Why FireFox?

[CaptSilver]

I do not see many distributions that use Chrome/Chromium as their default browser so I am asking why. I no longer use FireFox due to their inability to manage a large number of tabs. Chrome/Chromium seems to handle memory and everyday tasks better. They also have Chrome Store which I use extensively.

So, why did Mageia choose FF?

Note: If this is not the proper place for this type of discussion, then I am sorry.

[wobo]

I guess Firefox is kept as default because of
- history
- some people may thing FF is "more free" than the Google browser
- some people are extensively using FF add-ons.
(there mey be other reasons I don't know about)

None of the 3 reasons apply to me and Firefox does not work right with ebay so I'm one of those who install chromium-browser right after system installation. But it's no big deal anyway.

[ferri]

I have tried to use Chrome/Chromium many times.
But I was totally lost. I did not manage use it with conformity which I have with Firefox.
This is my opinion.

And as was mentioned, how is it with plugins?
I use gecko (mplayer) plugin for example. And I do not know about its functionality under Chrome/Chromium.

[CaptSilver]

I do not seem to have any problems with plugins, add-ons, or extensions with Chrome/Chromium. I do know that the gecko plugin does work in Chrome/Chromium or at least did. I do not install anymore as I do not have a need for it.

I just do not think that most people give Chrome/Chromium a fair trial run when it comes to open source browsers. Chrome/Chromium is rapidly becoming the second most popular browser and I think that it deserves a chance to be the default browser on a premier distribution like Mageia.

I know that it is not a big deal on the default, but I would prefer to have something that I consider better for the user experience.

[Max]

I tried using Chrome/Chromium for some time. In fact, when at first I didn't like it I told myself to give it time and let it grow on me.
I gave it an entire month.
And I still hate it.
The UI (Hah! what UI?) is infuriatingly simple and annoying and won't let me do a damn thing except view web pages one at a time.
I can't customize it, I can't change its behavior to suit my needs and I can't even make it look a little more visually appealing.
I even looked into writing plugins that will let me do what I want. But unfortunately that's impossible, since the UI is inaccessible from a plugin. So, in order to be able to use Chromium I'd have to fork it and write my own UI (I looked into that as well, but it needs basically a server cluster to compile).
So I ask you, what's the point? I'd rather stay with the same old browser I've been using for 20 years, even though they screwed that up as well. But by using my old config files from 3.6 I can still maintain my comfort and usability with Firefox.

[CaptSilver]

Those are the reasons why I like Chrome/Chromium more than FireFox. I love the simple out of the way GUI. I do not want to think about the GUI, I only want to get where I need to go and do what I need to do in the simplest way possible. The new versions of FireFox are now emulating this behavior, at least on the Windows and Mac versions, by creating the FireFox button.

[wobo]

Well, we have seen equally strong statements for and against both browsers, each statement being made on individual workflow and interests. And that's the main answer to the question.

[doktor5000]

Chromium is a real mess to package and to keep it updated, one good reason to not have it as default browser.

[Max]

Chromium is a real mess.

Fixed that for you

[wobo]

Does that make the reason in doktor's comment obsolete ?

[pmithrandir]

Maybe mageia could start by installing chromium browser with firefox at the beginning.
It's often very useful to have a second browser available on your computer.
- to allow your friends to connect on their mail without disconnecting you(or your spouse, girlfiend...)
- to open a website on a different windows(I know we can do that too) for tests, copying documentation, or sometime, only to keep things seperated. I use it for exemple with double monitor to watch a movie in flash player on my bigger monitor, when I use firefox and another flash instance on my laptop monitor.
- To open a website not compatible with your browser(I got an error with firefox on ratb.ro for example, and not on chronium.)

I personnaly dont' like chromium, but I have it for these reason.(and for test because I'm a web developper)

[Max]

So, inflate the initial installation with another browser that some people might find useful, when there is already a perfectly good one?
Why not just make it very easy to install the additional browser for those who want.
Just open rpmdrake, search for chromium and install it. Doesn't get any easier than that.

[pmithrandir]

If we really wanted an installation with the minimal space, there will be tons of software to remove.

just in the internet section, or office...(mail software, rss, irc, ftp...) that most of the users will never use.
The browser is now one of the most used software, it would not be crasy to add a second one for diversity. (and knowledge, people know chrome, but not chromium)

[Max]

You're right. The DVD comes with far too much crap on it. The only reason I used it is because there is no LiveCD for x86_64. That will change with Mga2.
But my point was that there really is no point in having two browsers in the initial install.

