Quitting Chrome: Because Google+

#1

Post by badloginagain » Tue, Jun 10, 2014, 2:53 AM UTC

This weekend I made a fairly major change to how I interact with the web- I consciously switched default browsers. Fed up with Google's constant ramming of G+ down my throat, I've decided to hit 'em where it hurts: their marketshare. So I've switched to Firefox, and while noticeably slower, I feel it's a browser I can put more trust into.

Google should be employing a strategy of invisible control over how people interact, not forcing a centralized interaction layer on something that is inherently decentralized. They should be quietly creating and controlling channels of communication that I cannot live without. Apply the strategy that grew their search engine to all Google initiatives.

Or I will find alternatives.

Re: Quitting Chrome: Because Google+

#2

Post by zobzu » Tue, Jun 10, 2014, 3:02 AM UTC

I dont understand when people find firefox noticeably slower. I wonder if thats related to OSX.

Regardless, I agree with the move 100%. Thanksfully, while Firefox may not be the best, its very good/useable for everything.

If ever it isnt good enough anymore and there is no other replacement - this is when we'll really be cornered

Re: Quitting Chrome: Because Google+

#3

Post by adamconroy » Tue, Jun 10, 2014, 3:13 AM UTC

I've done the same.

I use gmail a lot, I have an Android phone and I was using desktop Chrome for years. However I started to notice things that worried me, for example I would be using Chrome on my PC but definitely not logged into Gmail / Google+, then I would see that my recent google searches from the desktop Chrome would appear in my recent searches list on Android within seconds. I could somewhat accept that if I was logged in to Google, but I don't accept that if I am logged out.

On one hand the functionality is pretty impressive, on the other hand my gut feeling is they have gone too far.

Re: Quitting Chrome: Because Google+

#4

Post by WWLink » Tue, Jun 10, 2014, 3:14 AM UTC

Make sure to turn off things like the google autocomplete thing in the address bar then, because firefox does that too. I was surprised, looking at wireshark lol.

Re: Quitting Chrome: Because Google+

#5

Post by badloginagain » Tue, Jun 10, 2014, 3:19 AM UTC

zobzu wrote: post #2

I dont understand when people find firefox noticeably slower. I wonder if thats related to OSX. Regardless, I agree with the move 100%. Thanksfully, while Firefox may not be the best, its very good/useable for everything. If ever it isnt good enough anymore and there is no other replacement - this is when we'll really be cornered

I've tested Opera a bunch, I was pleasantly surprised with it's performance. I haven't given it a dedicated run though.

If I find 'Zilla performance to be a continuing issue, I might give Opera a real chance.

Re: Quitting Chrome: Because Google+

#6

Post by asaddhamani » Tue, Jun 10, 2014, 3:22 AM UTC

I switched from Chrome as my default browser after two years of using it just two months back. Sometimes Firefox isn't able to render certain websites and rather spits out the html, but aside from that, I haven't had any issues. I think it works noticeably faster for me. I use it on both OS X and Windows, and it works great on both. It is also a lot more customizable and lets me run my own sync servers.

Re: Quitting Chrome: Because Google+

#7

Post by mark_l_watson » Tue, Jun 10, 2014, 3:58 AM UTC

I switched browsers for a different reason: I installed OS X Yosemite beta and it seems like the Safari browser uses far less COU resources, noticeable by longer battery life.

Re: Quitting Chrome: Because Google+

#8

Post by quotient » Tue, Jun 10, 2014, 4:08 AM UTC

I don't understand why Chromium isn't a more popular alternative to Google Chrome. It's the open-source basis of Google Chrome. It runs noticeably faster than Firefox, while being similarly trustworthy. It's a great browser, available on all conventional operating systems. What's not to like?

Re: Quitting Chrome: Because Google+

#9

Post by xpose2000 » Tue, Jun 10, 2014, 4:09 AM UTC

This sounds backwards to me. If anything, you should be quitting Google, the search engine, rather than their browser. Google can live without you being a Chrome user, but it hurts them if you switch to Bing or duckduckgo.

Re: Quitting Chrome: Because Google+

#10

Post by demallien » Tue, Jun 10, 2014, 4:13 AM UTC

mark_l_watson wrote: post #7

I switched browsers for a different reason: I installed OS X Yosemite beta and it seems like the Safari browser uses far less COU resources, noticeable by longer battery life.

My apologies for the off-topic, but I wanted to ask how you are finding Yosemite - is it stable enough for me to switch over my dev machine?