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Firefox Private Browsing mode upgrade

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Re: Firefox Private Browsing mode upgrade

#151

Post by NayamAmarshe »

cptskippy wrote: post #147
NayamAmarshe wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure but we're acting as if a few people sticking to Firefox for the sake of it is going to save it, it's not. Not unless Mozilla fixes its underlying problems like the management and development roadmaps. The fact that Firefox got backdrop-blur support in mid 2022 speaks volumes about Firefox's priorities. I get the point you're trying to make, I use FOSS because I believe more people should be using it and if I don…

> The fact that Firefox got backdrop-blur support in mid 2022 speaks volumes about Firefox's priorities. Perhaps it speaks more to your priorities? I can't see anyone outside of a web developer who needed that feature 1 time or even caring that backdrop-blur wasn't implemented. The fact that you're salty about a specific CSS property and that it's reason enough to boycott a browser speaks volumes.

> Perhaps it speaks more to your priorities? I can't see anyone outside of a web developer who needed that feature 1 time or even caring that backdrop-blur wasn't implemented.

The point is, if Firefox can't even make basic web features like blur work on the browser (that are available on even no name mobile browsers) I can't expect Firefox to ever surpass Chrome or other competitors and it's evident.

> The fact that you're salty about a specific CSS property and that it's reason enough to boycott a browser speaks volumes.

As a web developer, I 100% stopped development on Firefox because it doesn't support even the most basic features all other browsers have. Like it or not, it's an inferior product because of the missing web APIs.

You know what's better than fighting monopoly with an ideology? Fighting monopoly with an even better product that supports the ideology. Firefox is sadly not that.

Re: Firefox Private Browsing mode upgrade

#152

Post by Karunamon »

Spivak wrote: post #146
Karunamon wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How much do you want to bet the "general audience" does not care one bit about this and will not meaningfully move the (declining) DAU numbers? Mozilla's problems are in its fundamentals, not its marketing.

Mozilla's problem is they have been grasping for an answer to "why should you use Firefox over Chrome?" that actually resonates with people for over a decade. The product is fine, Firefox is a perfectly capable browser. Convincing people to use it is a soft-skills problem because the only reason to use Firefox is because you like Mozilla more than you like Google which is entirely driven by Mozilla having good-feels…

…Made less and less capable over time. Firefox today is objectively less useful than Firefox many years ago.

The continuing decline in user numbers would tell anyone in leadership that is actually paying attention that this approach is not working. And the idea that the answer to attracting normal people is renaming and pushing themes is, to put it mildly, brain-damaged. It is like nobody at that company has ever actually met a computer user before.

Re: Firefox Private Browsing mode upgrade

#153

Post by leeoniya »

nervuri wrote: post #97
user3939382 wrote: post #16

Why don’t you give power users at the very least in about:config an option to disable ALL phoning home by Firefox upon launch and exit. As it stands even with all telemetry off Firefox is extremely chatty and I’ve had Mozilla developers tell me they have no intention to fix this. You can profile this yourself on macOS with Charles Proxy (GUI) or mitmproxy (CLI). Until this is fixed all I can do is roll my eyes when I…

You can disable all phoning home. Have a look at https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-stop-firefox-making... Having a single setting that does all of this would indeed be nice.

https://github.com/arkenfox/user.js

https://gist.github.com/ryandaniels/33e443bb401dde665fce15dd...

but yes, a single setting is necessary if you want to also opt out of any _future_ telemetry settings without always having to update your prefs.

Re: Firefox Private Browsing mode upgrade

#154

Post by cptskippy »

bhhaskin wrote: post #32

Mozilla & Firefox stop trying to be a god-damned social movement. Just be a fucking browser.

Why do people get so worked up about messaging that isn't targeted at them? Mozilla is trying to gain broad appeal beyond mom's basement. There's a certain group of people that this message resonates with.

Re: Firefox Private Browsing mode upgrade

#155

Post by pbhjpbhj »

wlesieutre wrote: post #72
hbn wrote: post #9

> Last year we launched Firefox Colorways, a new desktop feature that allowed our users to express their most authentic selves and bring joy while browsing the web > “‘Independent Voices’ are the voices of the past and present that create a better future,” said Keely Alexis. “I chose this [analogy] as my inspiration for the collaboration because it feels authentic to me but it also aligns with Firefox and the vision…

> “‘Independent Voices’ are the voices of the past and present that create a better future,” said Keely Alexis. “I chose this [analogy] as my inspiration for the collaboration because it feels authentic to me but it also aligns with Firefox and the vision that we can make the world better, on the internet and beyond.” Hooli is about people. Hooli is about innovative technology that makes a difference, transforming th…

Sounds like Zombo.com

Re: Firefox Private Browsing mode upgrade

#156

Post by Spivak »

stoplying1 wrote: post #148
Spivak wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> All for freaking what? Because they wanted something to talk about social media that was fun and limited time. They were following the Nike playbook with shoe drops including the terminology. Look at the screenshot in the blog post about colorways the art is even a shoe with a basketball. They were trying something new . Limited time cosmetic drops for browsers that get people hyped in every other context. It confu…

So Mozilla is chasing Nike shoe trends to advocate for their browser via colorschemes. I'm not even saying you're wrong, and I guess I'm not even sure that's an absolutely bad idea but Christ if that's "our" play for the future of browsers and privacy, I need to start building that shed ASAP!

