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Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

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Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#31

Post by bryanrasmussen »

oblio wrote: post #5
elktea wrote: post #2

anyone using this site that still uses chrome, why?

My guess? Better supported by many sites, both on the internet and internal company sites. Faster for some things. And of course, inertia. Studies have shown that people just don't change defaults, as a rule. Only a small minority of people change them.

My daughter on one of our computers had a problem with firefox being able to launch roblox (which frankly roblox's launching mechanisms seem buggy, I don't know why - I assume it is just an uri scheme doing the launching), as a consequence of which my daughter now tends to use Chrome. Which has the benefit of when I get on that computer she uses chrome I use firefox my browsing experience doesn't get littered with an 11 year old's behaviors.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#32

Post by aniforprez »

elktea wrote: post #2

anyone using this site that still uses chrome, why?

As a developer, Chrome's tools are pretty good. As a user, the sync options for history and bookmarks are what keep me in. It's definitely not perfect but it's fine for now. I like Firefox but not enough to switch

I was first a Firefox user, switched to Chrome, back to FF and finally to Chrome once I got a smart phone and they added sync

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#33

Post by input_sh »

guerrilla wrote: post #9
oblio wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My guess? Better supported by many sites, both on the internet and internal company sites. Faster for some things. And of course, inertia. Studies have shown that people just don't change defaults, as a rule. Only a small minority of people change them.

> Better supported by many sites Interesting. I haven't had much trouble with Firefox yet, even with uBlock Origin. Any idea what kind of sites?

Useful link where you can see and report browser-specific issues: https://webcompat.com/

> Webcompat.com is developed by volunteers and supported by Mozilla.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#36

Post by vertis »

0xfaded wrote: post #26
shilgapira wrote: post #13

Well it turns out that I just installed this addon on Firefox yesterday after hearing about it here or on Reddit. This move does well to reinforce my loyalty to Firefox as my main browser. Hopefully it has the same effect on others.

I also just added it to firefox. Thanks Barbara Streisand effect!

At the risk of a me too thread. I've added it to Firefox as well.

I think the final nail in the coffin for Chrome for me was the decision to hobble uBlock Origin several year back.

Firefox is far from perfect, but at least it's not completely owned by Google.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#37

Post by dessant »

I'd love to use ClearURLs, though last I checked it had a major flaw: it allows arbitrary code execution by the provider of the filter list. Among other things, it can redirect script URLs to arbitrary sources, and the filter list is periodically updated from a GitLab page, which enables the filter list provider to perform a targeted attack by serving a malicious filter list to a specific device.

The only filter list provider is the extension maintainer, so this information should be safe to share. I have not had the time to set up a PoC, but I'm confident that the filter rules are way too powerful.

At the very minimum, the current filter list should be included in the extension package rather than periodically updated from a remote URL. That way the filter list can be audited and must pass a review, without having a negative impact on the effectiveness of the extension, since the filter list does not appear to frequently change.

https://github.com/ClearURLs/Addon/wiki/Rules

https://gitlab.com/anti-tracking/ClearURLs/rules

https://kevinroebert.gitlab.io/ClearUrls/data/data.minify.js...

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#39

Post by Mordisquitos »

qwerty456127 wrote: post #12

No problem as long as it's available elsewhere, is it? As to popularity - this mere news will probably bring more new users than Google store did in quite a period of time.

I do not understand what you mean with "No problem as long as it's available elsewhere".

Are you implying that we should just treat Google's decisions as inscrutable facts of nature that we must accept with resignation, and just be glad that the extension is still available somewhere?

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