[timbuck]

Firefox is an open-source, privacy respecting, open standard supporting web browser that started way back in 2005 (and before that it was called Phoenix). It took the Netscape Navigator code and has built upon it for 15 years. It's the default browser on Linux (a free, open-source well mostly open-source system as akin to Mac) and it has less than 7% use on the desktop and less than ONE percent on mobile devices.

This is in part due to iOS not allowing the Firefox mobile browser to use its own open source web rendering engine (called gecko) to be used, but instead will use WebKit--correction, they forked/branched off webkit and made Blink (which if I'm not mistaken is what Google Chrome uses (as well as Microsoft Edge, Safari and the Brave browser now use).

Desktop Linux doesn't see much use but it's about 70%+ for web servers and just recently 100% for the top 500 supercomputers.

Firefox automatically blocks hundreds of website tracking cookies and connections on every page you visit. This prevents or reduces advertisers to track you and show targeted adverts. I checked recently and Firefox says it's blocked over 5,500 trackers on my Linux installation that I don't browse much with.

Firefox is open-source meaning you can verify yourself that it's not tracking you or sending data that you don't control. By default it does has some telemetry but this can be easily turned off in settings.

The default search engine is actually Google. This isn't ideal because Firefox (Mozilla is the organization) is literally competing for an Internet that doesn't track you and Google runs Google Adsense and the "doubleclick" networks. This is for funding from Google because Mozilla doesn't seem to be getting the funding they need to sustain their business. They laid off over 150 developers just recently so that should be sign enough that they are hurting.

If you would like to support an excellent web browser and help stop targeted advertising and tracking cookies, start using Firefox and let's make the Web a better place.

 

[o1dschoo1]

Firefox is an open-source, privacy respecting, open standard supporting web browser that started way back in 2005 (and before that it was called Phoenix). It took the Netscape Navigator code and has built upon it for 15 years. It's the default browser on Linux (a free, open-source well mostly open-source system as akin to Mac) and it has less than 7% use on the desktop and less than ONE percent on mobile devices.

This is in part due to iOS not allowing the Firefox mobile browser to use its own open source web rendering engine (called gecko) to be used, but instead will use WebKit--correction, they forked/branched off webkit and made Blink (which if I'm not mistaken is what Google Chrome uses (as well as Microsoft Edge, Safari and the Brave browser now use).

Desktop Linux doesn't see much use but it's about 70%+ for web servers and just recently 100% for the top 500 supercomputers.

Firefox automatically blocks hundreds of website tracking cookies and connections on every page you visit. This prevents or reduces advertisers to track you and show targeted adverts. I checked recently and Firefox says it's blocked over 5,500 trackers on my Linux installation that I don't browse much with.

Firefox is open-source meaning you can verify yourself that it's not tracking you or sending data that you don't control. By default it does has some telemetry but this can be easily turned off in settings.

The default search engine is actually Google. This isn't ideal because Firefox (Mozilla is the organization) is literally competing for an Internet that doesn't track you and Google runs Google Adsense and the "doubleclick" networks. This is for funding from Google because Mozilla doesn't seem to be getting the funding they need to sustain their business. They laid off over 150 developers just recently so that should be sign enough that they are hurting.

If you would like to support an excellent web browser and help stop targeted advertising and tracking cookies, start using Firefox and let's make the Web a better place.

Fire fox had a memory leak issue that is compounded when running a ad blocker. Everyone uses chrome or something like brave browser

 

[TheBDK]

I use Chrome, but that will end the second they render ublock origin worthless. I dont want to see ads.

 

[WannaBeOCer]

Starting March 24 of last year Safari also followed Firefox by blocking all third party cookies by default. While Google has a slower approach to set it as default. Brave has it enabled by default, no clue about Microsoft Edge.

You can disable all third party cookies by following this guide: Clear, enable, and manage cookies in Chrome - Computer - Google Chrome Help

I use Chrome, but that will end the second they render ublock origin worthless. I dont want to see ads.

Home

1. Install a supported operating system You can run Pi-hole in a container, or deploy it directly to a supported operating system via our automated installer. D

pi-hole.net

 

[xxicrimsonixx]

Brave... plus I earn BAT from ads which I block systemwide on macos... Free money at that point.

In my mind, Firefox is an archaic piece of software.

 

[Mr. Mojo]

I run Firefox for personal use, Chrome for work - across all devices. Ad blockers and privacy add-ons don't work as well on Chrome (obviously) but I use G-Suite for work and Chrome handles that better.

 

[Peanuts4]

I use firefox at home and on my mobile. There was an article that just came out and Chrome shows it uses a ton of memory compared to Safari. I don't use apple products anymore so I don't have the link but I'll support Firefox. I think anyone who gives a crap about their memory usage or tabs move away from Chromes tentacles.

