Why use anything but Google Chrome? (Not flame intended but an actual question)
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uxbal last edited by
I'm pondering this:
Why would anyone these days bother with anything else but Google Chrome if you use other Google producrs. If you have decided to use Gmail, Android and the likes, what's the advantage of using, Opera, for example. Except for the interface difference, all browsers relevant to the market are now on Chromium, which is owned and developed by Google mostly. It more and more seems that also rival companies are not helping by using Chromium as a base, but that's another problem because I believe they can't ensure compatibility otherwise. But yes, is there any compelling reason besides privacy to switch to a browser that's basically just a modified Chrome browser, especially if you're already aboard the Google train?
Thanks.
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A Former User last edited by
@uxbal Here is a neat little list by treego that might help: I prefer Opera over other browsers for the following reasons:
-seems lighter on resources and a bit more responsive/quick than even Chrome, Firefox, and Vivaldi
-best tab preview of any browser - I can check on the tab/page's content simply by hovering over the tab
-full-screen is truly full-screen and allows me access to both open tabs and closed tabs very nicely via Ctrl-M; I can also access Facebook Messenger easily while in full-screen mode by Ctrl-Shift-M.
-keyboard shortcuts for extensions work in full-screen mode perfectly (unlike Vivaldi); Firefox has no keyboard shortcuts for extensions
-does not tap-out my laptop battery as quickly as other browsers
-Instant Search (Alt-Space) works terrifically and is a great way to access bookmarks even in full-screen mode
-customizable keyboard shortcuts (not quite as good as Vivaldi in this respect, but still very good)
-built-in snapshot (Ctrl-Shift-5) is very nice
-speed dial is better and snappier than other browsers
-Personal News integration with AI news/categories is innovative and creative and intriguing
-Facebook Messenger in the pinned sidebar is very nice; I like it better than Vivaldi's implementation. Other browsers simply don't have it. (request: Twitter in this sidebar would be heavenly!)
-address bar input seems to predict what I am looking for better than other browsers
-it is more appealing to the eyes than other browsers. I like the bright wallpapers in Light mode very much.
-MyFlow with Opera Touch on phone is excellent
-neat little features other browsers do not have like tap on tab to take you to top of page/tap again to take you back to where you were on the page
-neat little features like mouse gestures that work and don't overwhelm with too many choices
-the best tab management of any browser I've found to be able to simply go back and forth between two tabs quickly and easily. I use Ctrl-tab for this.
-built-in ad-blocking capability (I assume this is more resource efficient than relying on extensions for this)
-neat little features other browsers do not have like the ability to close a tab with Alt-mouseclick
-neat little features other browsers do not have like the ability to select multiple tabs and then right-click them to copy all their page addresses (URL's)
-neat little features like the ability to select multiple tabs and then right-click them to save them all to a Speed Dial folder -
A Former User last edited by
@coffeelover I think this post is more of a "I'm better than you idiots cos ..." type of thing. If i choose to use something I dont have to justify it to anyone, except me. Use it or dont but dont lecture others on what they should do.
rant over lol -
blackbird71 last edited by blackbird71@uxbal A browser is simply a tool to accomplish something... namely, to view and interact with information on websites. As with any tool, various elements of fit and detailed functionality matter differently to different users. Consequently, most users have preferences developed over time as to how they want their browser tool to fit their browsing styles and needs. Thus much of a browser's uniqueness lies within its user-interface layer, which sits on top of its rendering-engine layer. It's within that UI layer that many of the distinctives of various browsers now reside, particularly in terms of how one deals with appearance, multiple open pages/tabs, handling of saved sessions, interactions with history and settings, etc. So, indeed, there are many compelling interface reasons for various users to prefer one browser over another... but some users (perhaps yourself) don't really care about those usage differences in the way they browse. So, to them, there might indeed be little or no reason to switch. YMMV.
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A Former User last edited by
@ceedee Whoaaa! Hold on there. If YOU don't want to answer his question, fine. Use whatever browser you prefer and have at it. I was simply responding to his question... period. I'm not trying to persuade him of anything. He's free to ignore or consider treego's list. Not sure why you felt the need to "rant" as you term it, but you might want to rein in your sarcasm just a bit. This is a friendly forum, I hope, where we try to help one another.
