Ask HN: What's stopping you from using Firefox as your primary browser? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from using Firefox as your primary browser?

#81

Post by lousken » Thu, Jan 26, 2017, 1:16 AM UTC

Last time I've tried it (like 5versions ago) it was slow on PC, extremly slow on android, chrome extensions were still not present and it wasn't using more processes. When those features and performance improvements come I will consider it but atm chrome serves me well. On android I've whitelisted a few pages so they can run JS and that's it.

Might be more things that may change my decision but these are my blocker issues with it.

Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from using Firefox as your primary browser?

#82

Post by gnicholas » Thu, Jan 26, 2017, 1:19 AM UTC

hs86 wrote: post #68

gnicholas wrote: post #53

I use it as my main browser, mainly because of Tree Style Tabs, but with the upcoming changes to their extension framework, I understand this won't be possible anymore. (I also understand they have their own experimental version of this feature, however). I have been drifting away, however, because it seems to get very slow. This is partly because of the number of tabs I keep open (thanks to TST, which makes it easy)…

I was a TreeStyleTabs-diehard until I discovered Tabs Outliner [1] for Chrome. It is a separate window with a tab tree for my entire browser session (= all windows), has a much better keyboard support, supports the unloading of any subtree (makes The Great Suspender obsolete) and you can sync your (sub)tree from an other computer to the current computer's session just via drag and drop. In the linked screenshot [2] y…

Thanks! I tried a Chrome tool that was in a separate window and found it to be very difficult to use (window focus was a big issue). I'll check out Tabs Outliner, for sure!

Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from using Firefox as your primary browser?

#83

Post by doe88 » Thu, Jan 26, 2017, 2:41 AM UTC

This summer I had huge stability issues with FF, hard to say if it was related with my macOS configuration or if it was FF's fault, but matter of the fact is I couldn't practically use FF anymore, so reluctantly I switched to Chrome for the first time ever as my primary browser. I used ungoogled-chromium for 6 months, call me old-school but I'm pretty unfazed by the so called advantages of Chrome, nothing convinced me of its superiority. So, now with this new version of FF I decided to give it back a shot as my primary browsers to see if things have improved, so far I don't have any of the previous issues but only time will tell as I keep the browser open and I add new tabs. Fingers crossed.

Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from using Firefox as your primary browser?

#84

Post by Rockvole » Thu, Jan 26, 2017, 2:56 AM UTC

There is only 1 reason I stopped using Firefox completely. I cannot search with Google in the search bar. (This is in Linux Mint). I use search a lot and basically all the search engines on offer are sub-par. I use Chromium and Opera also, and have them all running, but I wont touch Firefox.

Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from using Firefox as your primary browser?

#85

Post by mariusc23 » Thu, Jan 26, 2017, 4:29 AM UTC

I use Firefox for everything except DevTools. Mostly because they are slow.

Also I'm not a fan of how objects/arrays are handled in the console. It feels unnatural to click on an object and move my eyes to the right side of the console to drill down into properties.

I love the being able to find any website

Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from using Firefox as your primary browser?

#86

Post by ojiikun » Thu, Jan 26, 2017, 6:02 AM UTC

out of frustration about speed, I actually look to switch away from Fx about once a year, but I always end up sticking with it because the extension and customization ecosystem just isn't there for any other option.

Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from using Firefox as your primary browser?

#87

Post by AstralStorm » Thu, Jan 26, 2017, 8:04 AM UTC

qhoc wrote: post #77

Few reasons: 1. Firefox crashes would take down the entire browser, not just specific tab 2. I often load a lot of tweets in Twitter.com tab (back 4 hours). This causes Firefox to freeze. 3. If I refresh the slow tab, I watch memory not being clean and still stay there for several minutes. Chrome clears memory very quickly. 4. Why is the space around address bar so large? They are like 15 px top and bottom. What a wa…

1. Electrolysis has landed, not true anymore.

2. 3. Yes, memory leaks still exist.

4. To prevent GUI overlap attacks and fake popups.

5. I bet there is an equivalent.

6. Very much no, though they are faster for sure.

Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from using Firefox as your primary browser?

#88

Post by hasanen » Thu, Jan 26, 2017, 9:26 AM UTC

qhoc wrote: post #77

Few reasons: 1. Firefox crashes would take down the entire browser, not just specific tab 2. I often load a lot of tweets in Twitter.com tab (back 4 hours). This causes Firefox to freeze. 3. If I refresh the slow tab, I watch memory not being clean and still stay there for several minutes. Chrome clears memory very quickly. 4. Why is the space around address bar so large? They are like 15 px top and bottom. What a wa…

Postman has a standalone desktop app nowadays, just so you know.

Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from using Firefox as your primary browser?

#89

Post by lavay » Thu, Jan 26, 2017, 10:46 AM UTC

speed

Re: Ask HN: What's stopping you from using Firefox as your primary browser?

#90

Post by doggydog123 » Thu, Jan 26, 2017, 5:47 PM UTC

1. Tab 2 search - productivity monster 2. Auto translate - productivy monster 3. FF slow rendering - proven by real tests, not useless benchmarks 4. Signal app and other apps

but getting these negatives: 1. super huge memory use and dozens of processes, easy to completely fill memory of a super workstation 2. every keypress and webpage action recorded by big firm 3. lack of plugins in mobile version 4. hated and blocked by companies