 

[zeroibis]

I got an addon for firefox that gives you vertical tabs and it is so much better. Completely insane how much easier it is to navigate mutiple tabs.

 

[Diffident]

Firefox was first released in 2002 not 2005, and it was called Firebird immediately prior to being called Firefox. They changed the name because there was already an open source database named Firebird.

Firefox was the greatest thing since sliced bread when it was released, it had a built in popup-blocker and tabs. I think Opera might have been first to have tabs, but you had to pay for Opera back then. There was a time when Firefox had the most market share, then for some reason everyone started using Chrome. Firefox was also a slimmed down version of the Mozilla Suite, which included a browser and email client. I used Mozilla prior to Firefox being released.

 

[Beagle Box]

Ghostery on phone. Ghostery beta on Windows desktop.

 

[Asmodian]

There was a time when Firefox had the most market share, then for some reason everyone started using Chrome.

For some reason... performance might have had something to do with it.

 

[Electrosoft]

I've used Firefox since inception and before that Netscape. I've never embraced or adopted explorer ever as my personal browser. I switch between Firefox and Safari if I'm on iOS/MacOS.

For working at home, I have my browsers segmented depending on tasks. Chrome for certain work, Edge/Explorer for others. I use them strictly for work related tasks. I use Firefox for personal use.

 

[Techie007]

I use Firefox quite exclusively—if you care about security and privacy, you will too! Anyone who uses Chrome outside of the Google suite is lacking sense (yes, I know; that's a lot of people). Ever since Edge went to Chromium, I haven't even had Chrome installed on my PC. A couple of Firefox specials I like:

• When coupled with a master password, Firefox's Password Manager is second to none. Every other browser is easily hackable by comparison.
• You can increase ClearType rendering contrast (about:config, search "cleartype", change "gfx.font_rendering.cleartype_params.enhanced_contrast" to 1000, your eyes will thank you).
• Firefox automatically takes rudimentary steps to reduce cross-site tracking. Addons like Adblock Plus or Ghostery (just to name a couple) can take this to the next level.
• Firefox does not make it easy to open/run new downloads, but silently saves them in the background. This is a huge "idiot stopper", where malicious websites automatically spawn virus downloads that end up safely getting stashed in the Downloads folder instead of opened by the user.
• Firefox is not owned and controlled by Big Tech, but is Open Source, thus inviting integrity.
• Firefox has been faster and less of a RAM hog than Chrome for a long time now.

 

[essanbee]

Like Firefox, don't like the little woke messages I'm getting at the bottom of the new tabs page...

 

[Chandlermaki]

...basically all of the negatives towards Firefox outlined in this thread are either old and irrelevant or just outright false.

Firefox with Adblock/uBlock/Ghostery, and a few other misc plug-ins here. I would rather toss my machine out than go back to Chrome.

 

[WannaBeOCer]

Operating System: Solus
Chrome v88.0.4324.150
FireFox v85

Benchmark Results:

Octane 2.0 - Higher is better
Chrome: 56332
FireFox: 23155

JetStream 2 - Higher is better
Chrome: 155.539
FireFox: 93.978

MotionMark 1.0 - Higher is better
Chrome: 309.93
FireFox: 298.22

Kraken - Lower is better
Chrome: 778.3ms +/- 0.7%
FireFox: 1091.8ms +/- 1.2%

WebXPRT 3 - Higher is better
Chrome: 232
FireFox: 260

 

[Chandlermaki]

Synthetic benchmarks that have zero perceptible impact on my daily experience are basically the last thing that goes into my browser choice. My issues with Chrome are far from being performance related.

 

[Rabid Guardsman]

I feel like a hipster, I mostly use Waterfox classic with tabmix plus because I got hooked on the custom UI settings from old Firefox, I absolutely cannot stand the chrome style interface at this point. I made this crappy video to show how I have mine set up.

I also really like the way firefox/waterfox can comb through your history to find things you looked at in the address bar. I deliberately have it keep all my history because I lost track of all the times it helped me find some random supplier or article I had looked at 6+ months ago. I can can just type in something like "magnetic saturation" in the address bar and it will show me the whole title of the pages and saved page icon so I can instantly find the article I had been reading or whatever. That's why i keep a separate search bar, I get history results from the address bar and predictive search from the search bar.

I suppose I tend to use Chrome as my backup browser, just to see if a page isn't working because of my weirdo browser or if it's actually not working.

Edit: Oh yeah, I also like it because tabmix plus makes it way easier manage a couple hundred tabs if I'm shoping for something or researching something.

 

[UltraMega]

Surprised I'm not the only one using Edge.

 

[Blameless]

Firefox is the least bad of the generally standards-compliant browsers at this point. Fewest privacy concerns overall, and the easiest to backup/restore, without having to keep anything online or attached to an account.