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A Former User last edited by
@leocg I agree sorry for being Testy Google brings that out in me on occasion
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A Former User last edited by
@ceedee Cool response. So few people these days take a conciliatory tack. I'm appreciative of your post.
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A Former User last edited by
I switched to Opera for a few reasons:
Chrome is now doing data mining, and on my hardware setup, it takes SECONDS before it will release my mouse so I can continue on with my scrolling or link clicking. That's the biggest reason. The 2nd reason is that Chrome 'trashed' their bookmark setup. And when hundreds of us complained on the Chrome forum, the coders told us that it was changed and that was that. No explanation was offered but you can bet it had something to do with data mining.
Firefox was fine, but slowly slipped into that mouse lag thing just like Chrome over a few weeks after Chrome started doing it. Like the coders had found a new revenue stream and everyone was jumping on the bandwagon to exploit it, where the unintended consequence was mouse lag.
This is not to say that Opera doesn't have issues, it does, especially with the poor handling of bookmarks, and the recent repeated error when I try to open gmail, but at least there's NO MOUSE LAG.
That's why I'll stick with it over Chrome or Firefox. And why I think it's better then Chrome.
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A Former User last edited by
While I'm at it, I have to say that Firefox's bookmark system is absolutely horrible. At one time things were easy to find and sensibly ordered but no more. I dumped it recently and have no intention of returning u less things change. If it isn't broken, leave it alone.
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A Former User last edited by
@leocg But Leo... I'm an older guy now (sigh). I can't get my head around how else to store sites I want to return to on a regular or irregular basis other than bookmarks. What are other methods (and Pocket is not something I think would work well for me as a replacement).
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A Former User last edited by
Considerations/Examples:
Privately I use Chromium (Linux) and Firefox because I have a GMail account; I installed Opera three months ago and find only advantages here:
The favorites work just as well as under Firefox or Chrom(ium)
The VPN in Opera is great, with a VDSL 50tsd it doesn't have any loss in performance for me.
With Opera Sync and my account I can save my settings and data as well as my passwords. Sometimes there are small crashes, but basically everything is fine.
My data and registrations in GMail are fine, I have a fast and secure browser with Opera, which only runs with three AdOns: uBlock Origin and uMatrix as well as the Opera ad blocker. -
A Former User last edited by
@coffeelover
//While I'm at it, I have to say that Firefox's bookmark system is absolutely horrible.Works fine with me; You only have to get used to Opera as a newbie to the fact that it saves the bookmarks at the top and not like Firefox at the bottom.
Otherwise you can sort, rename and move everything in Firefox, Opera and also in Chrom(ium). -
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A Former User last edited by
Hej leocg,
this is no argument for me
If I have visited pages, e.g. here the forum and have answered, then save me the link, so I do not have to search tomorrow. If I find a good article on the net, want to forward it, use it by mail or otherwise, then I save the link as well. Favorites are there so that you can use them, such a possibility does not work, then the system is useless. But why this discussion, at all? In Firefox, Chrom(ium) and Opera it works. I don't see a problem here ... :o -
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A Former User last edited by
@leocg That might be fine for temporary sites you want to revisit. But there are some individuals (not me) who literally have hundreds and hundreds of sites they periodically need to return to for business sake. For them they need some sort of bookmarking system allowing them to categorize and subcategorize all the sites, many of which they probably could not remember and therefore would not know what to type in order to find that exact site. My hang-up with Firefox is that they changed the manner in which the bookmarks work and while they do work it's not as convenient as it was a few years back. Personally I think Opera's system is better.
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A Former User last edited by
@coffeelover said in Why use anything but Google Chrome? (Not flame intended but an actual question):
But there are some individuals (not me) who literally have hundreds and hundreds of sites they periodically need to return to for business sake. For them they need some sort of bookmarking system allowing them to categorize and subcategorize all the sites,
The biggest and master part of my job is researching pages and the Web; therefore I do need the favorites and the safed links.
And Firefox, also Opera, is working fine in this point. Anything else is crap, or some user don't know how to use and sort the links, safe it and/or work with the folders - sorry for saying this.
