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Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

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Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#451

Post by GhettoComputers »

bendhoefs wrote: post #390
gunapologist99 wrote: post #343

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Uninstalling software isn't the same as installing new, different software that didn't even come in your distribution's repositories. And, besides, a lot of people don't run Ubuntu, perhaps to get away from snap, perhaps to get away from systemd, or perhaps just because they can..

Do people still want to "get away from systemd". I thought most people had realized that systemd was a good thing by now :p. There's not a single popular Linux distro these days that isn't systemd by default. Even """hardcore""" distros.

I do just to try. Popular isn’t a good measure, window on desktop, Intel graphics and Facebook are popular. I like systemd but I wouldn’t mind trying other init.

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#452

Post by nicce »

mdoms wrote: post #429
nabakin wrote: post #419

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Apple doesn’t even let you use alternate browsers Are you sure that's true? When I was using my MacBook a year ago, I used Chrome with no problems. Set as default and never had to look at Safari again. One of the points I've made against Microsoft doing this is not even control freak Apple goes this far.

You can't install different browsers in iOS.

From normal user perpective you can, but technically you can’t. Tough comparison for politics.

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#453

Post by voussoir »

josephcsible wrote: post #432
userbinator wrote: post #426

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't let the "security" FUD scare you. I bet 99% of malware infections are from people running stuff they should know better than to. Turn off all listening services, use a firewall, and keep JS off by default. I can't wait to see how many new exploits are introduced by all the new features of Win11 which are in a seemingly half-done state... https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28404332

Are you seriously calling security patches FUD? This is the worst advice I've ever heard on HN.

After several years of "essential security updates" being unconditionally bundled with hostile, anti-user changes in both the desktop and mobile space, it is no surprise that some of us will start to assume that the security updates are not actually so essential.

With software from github or f-droid, I look forward to updates and check frequently, because I trust the developers to make good software and I can revert if necessary. With software from microsoft or google, I dread updates and disable them, because I trust the developers to make bad software with no practical means of reverting.

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#454

Post by bob1029 »

drdaeman wrote: post #209
modeless wrote: post #196

Firefox should go all the way on this. Exploit bugs, modify binaries, whatever it takes. With user consent of course. If the user says they want Firefox to be their default browser, Firefox is justified in modifying the operating system to achieve that. Ultimately Microsoft is powerless to stop this except by using their antivirus to block installation of Firefox in the first place, and I'd like to see them try that…

This. Just like in the ol' good days, install an API hook (e.g. with Microsoft Detours[1]) that would patch relevant functions in-memory. Microsoft cannot block this because they'll be breaking lots of existing things (automation tools, gaming overlays, AV software even). And if MS would want to play it rough and start blocking hook DLLs with permission barriers, make this API patcher a kernel module. [1]: https://gi…

Right now, TrustedInstaller is an excellent workaround for many things.

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#456

Post by zamadatix »

tentacleuno wrote: post #385
zamadatix wrote: post #288

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can see minimizing changes to the interface across devices as being good but as to why they didn't do this compromise of larger navigation entries instead of full touch first I'm not sure but it would have saved so much grief. It might have had to do with Windows Phone still being a thing at the time. Regarding dark theme the dark app background is 12.5% gray and the lighter offset backgrounds are 17.5% gray. If it…

> Regarding dark theme the dark app background is 12.5% gray and the lighter offset backgrounds are 17.5% gray. If it appears pitch black it's not because the theme is made for OLEDs rather your displays are miscalibrated and completely crushing blacks. Hmm, are you sure about this? From a quick search, I'm able to find plenty of people complaining about the dark background being pitch black[0] (there's also a Feedba…

> Hmm, are you sure about this?

As much as I'd like to be able to claim to be a color expert that can eyeball HSL values with enough certainty to give the answer in decimal percentages the above numbers are from color picker readings of a screenshot of my install.

> I'm able to find plenty of people complaining about the dark background being pitch black[0]

I can't speak about what was true 4 years ago in a preview build adding dark theme, or Windows 10 at all for that matter as I don't have a current install anymore, but for Windows 11 today the above are the measured values.

> That's only for surfaces with blur enabled though, like the sidebar in Settings or the taskbar. Non-blurred surfaces are pitch black.

For that particular preview version of 10 perhaps, in Windows 11 there is also a new opaque material called Mica used heavily throughout the interface as it has less of a performance hit (no blur/transparency) https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/design/style/m...

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#457

Post by nahconan »

cronix wrote: post #22

So far in the last year or so, I've heard 0 reasons why I'd even need, want or benefit from Win11 over Win10. Tons of reasons in the negative column though. There isn't even anything to salivate over that might make you think it might be worth it to deal with the other tradeoffs. Hard pass.

[dead]

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#458

Post by driverdan »

GhettoComputers wrote: post #262
throaway46546 wrote: post #244

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LTSC now

I went from Win7 to LTSB, then upgraded to LTSC (for gpu passthrough) but still hated it for some reason, mainly needing to undo windows changes and various issues that should have been defaults. I went to KDE and use windows only for some Win software that didn’t work on VM or wine. I miss Windows 2000 Pro, it wasn’t bloated, pretty fast, didn’t crash and had the fewest problems.

The key is to get or make a stripped down version of LTSC. Remove everything possible before you even install it. It's a lot like win2k but with more update nags.

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#459

Post by zamadatix »

paulryanrogers wrote: post #329
callamdelaney wrote: post #306

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just setup pihole - you can run it on any server and use it as a local dns server. Probably somebody else has done the work to list these spammy domains.

What about DNS over HTTPS?

If you just want FF to not use it you can block "use-application-dns.net" which acts as a canary domain for it to disable DoH.

If you want to block it from things you don't trust to have such methods (or always listen to them) you'll have to upgrade to a firewall that can filter outbound connections to IPs the client hasn't received a DNS response for or require use of an explicit HTTP proxy for outbound connectivity.

Just blocking DNS can be a good middle ground for reasonable effectiveness without as much effort.

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#460

Post by SomaticPirate »

Prophasi wrote: post #450
blacksmith_tb wrote: post #333

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hmm, I find it pretty practical, cmd-tab from one app to another, cmd-backtick to toggle between windows, I mean, it's a different paradigm, sure, but you can still move around from the keyboard? I do find it a little annoying that there aren't consistent shortcuts for moving between tabs in everything that uses them, could be cntrl-tab, could be alt-arrows...

I don't love it (yet). It's probably a combo of my Windows background, my ignorance of MacOS tricks, and actual limitations/flaws. * Cmd+~ from a fullscreen window does nothing, and non-full windows of the app cycle only among each other. If I have fullscreen windows anywhere in my setup, it breaks my flow and (afaik) makes me mouse to the Window menu. I feel like MacOS's fullscreen paradigm is more to blame here, be…

Coming to MacOS from Windows (M1 line made me switch) Rectangle provided some nice window management utility that felt more Windows-like (at least for moving windows between monitors and snapping to each side). Never really liked the multiple desktop model
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