I get you dude, Firefox got popular because IE stagnated and Mozilla capitalized on it, Chrome ate the world because Google made a significant technical improvement at just the right time neither of which can be replicated again so long as Google keeps up their frankly ridiculous development pace. Safari only lives because a popular platform requires it.

Mozilla angling for a cultural victory in the browser war is weird but it's the only thing they and every other alternative browser has. I actually thought the colorway thing was fun when it popped up, browser did actually look fresh and new but yeah probably not gonna move the needle.

Re: Firefox Private Browsing mode upgrade

#157

Post by rhn_mk1 »

coldpie wrote: post #149
rhn_mk1 wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not Mozilla that learns about your IP address, it's all the hops between you and Mozilla. An encrypted HTTP request typially contains the following info: - source IP:port - source OS (through TCP fingerprints) - destination IP:port - destination hostname Now you have to consider where your packets may be diverted and who might want to do what with them.

Okay. Can you please describe a theoretical attack?

1. X sniffs my connection. 2. X learns my address uses Firefox on Linux. 3. X sells the data to Y, whom I never visit. 4. Y correlates the IP with Z's subscriber data, and adds Linux to my shadow profile.

As the sibling said, the burden of proof is on them. They are the ones who push that on users when there's no technical need.

Re: Firefox Private Browsing mode upgrade

#158

Post by dont__panic »

WallyFunk wrote: post #131
user3939382 wrote: post #16

Why don’t you give power users at the very least in about:config an option to disable ALL phoning home by Firefox upon launch and exit. As it stands even with all telemetry off Firefox is extremely chatty and I’ve had Mozilla developers tell me they have no intention to fix this. You can profile this yourself on macOS with Charles Proxy (GUI) or mitmproxy (CLI). Until this is fixed all I can do is roll my eyes when I…

If you don't want to configure stuff, LibreWolf[0] has all the phoning home / telemetry stuff blocked out of the box. [0] https://librewolf.net/

Even better, you can manage LibreWolf updates via homebrew on Mac, and it doesn't harass you about new versions. If you browse HN routinely, you end up seeing the Firefox updates anyway, which is a good reminder to update LibreWolf. I've been really annoyed recently by software that doesn't respect my decision to update on my own schedule, or software that doesn't even let me make that decision at all in the settings. LibreWolf is a real diamond in the rough of web browsers these days.

Re: Firefox Private Browsing mode upgrade

#159

Post by dont__panic »

s_ting765 wrote: post #61
user3939382 wrote: post #16

Why don’t you give power users at the very least in about:config an option to disable ALL phoning home by Firefox upon launch and exit. As it stands even with all telemetry off Firefox is extremely chatty and I’ve had Mozilla developers tell me they have no intention to fix this. You can profile this yourself on macOS with Charles Proxy (GUI) or mitmproxy (CLI). Until this is fixed all I can do is roll my eyes when I…

> Why don’t you give power users at the very least in about:config an option to disable ALL phoning home by Firefox upon launch and exit. Biggest reason I refuse to use Firefox no matter how bad Chromium is. I sometimes use Firefox Focus for doing searches on my phone and the thing is always pinging mozilla services. Some of them location related. No way to turn any of these off on what is supposed to be an incognito…

You feel like Firefox doesn't respect your privacy, so you use Google's phone-home software instead? Sounds kinda like "Biggest reason I refuse to use weed no matter how bad methamphetamine is" to me. Unless you're using UnGoogled Chromium and blocking requests by IP or something.

Re: Firefox Private Browsing mode upgrade

#160

Post by pbhjpbhj »

leeoniya wrote: post #153
nervuri wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can disable all phoning home. Have a look at https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-stop-firefox-making... Having a single setting that does all of this would indeed be nice.

https://github.com/arkenfox/user.js https://gist.github.com/ryandaniels/33e443bb401dde665fce15dd... but yes, a single setting is necessary if you want to also opt out of any _future_ telemetry settings without always having to update your prefs.

They just revert prefs don't they, add buttons back to your toolbars, etc.

Or have they reformed?

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