Since currently Lemmy is mostly made up of nerds, I'd like to know what browsers you use and why? You could just upvote the comment with your browser of choice if you don't want to explain.
An established foundation with good interests and goals running it (unfortunately it's not quite that clear cut - but the best, closest). The source of free software development. Extensive feature set. Robustness.
I haven't seen the need to use a fork, and like and prefer the idea of using and supporting the one that's investing in the engine development - even if it's largely only through free use. (Using forks does not support them this way.)
When briefly using chrome dev tools I've always preferred and went back to Firefox dev tools for web development.
Sharing my data with an independent org like Mozilla feels much better and safer than with Google. The services are free software and could be replaced if it ever need be. Still, Mozilla is big enough to expect stability across time.
Tech wise there's not much difference between the three big players Firefox, Chrome, and Edge.
If it weren't Firefox I'd feel more comfortable with Edge than Chrome.
Firefox. I used to be an avid Chrome user, but the domination of Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, etc) is scary. It essentially gives Google control over what happens on the internet. So I switched to Firefox and it's been a great browser ever since
Firefox. It's better, IMO, to follow a process of how to manually harden it because then you know how to allow exclusions to the hardening when things go wrong.
Firefox. I've always used Firefox except for services that don't support it (like GeForce Now, which I do have Chrome installed for). I'd say my main reason for sticking with it is wanting to support a more "open web" concept. I also use it on mobile in order to get adblock there and appreciate the browser sync.
Firefox with a load of plugins. Mostly adblockers, cookie blockers, and one that automatically runs through the dark patterns that are cookie prompts and rejects all the cookies it can.
It's the only browser which can give me certain very simple behaviours. For example, noise the bookmark toolbar a lot. And I want bookmarks from that toolbar to automatically open in a new tab when I left-click on them. Firefox can give me that, whereas Chrome and most Chromium-based browsers don't even give me the option. I have to middle-click or ctrl-click, otherwise that bookmark mercilessly opens over my current tab. Could I teach myself a new habit (middle-click instead of left-click in the bookmark bar)? Sure. Should I have to?
The only Chromium browser that was able to give me this behaviour is Vivaldi, and that had a whole lot of other problems.
The other killer Firefox feature is tab containers. Wouldn't want to go another day without them.
Firefox at the moment, but every so often I get fed up with its performance and switch to Chrome. Won't happen anytime soon at the moment, due to the Mv3 shit they are pulling off though
I've been using Firefox as my main browser since it was called Phoenix. When I was 17 back in 2004 I put up flyers in my hometown to advertise its release. I'm never switching browsers.
Arc (only on Mac for now), still not completely mature but I hope they improve performance and stability in the future, as the core ideas are pretty great
Their spaces, pinned tabs and splitted views really make for a great experience
Chrome is tied too closely to Google. I don’t trust Google with my data because their business model is all about monetizing anything you give them. It’s also always been bloated and slow on the Mac.
It’s a shame because when Edge first came out, it was great. Now it’s a bloated dumping ground of privacy-invading featuritis.
Brave recently had a bunch of privacy/monetization controversies that put me off of it as well.
That leaves me with Firefox and Safari.
Vivaldi seems interesting, but so far I haven’t seen any performance differences between it and Safari. Thought I’d give it a try to see how well it worked on an older Mac, but it was missing webp support there, just like Safari.
Moved from Edge to Firefox and back to Edge a few days later. FF "works" but I prefer the less clicks requiring Edge UI. The faster bookmarking, the better vertical tabs (though you can kind of get it to work with verticalFox css). Edge loads faster and handling drag and drop of tabs and better website translation. FF also had performance issues on some websites. Another is, Edge bookmark icon remembers my click, while FF UI always resets.
I use a combination of desktop and android and FF android really isn't good with it's UI, it would require many more clicks to save 10 bookmarks inside my desktop folders and much longer to sync them. While on Edge it was two touch and instant sync.
I'd say FF is fine for 99% if the people but I was looking for something else. I did this just a few days ago.
Vivaldi. For me, in terms of usability, it's the closest thing to Opera (and by "Opera" I mean the browser that it was before moving to Blink/Chromium).
Recently moved from Librewolf to Floorp (also based on Firefox). It is at least worth checking out I’d say, especially if you’re on Vivaldi specifically because you can’t find something which competes in customisation, workspaces, and sidebars and all.
Librefox (a Firefox fork) or if I really just don't want to use that for sites like fandom, I can always rely on the text based Links browser to save the day.
Brave on laptop and on phone. I tried to switch to Firefox recently but too many little things bugged me. I still have Firefox on my phone for when something doesn't work in Brave (like free movies on Southwest flights).
I’m on MacOS, and I tend to mostly use 3 for different reasons.
Safari has been my goto for battery, but Firefox has caught up. I may hop over in MacOS 14. My big sticking point has been integration with Apple’s keychain software, and that should change during the next major OS update.
Chrome for stupid g suite products that disable features for other browsers (aka, Google’s video chat)
Orion (when it works 99% of the time) on my Mac. It’s pretty much all the benefits of Safari plus the ability to run some Firefox/Chrome extensions. I know it’s not FOSS yet, but they at least claim to be working on it. Firefox for the other websites that don’t work on Orion (very rare), and Chrome for the others that don’t work well at all on Orion/Firefox (almost never). I’m planning on deleting Chrome overall soon.
Want to get into Nyxt. Hackable in common lisp! But for me on Guix it crashes within 5 minutes of use. Damn I need to fix it.
eww. (built into emacs). Used to google issues during terminal distro installations. Also good for simple blogs and github readme's, but I plan to replace that with a feed reader and a proper forge explorer package.
But as a depressed gamer, I've been sticking to firefox so far.
I usually stick to the browser that comes bundled with the OS. On my computer, I use Microsoft Edge, and on my phone I use Chrome. I'm just very lazy to download a different browser, I'm not biased at all. If I start using Linux, I'll be using Firefox (idk if different Linux distros bundle different browsers). If I ever switch to iOS or macOS, I'd use Safari.
I think I'm automatically being hated now for using a browser made by a company that sells my data to advertisers.