Tag: browsers

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Firefox is out, LibreWolf is in!

I started using Firefox in 2004. I mean, I was probably using beta releases before it was officially released. I think it was called m/b even? Anyway, it’s been a long time…

I’ve also been a supporter of Mozilla for a long time. I am a Thunderbird user (also for over 20 years) so it’s safe to say… I’m a fan, but…

Mozilla has made a lot of mistakes in recent years, and while I’m not about to switch to Safari or Chrome (or Chromium) I have switched to LibreWolf.

What is LibreWolf?

LibreWolf is a custom and independent version of Firefox, with the primary goals of privacy, security and user freedom.

LibreWolf is designed to increase protection against tracking and fingerprinting techniques, while also including a few security improvements. This is achieved through our privacy and security oriented settings and patches. LibreWolf also aims to remove all the telemetry, data collection and annoyances, as well as disabling anti-freedom features like DRM.

And most importantly, there is no AI in LibreWolf. They strip it out. This is the reason I switch. A few months back when I got sick of repeatedly disabling AI stuff in Firefox (and before they said they would add a “disable” button).

I also looked at Waterfox, but I could not get Firefox Sync to work. Sync is probably one of the most important features for me, since I use it on 5 computers, an iPad, and an iPhone on a daily basis.

I’ve come across very few issues with my switch to LibreWolf. I did have to mess with some of the more strict security settings when I started using it, but since then it’s been like using Firefox without the spying / data gathering.

I still have Firefox installed, but don’t use it much. LibreWolf has been great, and I’m glad I made the switch. I can also easily switch back, or still use Firefox if I need to since it’s just another browser in Firefox Sync I can synchronize all my settings to.

For now though, I will stick with LibreWolf.

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No Mozilla, No!!!

View Source

Remember when I said Chrome was annoying (and probably hinted they were evil) because they hid the ‘view source’ command?

Welcome to evil Firefox!

And yeah, Firefox also hides the protocol in the latest versions. Luckily it’s fairly easy to unhide it.

Still, I’m not a fan of the layer of chrome being applied to Firefox.

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Mozilla Supporter

Adopt Mozilla

One more than one occasion, people have asked why I don’t use Google Chrome, or Apple’s Safari, or even Opera or Microsoft Internet Explorer… I think this sums it up pretty well:

Mozilla’s mission is to build user sovereignty into the fabric of the Internet. We work to ensure that the the Internet remains open, interoperable and accessible to all. To do this we build products, we build decentralized participation worldwide, and we build the ability for people to create their own experiences in addition to consuming commercial offerings.

As the “web” changes, I think it’s probably necessary for Mozilla to change as well.

Read the whole thing: Mozilla in the New Internet Era – More Than the Browser.

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Not Just Yet…

Not Just Yet...

I happened to visit the Chrome Web Store using Firefox, and I was greeted with the following message:

Sorry, we don’t support your browser just yet. You’ll need Google Chrome to install apps, extensions and themes.

Wait… I was using Mozilla Firefox to visit the Chrome Web Store, so why am I posting this?

Because Google has given me hope. See, they said “we don’t support your browser just yet” and with that “just yet” part, I’m going to assume that they will support my browser at some point in the future.

I plan to revisit this post every few months to see if the status has changed.

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TenFourFox – PowerPC 4 Ever!

TenFourFox

I know all the hep cats out there have the latest Intel MacBooks to write their Ruby code on, but you would do well to remember that there are still a lot of useful PowerPC-based PowerMacs out there, being used daily for general purpose computing. These machines were the powerhouses of yesteryear at many a creative agency, and a lot of them have big drives, plenty of RAM, and are still running. They get passed down to folks who aren’t running any heavy apps like Photoshop, InDesign, or Final Cut Pro.

And dammit, I want those people to be able to browse the web in a reasonably modern fashion.

TenFourFox may be the best option now that Firefox 4 is out and has abandoned the PowerPC architecture.

TenFourFox - PowerPC 4 Ever!

Here’s some words worth reading:

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our years of using Macs, it’s that they outlast anything else out there. Why shouldn’t an iBook be able to look at embarrassing pictures on Facebook, or Twitter about our lunch break? These are our computers, dang it. We paid good money for them. They still work. There’s no technical reason they can’t do everything that a MacBook can. So if you want something done, you do it yourself, and we did. The result is TenFourFox.

You’ve still got do deal with things like older versions of Flash (yuck) and QuickTime. I mean, everyone is abandoning PowerPC-based Macs, and it’s only a matter of time, but TenFourFox buys you some time, just like WaMCom bought us some time back in the old days… I’ve always thankful for the people behind these projects. They take on work that the so-called “official” software developers won’t, or can’t. I know there’s only so many hours in the day, and developer time has to be focused, but still… it’s always a shame to see working technology abandoned.

Anyway, TenFourFox is now on two machines, and I’ll put it on more if I need to, and let you know how it goes…