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Chrome is a Google Service that happens to include a Browser Engine

ha.x0r.be

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Re: Chrome is a Google Service that happens to include a Browser Engine

#91
post #64

I feel like there's some implied assumption here that this change lets Google do something evil that they couldn't do before, but I don't really see what. If you're logged into Google properties (independent of browser), Google can already track you across most of the internet, via their Ads and Analytics embedded in a rather large percentage of web sites. If you don't want Google to track you on non-Google web sites…

> Firefox has a concept of profiles but AFAICT you can only run one profile at a time. :(

You can have one primary firefox instance, and any number of instances that have the "--no-remote" flag set, each running different profiles. Any links you click outside of firefox (e.g. xdg-open) will use the primary firefox.

The 'firefox --no-remote -P' trick has worked for longer than chrome has existed and I've been using it to juggle about 15 profiles since firefox 3, usually having 4 different firefox instances open with 4 different profiles.

The more user-friendly way to do this is with firefox containers though.

Re: Chrome is a Google Service that happens to include a Browser Engine

#92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also use Gentoo and the packaged Chromium and have zero issues with YouTube and Amazon videos.

Thanks! But have you had issues with any other videos (or anything else besides lack of Google integration/auto-updates for that matter)?

NFL streaming has been a pain point, but MLB works. Haven't tried NHL or NBA yet.

Re: Chrome is a Google Service that happens to include a Browser Engine

#93
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sources on any of this?

"With a smarter Chrome, you will be able to do more than just look at a webpage. Imagine searching on Chrome for a singer you just heard, and having Chrome show you not just their bio, but also their upcoming concert near you and where to purchase tickets. With AI, Chrome will also better understand what you’re trying to get done, and help you do so faster. Vacation planning typically requires juggling multiple tabs…

Which is all great until it gets it wrong, and you have to fight against it. Just this morning I was trying to google a specific car problem, and it decided I was actually looking for a different problem. Had to rephrase my search many times for it to give me what I wanted. I wish there was a search modifier that turned off all the cleverness.

Re: Chrome is a Google Service that happens to include a Browser Engine

#94
I'm going to need to check whether this behavior is overriding the group policy we put in for a client to not log into the browser. We previously hadn't bothered with that until someone almost got fired after signing into Chrome with their shared family account. Someone else at down at the shared desk and saw a porn video in the bookmarks.

Re: Chrome is a Google Service that happens to include a Browser Engine

#95

I had an instinctual gut reaction against this, because it really does feel like it crosses a line between browser and content that shouldn't be crossed. BUT -- I know a lot of regular (non-technical) users who are terrified of logging into shared/public computers with their Google accounts, because they can't tell the difference between logging in/out of Gmail and logging in/out of Chrome, and they've experienced/he…

Couldn't you make the same argument about logging out from Facebook?

Re: Chrome is a Google Service that happens to include a Browser Engine

#96

Is it possible to run Chrome in a sandbox on Linux? I no longer trust Google enough to run with regular permissions. I'm only using Chrome for testing web apps anyway, and haven't been using it for web surfing for almost three years now.

Firejail. I actually run Firefox in it as a security measure, but it works for containing almost anything with a little tuning.

Re: Chrome is a Google Service that happens to include a Browser Engine

#97
I don't really understand the outrage at this change. I happily and regularly use Safari, Chrome, and Firefox simultaneously for different things.

If you don't trust Google, don't use Google services. If you need to sign into different Google accounts, use a different browser.

Apple makes Safari to sell its Macs and iPhones.

Microsoft makes IE/Edge to sell its Windows licenses.

Google makes Chrome to sell its advertising.

Re: Chrome is a Google Service that happens to include a Browser Engine

#98
post #16
post #15

Chromium Ungoogled repo [1] made it to the `top30` some days ago. I too have switched back to Firefox with the release of Quantum and have been very pleased. Frankly, I am amazed every day that Ungoogled Chromium, Firefox, & DDG.co are as good as they are. (aka: slightly inferior to Google regarding product polish, but truly "good enough" 98% of the time - without selling my future data down the drain) (edited: to fi…

I rate Firefox pretty highly since Quantum released. It's fast, polished and in my unscientific testing, consumes less resources.

I tried using Firefox Quantum since Safari 12 closed off most extensions. Firefox Quantum is laggy in comparison, particularly the UI (web page rendering is fine). For example, dragging tabs to other windows is jittery. Launching preferences page is a bit delayed.

Re: Chrome is a Google Service that happens to include a Browser Engine

#99
post #15

Chromium Ungoogled repo [1] made it to the `top30` some days ago. I too have switched back to Firefox with the release of Quantum and have been very pleased. Frankly, I am amazed every day that Ungoogled Chromium, Firefox, & DDG.co are as good as they are. (aka: slightly inferior to Google regarding product polish, but truly "good enough" 98% of the time - without selling my future data down the drain) (edited: to fi…

Available in Homebrew Cask as "eloston-chromium" (Though frankly, if you're using a Mac, Safari should be your browser of choice, if only for privacy reasons.)

Safari is my browser of choice. Until they killed off extensions with Safari 12, just a few days ago.

Re: Chrome is a Google Service that happens to include a Browser Engine

#100
post #28

Syncing Chrome across devices has long rendered the point moot. If you wanted syncing you were already logged in to the browser. If you didn't want syncing, there was no reason to use Chrome.

I don't want syncing but I still appreciate a good web rendering engine with frequent security updates. So you're wrong.

If you’re on macOS, Safari is quite capable at each of that.
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