla again. You know: its namesake project.

[–] pungunner@feddit.de 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There is a project called Mozilla? Afaik it is the company name? What is it?

[–] LeFantome@programming.dev 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Mozilla is the name of the Open Source version of Netscape Navigator. It is the pre-cursor to Firefox.

[–] Banzai51@midwest.social 14 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Not only that, they had goals beyond just a browser. They wanted to create a whole OS ecosystem integrated with the browser. They released Firefox as a side project to just get a browser in everyone's hands while they worked on Mozilla. Turns out the OS ecosystem in a browser was a bust, and Firefox was a winner. Just the Mozilla devs haven't stopped being bitter about it. The old Netscape motivations around the project have been a boat anchor.

[–] russjr08@outpost.zeuslink.net 12 points 1 year ago

There was the Firefox mobile OS but apparently that didn't pan out too well it seems. I remember vaguely hearing about it long ago, but not by much.

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[–] Justaregulardude2001@sopuli.xyz 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Now all we need is that it provides a better experience than Chrome.

[–] Cornelius@lemmy.ml 20 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Meh, I'll be honest and say that I'm not impressed by chrome in modern day. While I hate Microsoft, edge is a nicer browser to use than chrome, and that's saying something

I agree, but I think that the normies like to use Chrome because... that's what everyone is using, so I am eager to see how FF can give a better experience to the normal user.

[–] westyvw@lemm.ee 18 points 1 year ago

It already does. I dislike using Chrome. Firefox works better, looks better, and containers are really useful to me.

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[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 35 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Google is blitzscaled techbro big tech, the honeymoon is over, now it's time for enshittification !

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[–] MarioBarisa@lemmy.ml 32 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Great job Mozilla. I hope that Firefox will one day be as popular as Chrome or even more! ❤️

[–] ProfezzorDarke@feddit.de 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Oh it was already- Before Chrome became popular. When Chrome came out, only weird people used it. All my friends were FF kids.

[–] MixedRaceHumanAI@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

Chrome took over FF because of Chrome being a default Android web browser after replacing its vanilla/AOSP browser.

[–] smeg@feddit.uk 17 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It was better than Firefox at the time. Firefox only needed to be better than IE so it has become a bit of a ram-hungry bloaty mess, then Chrome came along and was actually really quick. How the tables have turned.

[–] crunchpaste@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 1 year ago

Yep. I was very young at the time but what I remember is firefox being spoken of as kind of a "hack" to make everything web-based faster compared to IE.

Then chrome came out and firefox was completely replaced. It felt like an instant change. Anyone that knew anything about computers was using chrome.

I think that chrome is still living off its glorious past.

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[–] rm_dash_r_star@lemm.ee 23 points 1 year ago (4 children)

I'm still using Chrome, but it keeps getting shittier. At some point they'll push me over to Firefox. Hope Firefox can avoid getting shitty.

[–] crunchpaste@lemmy.dbzer0.com 38 points 1 year ago (3 children)

While Mozilla is far from perfect, I think they've managed to avoid getting shitty for almost 20 years.

[–] Grimpen@lemmy.ca 28 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's because the Mozilla Foundation is a non-profit. They don't need to maximize value for their shareholders™.

Thank you Netscape for setting Navigator free!

The Enshitification cycle is a feature of for profit corporations, Google was always going to turn evil at some point.

[–] nan@lemmy.blahaj.zone 16 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

The Mozilla Corporation is for profit, but they reinvest all of their profits. They are also wholly owned by the Foundation. You can't donate to Firefox.

[–] crunchpaste@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes, and they've made some profit-driven decisions, such as pocket integration, but never on the level of what google does.

That's why I've said they are far from perfect (but the best we have).

[–] nan@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 1 year ago

And dropping Thunderbird :(

Although it seems to be doing well now under its own, newish commercial corporation.

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[–] Haarukkateroitin@sopuli.xyz 31 points 1 year ago (2 children)

How about today? I believe in you. You can do it! Break the cycle. Ditch the Chrome.

[–] Skip@lemm.ee 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

my friend actually convinced me to switch just a few days ago lol. i'm just super thankful that i could transfer all my bookmarks and stuff

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[–] gary_host_laptop@lemmy.ml 21 points 1 year ago (3 children)

What is exactly being measured here? Someone care to elaborate what kind of things they kept into account?

[–] Knusper@feddit.de 12 points 1 year ago

It's this benchmark: https://browserbench.org/Speedometer2.0/

TodoMVC is a popular UI example use-case, which illustrates basic interactivity concepts. Webdevs will often implement TodoMVC when learning a new framework to get the hang of all the core concepts.

And well, there's a lot of frameworks, which may all have different performance in different browsers, so this benchmark tests many different implementations of TodoMVC, all done in different frameworks.

Ultimately, it tries to simulate normal web usage, it's not some speciality benchmark.

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[–] On@kbin.social 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

anyone care to explain what we're looking at here?

As a Firefox Desktop/Android user this sure sounds awesome.

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