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Reinventing Firefox for Android

blog.mozilla.org

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Re: Reinventing Firefox for Android

#281

Post by zamalek »

mncolinlee wrote: post #177
godelski wrote: post #129

To any Mozilla/Firefox developer reading this. I try to convert people to Firefox. The number one reason people switch, by far, is because mobile has add on support. So I say to push this front and center in marketing (I know this is a preview). People are reluctant to switch their desktop browser because chrome pretty much has the same features. But it they switch their mobile browsers they also switch their desktop…

We're certainly aware of how significant ad blocking extensions are. This release required a great quantity of features with only a six month timeline until now. We already support a very limited set of the WebExtensions API to offer features like Reader Mode. Rest assured that more features will land in the coming months. If you're a developer and you want to help us, our Github site is at this link. We mark easier…

The hard work you guys put in is always appreciated, FF in all its forms has become truly the best browser there is. That being said, how on earth was Reader Mode prioritized above adblocking?

As it stands, adblocking is "post MVP"[1][2]. QR code scanning, however, is somehow part of the MVP. This doesn't make sense to me: there are many apps that launch the default system browser when scanning a URL QR code. You can easily get by without that functionality in the browser.

The comments in this post should be sending you really loud signal: technical users (the type of people who install preview software) don't consider a browser without adblocking MVP. You are drastically underestimating the significance of adblocking extensions.

[1]: https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/96 [2]: https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/2622 [3]: https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/113

Re: Reinventing Firefox for Android

#282

Post by giancarlostoro »

zamalek wrote: post #281
mncolinlee wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We're certainly aware of how significant ad blocking extensions are. This release required a great quantity of features with only a six month timeline until now. We already support a very limited set of the WebExtensions API to offer features like Reader Mode. Rest assured that more features will land in the coming months. If you're a developer and you want to help us, our Github site is at this link. We mark easier…

The hard work you guys put in is always appreciated, FF in all its forms has become truly the best browser there is. That being said, how on earth was Reader Mode prioritized above adblocking? As it stands, adblocking is "post MVP"[1][2]. QR code scanning, however, is somehow part of the MVP. This doesn't make sense to me: there are many apps that launch the default system browser when scanning a URL QR code. You can…

When Chrome first came out I stopped using it cause it didnt have adblock. Then when it did it was still crippled and I realized Google is in the Ad business so I never used Chrome since. This is very correct adblocking is a necessity, if they even include a Mozilla Adblocking DNS server for the browser thats fine to me. As long as I dont see ads.

I wont give up on Firefox anytime soon. I would love to see some serious competitors though.

Re: Reinventing Firefox for Android

#283

Post by galaxyLogic »

I think FF should implement an add-blocker which allows me to say which adds I like and which I don't.

Many important services like news-papers can only survive if they get add-revenue. They also contain adds in their print-edition and people still subscribe to them.

So I don't mind adds in general just adds which have no relevance to me.

Re: Reinventing Firefox for Android

#285

Post by rrix2 »

mncolinlee wrote: post #177
godelski wrote: post #129

To any Mozilla/Firefox developer reading this. I try to convert people to Firefox. The number one reason people switch, by far, is because mobile has add on support. So I say to push this front and center in marketing (I know this is a preview). People are reluctant to switch their desktop browser because chrome pretty much has the same features. But it they switch their mobile browsers they also switch their desktop…

We're certainly aware of how significant ad blocking extensions are. This release required a great quantity of features with only a six month timeline until now. We already support a very limited set of the WebExtensions API to offer features like Reader Mode. Rest assured that more features will land in the coming months. If you're a developer and you want to help us, our Github site is at this link. We mark easier…

Not just ad blocking extensions though. Being able to run Dark Reader and Stylus on my phone is great. I appreciate it a lot, thanks

Re: Reinventing Firefox for Android

#286

Post by jdc »

zmmmmm wrote: post #267

I keep using Opera because of a few small affordances that any browser could implement (and some do, but only Opera does all of them). The main one is text-reflow on zoom. It seems so ridiculous that I have to either stare at microscopic text or pan back and forwards just to be able to read things. Surely actually reading the contents of pages is a primary feature of a browser? The other one I just can't understand i…

https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/3262

Re: Reinventing Firefox for Android

#287

Post by rrix2 »

lucideer wrote: post #222
Certhas wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Until it's provided I would assume that it's a gross misrepresentation/exaggeration.

Other than putting Google Analytics on all Mozilla properties as sibling commenters have already mentioned (link to info on that here [0]), there is also the following: - as I mentioned in another comment, Firefox Preview comes with Google as a default search engine (not a huge issue) and with "search suggestions" enabled by default (which sends everything you ever type to Google). - Even if you disable search sugges…

> Firefox has a built-in feature called "Google Safe Browsing" which collates every URL you visit and sends bulk reports to Google. This feature is only disable-able via the "here be dragons" about:config area.

Is this not 'about:preferences' -> Privacy & Security -> Block dangerous and deceptive content ?

Re: Reinventing Firefox for Android

#288

Post by whalabi »

This is a great step in the right direction

…but I really don’t like the thing that slides up at the bottom of the screen. It takes the place of content which is 99.99% the reason I’m there. Not to share our bookmark. If I want to do that, I’ll find it in the menu.

And is it just me that really, really needs a fast way to switch tabs to use a browser?

Chrome lets me swipe across the bar at the top of the screen, but with Firefox it’s a tap, a visual scan to find the tab I want, and another tap.

Otherwise I’d switch to this browser yesterday

I like the collections concept, and the home screen.

Also, it's a joke that Google's image search is horrible on Firefox, for no good reason. If you switch the user agent it works fine.

Re: Reinventing Firefox for Android

#289

Post by inimino »

zrobotics wrote: post #279
kevin_b_er wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Per Barbara Bermes, senior product manager in firefox mobile, addons are not part of the minimum viable product. They're in the "backlog"

Not to be mean, but that statement demonstrates a frankly shocking level of cluelessness. Extensions (mainly adblockers) are the critical feature that distinguishes FF mobile, and are the only reason I have ever been able to convince anyone to switch. I would almost consider adblockers functionality more critical than Javascript support, they should certainly be part of a minimum viable product. I know it's a preview…

Possibly someone in their right mind would run it because they read TFA where it says "primarily aimed at developers and early adopters who want to help us improve Firefox on Android".

Re: Reinventing Firefox for Android

#290

Post by rrix2 »

inanutshellus wrote: post #82
Touche wrote: post #30

Some feedback: If you are going to market your browser as privacy focused, it has to block ads by default. As far as I can this one does not block ads at all. Good initial experience but please block ads.

No, these are not the same and oughtn't be conflated. I'm perfectly happy seeing ads that aren't targeted to me personally based on my browsing history. Ads on, say, Stack Overflow or HN or whatever, that target nerds ("great hosting!", "3d printing tech!", "legos!") would be perfectly doable without tracking each of us personally.

It's interesting to think about how these sorts of niche sites which have a narrow enough demographic to have valuable ad space are more or less being entirely eaten alive by networks with incredibly wide demographics. The centralized networks have to resort to building a panopticon to replicate segmenting which used to be natural at the network layer and the niche sites have to resort to playing along because of how powerful that panopticon is.
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