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Mozilla claims Apple, Google and Microsoft force users to use default browsers

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Re: Mozilla claims Apple, Google and Microsoft force users to use default browsers

#181
post #5

...and so did Mozilla, when FirefoxOS was a thing. Gecko is still the default engine for KaiOS. Are we in browser-whining season again? (Typing this from Firefox on macOS.)

Were there any other browsers even available on FirefoxOS?

You could develop a different browser, but not change the underlying runtime.

But asking from a web based OS to be able to run a different web runtime is a bit like expecting that you can provide your own SurfaceFlinger on Android or the equivalent on iOS; there are reasonable limits to what can be swapped out by a 3rd party app.

Re: Mozilla claims Apple, Google and Microsoft force users to use default browsers

#182
post #3

They're right, recently I've installed some Windows update for my parents and I had to reject like 5 suggested changes - installing Office trial, switching default browser to Edge yet again, and more. But this goes way beyond the browsers - I've never explicitly installed Keychain on my iphone and yet it shows as an option next to 1password every time I fill in a password field. Google calendar asks me to install an…

I wish I could just mail Microsoft a check and a note that says "I am not a tech ignoramus, stop treating me like your side bitch" and get the same Windows experience I was enjoying a decade ago.

Re: Mozilla claims Apple, Google and Microsoft force users to use default browsers

#183
post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The win11 / Edge bullshit finally pushed me to migrate my last win machine to linux. I used to love Windows, nowadays it just makes me bitter. Do you know typing "torrent" in the start menu doesn't find "qbittorrent"? In 2022. It sums it all. And the acquisitions... I've had countless minecraft sessions ruined because of microsoft account / store issues. Don't even get me started on realms and the chat policing bulls…

> The win11 / Edge bullshit finally pushed me to migrate my last win machine to linux. I used to love Windows, nowadays it just makes me bitter. Do you know typing "torrent" in the start menu doesn't find "qbittorrent"? In 2022. It sums it all. Heh, try KDE's KRunner. I type 'kt' and it matches ktorrent. But if I type 'kto' it switches to matching "Des kto p 8". 'ktor' once again matches ktorrent.

Sounds like you want trabucco! https://github.com/ltworf/trabucco

Re: Mozilla claims Apple, Google and Microsoft force users to use default browsers

#184
Mozilla should build a better browser and fix their marketing if they want to gain back market share. Other browsers have managed to find ways to gain market share. I mean Brave has grown extremely rapidly headed by the ousted Mozilla CEO during Mozilla's decline

Re: Mozilla claims Apple, Google and Microsoft force users to use default browsers

#185
post #29

Is their Google search deal (~$400m a year) that expires next year being renewed? If not, might explain some of the desire to bite the hand that has fed it for so long.

You have to wonder what Mozilla are doing with $400m a year.

They've put improving their browser on hold to focus on their new passion: fighting decentralized software https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/blog/fellow-research-decen...

Re: Mozilla claims Apple, Google and Microsoft force users to use default browsers

#186
post #3

They're right, recently I've installed some Windows update for my parents and I had to reject like 5 suggested changes - installing Office trial, switching default browser to Edge yet again, and more. But this goes way beyond the browsers - I've never explicitly installed Keychain on my iphone and yet it shows as an option next to 1password every time I fill in a password field. Google calendar asks me to install an…

> I've never explicitly installed Keychain on my iphone and yet it shows as an option next to 1password every time I fill in a password field

It is worth noting that KeyChain was introduced in Mac OS 8.6 in 1999, and has been part of every version of macOS since then, as well as every version of iOS ever. It's basically the user credential subsystem for Apple operating systems.

As I understand it, 1Password came out in 2006.

When I looked at it last, it seemed that 1Password didn't interoperate well with KeyChain and also required a subscription - decisions which I found unappealing.

Re: Mozilla claims Apple, Google and Microsoft force users to use default browsers

#187
post #22
post #9

Google Chrome is highly successful on Mac and Windows so it’s clear that Microsoft and apple aren’t forcing that hard. Mozilla is just not doing so hot.

Google Chrome: * Got years of free advertising real estate on the most visited website on the internet, but hid the ads if you were using Chrome already * Payed the likes of AVG, Avast, Adobe, Oracle and others to have their own software installers automatically install Chrome and make it the default browser unless you uncheck the boxes * Repeatedly leveraged nonstandard and Chrome-specific APIs (Polymer v0) on their…

You've forgotten the part where browsers at the time sucked. They crashed all the time and were slow, and chrome was 1000x better than anything that existed on the market. It was a significantly better browser which is why everyone chose to abandon their web engines and move over

Re: Mozilla claims Apple, Google and Microsoft force users to use default browsers

#189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's no conspiracy. Mostly think tanks, policy circles, and White House wonks over every successive Internet-age administration. All segments of the U.S. government pay close attention to, among many people, geopolitical analysis of all stripes, who can help them understand how to remain the world hegemon. The U.S. frequently commissions studies by outfits like Booz Allen Hamilton on geopolitical matters (you can…

The most maddening thing is how little other governments seem to care about it it. Forcing windows, android, and ios on your citizens and gifting silicon valley a constant worldwide surveillance feed is incredibly harmful to long term interests. Forcing every business to use office365 to interact with any government office is a 1% income tax gifted to the american economy.

The U.S. would never allow the EU to ban American web services to try to foster European innovation like China's doing. They have strong ways to enforce this including by starting a trade war.

But there's no reason for countries like India not to do it. Russia did it; it's not just massive countries that can get away with it.

Re: Mozilla claims Apple, Google and Microsoft force users to use default browsers

#190
And yet Brave has been "Growing 2x for the Fifth Year in a Row". Mozilla should stop whining and focus on building a browser that regular non technical people also want to use. How can I recommend Firefox to a family member when it absolutely chokes on 4k videos on YouTube and makes the laptop sound like a rocket lifting off (macOS, older intel MBP, Chromium based browsers work without a hitch and barely spin fans)?

https://brave.com/2021-recap

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