Web browser preference

Welcome to Wondercafe2!

A community where we discuss, share, and have some fun together. Join today and become a part of it!

Mendalla

Happy headbanging ape!!
Pronouns
He/Him/His
Here are my unofficial (ie. it's my educated, professional opinion, not board policy) list of browser recommendations for Windows and Android. I lack sufficient experience with Apple products to comment on that world. Even below is limited to browsers that I have actually used or tested so if you have had good experiences with others, chime in. Note that the new Edge is still in beta. I have noted the official release date. Until that version comes out, Edge is a no go IMHO.

Windows:
Google Chrome - remains one of the better browsers out there but some people have privacy concerns given who owns it
(after January 15, 2020) Microsoft Edge - new version with a completely new "engine" under the hood, borrowed from Chrome. I am using the latest development release and it's easily as good as Chrome.
Mozilla Firebox - best browser if you want one that's independent of the big companies, but I find it a bit flakier than the big guys
Internet Explorer - No. Just no. Please go get another browser. It's only in WIndows 10 for compatibility reasons and I'm hoping it gets yanked soon.

Android
Google Chrome - probably the best browsing experience I've had on a mobile
Mozilla Firefox - pretty good but I am using it on my Droid right now and having some issues with editing posts and such
Samsung Browser - the built-in browser on Samsung devices is decent but I have not tested it thoroughly with WC2 or similar sites
 
If you are one of the rare people running Linux on your PC, the your best options are Chromium (open source Chrome) and Firefox, though I believe the new Edge is going to be released on Linux since it is based off of Chromium.
 
I use Chrome; my Dad who likes to get creative (and cause himself undue grief in the process!) has both Chrome & Linux ... why, I have no idea!
 
What exactly is wrong with Explorer?

It's outdated and even MS admits it. It was replaced by Edge in Windows 10 and only retained for compatibility with sites that required it, which should very close to 0 now. This means it is basically unmaintained and will probably be removed at some point (forcibly).

It is also the slowest and least secure of the major browsers. I use it for one application at work that needs it and use either the upcoming new Edge (I am in their dev program so get to use the test versions) or Firefox for everything else.
 
Last edited:
The unmoved stop their doings ... thus the need for essence of energy ... ghastly stuff streaming from the brightest God in the dark skye country ... it can burn in excess... like excessive darkness can cause falls! Some icon for retention is prerequisite ... to off set powerful vacancies in the political movements ... conversion of maas-energy ...
 
Okay...this is weird. On my old computer (which gets updated regularly, and is more substantial than my new laptop), I've tried using Chrome, and it isn't as fast as my Explorer. So, I went back to Explorer. I remember using Firefox when I worked. You've got me thinking about making a few changes though.
 
I just use Chrome. Google is in charge of my passwords; I have given up.

Well, not entirely (edit). My bank, etc., passwords, are properly secure ones.
 
Main computers (Windows 10)
My favourite browser is Firefox. I much preferred the older interface (pre Firefox 29, or what PaleMoon still has), but I can live with the current one. I liked the full menus, full customization, etc. that Firefox offered, and even nowadays, it offers more than the others.

My second choice is Internet Explorer, which I use for a couple of old sites that don't work well (except maybe Firefox 10).

As for Chrome, it's the one I use the least. Typically, I will open it to listen online to some broadcast in the background (ex.: election night), while I do the rest of my work. That way, links will open in Firefox and I don't risk closing the broadcast by error.

Two advantages I see of Firefox:
– Portable platform available : I use Thunderbird Portable and Firefox Portable on an external disk drive, so my browser menus and mail accounts configuration are always the same. Chrome and Chrome-based browsers don't allow real portabilization. and I don't like synching via an account when I can synch things myself.
– More customization, including full menus, possibility to prevent me from inadvertantly closing the program when I close the last window, etc.

Telephone
I go back and forth between Brave and Firefox.
Brave's ad control isn't perfect and it has a few other issues with its interface.
On the other hand, Firefox has many addons (including uBlock Origin that works great for add control), but it has a few compatibility issues.

Chrome? No. There is no ad control in it and extensions cannot be added, unfortunately.
 
Another kudo for MS Edge Chromium: Because it uses the Chromium engine, it can use extensions from the Google Chrome store as well as Microsoft's Edge store. You have to enable it to receive extensions from non-MS sources, but once that is done, you can add your favorite Chrome apps. To be fair, some of the better ones are available "native" in the Edge store (e.g. uBlock Origin, my preferred ad blocker).

The current build works very well but, like any piece of software, has its quirks. You can't seem to remove a user profile without considerable effort, for instance. And synchronization seems flaky. When I make a change on one machine that is logged in for sync, then go to another, it seems to revert the stored favorites to whatever is on the second machine, instead of updating it with the change I made on the first. Still, teething problems rather than major flaws.
 
Use of chrome in my profession was discouraged as there was a faction that thought such metals toxic as shiny and reflective as quicksilver!

Knowledge of the application was critical ... then if your look closely at you bottle of vitamins ... Hoo Dahth unque IT!
 
I use Chrome because that is what my computer store put on my machines. I am pretty much illiterate about technology.
 
Religion condemns technology whether singular or poly tech spectrum ... broad R'seđ!

In the land of imagination this could be the god as SET! Stern and not happy about the given privilege of pious Ness?

It is a dark pool ...
 
The new, Chromium-based version of Microsoft Edge did ship on schedule yesterday and is considered to be supported for Wondercafe2 (see this thread). I quite like it after using the Dev and Beta version for the past few months and my work computer has been updated. I may stay on Chrome at home for compatibility with the Linux box I sometimes use and will keep all the major browsers available (except Safari since I don't do Apple) for doing troubleshooting with the Cafe.
 
The new, Chromium-based version of Microsoft Edge did ship on schedule yesterday and is considered to be supported for Wondercafe2 (see this thread). I quite like it after using the Dev and Beta version for the past few months and my work computer has been updated. I may stay on Chrome at home for compatibility with the Linux box I sometimes use and will keep all the major browsers available (except Safari since I don't do Apple) for doing troubleshooting with the Cafe.
This. All Chinese to me. Except for the little words in between, like “ and” and “ it”. Thanks for doing what your are doing for WC2, it must be very beneficial.
 
I'm computer illiterate - and use Windows Explorer. Lately all I get is security updates and it no longer works well on a lot of sites e.g. Facebook. I also have Firefox -which was mainly for when I had trouble with Explorer, but I find I use it more and more.
I have Windows 8.1 -and understand that I'll have to get a new laptop in the not too distant future.
This fills me with anxiety big-time - what browsers do you suggest? I want to keep Firefox, as I'm familiar with it as a back-up.

Should my main browser be Chrome or this new Microsoft Edge? Which is the most reliable and easiest to use for those that struggle with technology?
When I purchase a new laptop which browser will it feature?

(Just wish I could get a little Mendalla to live in my laptop and fix any problems at the press of a keyboard button.):unsure:
 
Back
Top