Web Browsers

***Valandil*** · 04-06-2018, 10:16 PM

What do you folks use? The old standby used to be Internet Explorer. Then... it became a bad one to use. I've used Firefox some, and Chrome a lot more.

Just got a new computer and it only came with IE. I am thinking about putting Chrome on it, but I wonder because of all the information-gathering that Google does.

Does everyone else use Chrome? Anyone have any concerns about it?

Are all the other browsers harvesting as much information on us as Chrome is anyway?

I don't even remember now exactly why IE got to be so bad - is it better now? Wonder if I just stick with it...

***Alcuin*** · 04-07-2018, 01:25 AM

I’ve used Firefox for about 20 years; before that, Mozilla; before that, IE, but only briefly; before that, Mosaic; before that, there were no browsers: everything was done from the command line. I remember teasing my older daughter that she’d never learn how to browse without learning the commands; all my kids do browse, of course, but only one has learned to browse using commands. (And I didn’t teach her.)

Right now I’m using Brave on some devices and considering switching everything to Brave. I have great respect for Brandon Eich, and regard his politically-motivated expulsion from Firefox not only a grave betrayal by the board, shooting itself in the foot to satisfy professional rabble-rousers who can never be sated for blood, but a clear indication Firefox no longer deserves the trust of its users. Brave is mostly compatible with Chrome, which I regard as completely and utterly untrustworthy: Google has made a religion of turning “Don’t be evil” on its head.

I’ve used Opera, too, and I like it. I like Chrome, but again, I don’t trust Google. (I’m sorry: Alphabet. They changed their corporate name, didn’t they? Still trade under the symbol GOOG. Of course, Corning still trades under the symbol GLW: “Glow Works”: they used to make light bulbs.) Tried SeaMonkey: it’s a discontinued fork of Mozilla, a little clunky. I’ve tried a few others: Squirrel deserves some mention; but without a solid team behind the browser, I am concerned about hacking, adequate java-script controls, and so forth.

**Mari** · 04-08-2018, 03:38 AM

I use Firefox and like it. I always browse in private mode, but then, I'm one of those few people who didn't have to worry about FB abusing their data, because I do read the small letters and turned everything that could be turned off off.

***Earniel*** · 04-09-2018, 09:24 AM

Used IE for years but eventually went to Firefox for security reasons. Virusses became too big an issue.

Firefox is okay to use, and to adjust to my (what my sister calls paranoid) preference of privacy. But lately I have been having issues with energy-usage so that I wouldn't mind looking into an alternative. Unfortunately I have to maintain the computers for the rest of the family and they are all familiar with Firefox so it's likely to stay anyway.

I have Chrome installed as back-up if Firefox fails but I dislike some of its settings (I can not delete some histories like I can in Firefox and that irks me) so I distrust it about privacy too.

I used Edge (IE's successor) on the newest laptop and while it works okay, I'm not really a fan and its constant whining about being the standard browser does not help its cause.

***Varnafindë*** · 04-09-2018, 11:41 AM

I'm mostly using Opera - both for Windows and for Linux.

04-06-2018, 10:16 PM	#1
*Valandil* High King at Annuminas Administrator Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Wyoming - USA Posts: 10,752	Web Browsers What do you folks use? The old standby used to be Internet Explorer. Then... it became a bad one to use. I've used Firefox some, and Chrome a lot more. Just got a new computer and it only came with IE. I am thinking about putting Chrome on it, but I wonder because of all the information-gathering that Google does. Does everyone else use Chrome? Anyone have any concerns about it? Are all the other browsers harvesting as much information on us as Chrome is anyway? I don't even remember now exactly why IE got to be so bad - is it better now? Wonder if I just stick with it... __________________ My Fanfic: Letters of Firiel Tales of Nolduryon Visitors Come to Court Ñ á ë ?* ó ú é ä ï ö Ö ñ É Þ ð ß ® ™ [Xurl=Xhttp://entmoot.tolkientrail.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=ABCXYZ#postABCXYZ]text[/Xurl] Splitting Threads is SUCH Hard Work!!

04-08-2018, 03:38 AM	#3
Mari Elf Lady Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In the lands where mountains are but a fairytale Posts: 8,588	I use Firefox and like it. I always browse in private mode, but then, I'm one of those few people who didn't have to worry about FB abusing their data, because I do read the small letters and turned everything that could be turned off off. __________________ Love always, deeply and true ★ Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer. ★ Friendship is sharing openly, laughing often, trusting always, caring deeply. ...The Earth laughs in flowers ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Hamatreya"...

04-09-2018, 11:41 AM	#5
*Varnafindë* Princess of the Noldor (and Administrative Empress of the Lone Islands) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Imladris (and sometimes Norway) Posts: 3,304	I'm mostly using Opera - both for Windows and for Linux. __________________ Signature picture art - Bard the Bowman - by vigshane Avatar art - Footsteps of Spring (a young Luthien) - by Henning Janssen

04-07-2018, 01:25 AM	#2
*Alcuin* Salt Miner Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: gone to Far Harad Posts: 987	I’ve used Firefox for about 20 years; before that, Mozilla; before that, IE, but only briefly; before that, Mosaic; before that, there were no browsers: everything was done from the command line. I remember teasing my older daughter that she’d never learn how to browse without learning the commands; all my kids do browse, of course, but only one has learned to browse using commands. (And I didn’t teach her.) Right now I’m using Brave on some devices and considering switching everything to Brave. I have great respect for Brandon Eich, and regard his politically-motivated expulsion from Firefox not only a grave betrayal by the board, shooting itself in the foot to satisfy professional rabble-rousers who can never be sated for blood, but a clear indication Firefox no longer deserves the trust of its users. Brave is mostly compatible with Chrome, which I regard as completely and utterly untrustworthy: Google has made a religion of turning “Don’t be evil” on its head. I’ve used Opera, too, and I like it. I like Chrome, but again, I don’t trust Google. (I’m sorry: Alphabet. They changed their corporate name, didn’t they? Still trade under the symbol GOOG. Of course, Corning still trades under the symbol GLW: “Glow Works”: they used to make light bulbs.) Tried SeaMonkey: it’s a discontinued fork of Mozilla, a little clunky. I’ve tried a few others: Squirrel deserves some mention; but without a solid team behind the browser, I am concerned about hacking, adequate java-script controls, and so forth.

04-09-2018, 09:24 AM	#4
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	Used IE for years but eventually went to Firefox for security reasons. Virusses became too big an issue. Firefox is okay to use, and to adjust to my (what my sister calls paranoid) preference of privacy. But lately I have been having issues with energy-usage so that I wouldn't mind looking into an alternative. Unfortunately I have to maintain the computers for the rest of the family and they are all familiar with Firefox so it's likely to stay anyway. I have Chrome installed as back-up if Firefox fails but I dislike some of its settings (I can not delete some histories like I can in Firefox and that irks me) so I distrust it about privacy too. I used Edge (IE's successor) on the newest laptop and while it works okay, I'm not really a fan and its constant whining about being the standard browser does not help its cause.