[doktor5000]

initial installation != minimal installation. Currently for current Alpha3 and next round of installation media there
are already severe disk space issues. As f.ex. with KDE you already get Konqueror as alternative.
I'm with Max on this one. If you want an additional browser in parallel (which is really rarelly needed)
then just install it, simple as that.

[pmithrandir]

Honnestly, if you would remove one, remove konqueror.

My point is that if you change to linux, you don't know chromium word at all. It doesn't exist in people mind, in advertising from google...

I agree that it's not a requirement, but it could be a plus if all users has there favorite browser at the install, or if they could choose the one they want.
If you remember well, it is exactly what microsft has to do, propose other browser because users don't even know the name of concurrent.

But, if you have disk space issue, please open a topic and I'm sure a lot of people will answer you to say what software they never use. I think it would be interesting datas anyways.

For me, if the first thing a lot of users do is to install a new software, it's because you (/we) didn't think enough in specification phase.

we could have 3 levl of use with a list of main software installed by default. "common use", "I use it sometime", "I never use it".

[Max]

Honnestly, if you would remove one, remove konqueror.

My point is that if you change to linux, you don't know chromium word at all. It doesn't exist in people mind, in advertising from google...

Of course not. Chromium-browser is the original open-source project, before Google stuck all their branding and spyware on it.

I agree that it's not a requirement, but it could be a plus if all users has there favorite browser at the install, or if they could choose the one they want.
If you remember well, it is exactly what microsft has to do, propose other browser because users don't even know the name of concurrent.

Yes, let's allow everybody to choose his or her own favorite browser at install time. Even those people who want Opera or Safari.
But hey! Why stop there? Let's let them choose their preferred office applications, I bet some people prefer using Koffice. And they should also be allowed to choose what games to package, what Plymouth splash to use, what the desktop background is and the color scheme.
There's a distro for people who want to choose at install time what they want, it's called ArchLinux. At Mageia (and most other distros) decisions like this are made for various and different reasons. You can't let the user decide everything. What you can do, and what every Linux distro does, it to make it easy for the user to install and/or remove applications and customize the workspace.

[doktor5000]

Honnestly, if you would remove one, remove konqueror.

My point is that if you change to linux, you don't know chromium word at all. It doesn't exist in people mind, in advertising from google...

Of course not. Chromium-browser is the original open-source project, before Google stuck all their branding and spyware on it.

Nope, first there was Google Chrome (which should be the foundation for ChromeOS, releases later on) and sometime
afterwards they released it as open source project under the name Chromium. Please also refrain from using the term
spyware, there was spread much fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) about that. Please show one line of program code
that would count as spyware.

There's also not much branding differences, besides the color of the logo between those two, AFAIK.

[Max]

OK, it's not really spyware. But Google is watching everything you do on that browser. I have enough trouble as it is with Google making a note of what Youtube videos I watch while logged into Gmail, I don't need them to know my daily internet usage.

[doktor5000]

Still not true. Please tell me only one bit of that "everything they watch" which you cannot opt-out of.
Google then knows the same amount of information as f.ex. Mozilla would know when using firefox for your
daily internet activities. And if you don't want that, you should not browse the web at all.

[wobo]

While I do not share the "Bash Google" alliance, I admit that after installation you have to close more doors in chromium-browser than in Firefox. As you say, you can protect your privacy to the same extent as in firefox but you have to be more active to reach that state.

[blue]

Sorry, but a lot of us depend on firefox.

A lot of addons are used to make a living in some cases. Disregard the fact that as of ff11, it consumes less ram and loads faster than chrome.

Also, chrome uses it's own js engine, and most web developers aren't moving their support to chrome just because you like it better.

As for the gui, it's near identical.

[bigbob]

In Chrome I find the missing 'Menu Bar' an inconvenience. I know there are keyboard shortcuts for opening and saving etc. but I have always been a mouse operator and don't want to change. The keyboard shortcuts are also limited and Firefox and/or Opera can do so much more. I think of Firefox and Opera as tools and Chrome as just a viewer.

AND IT STILL CANT COPE WITH ANIMATED PNG's.
If you are using Chrome you can't see the animation in my sig.

[loqo]

Mozilla proudly proclaim that they are dedicated to a free, open web that is accessible to all. They are a not-for-profit organisation, working hard to back up their claims with well loved software. In an open-source and community driven operating system, Firefox seems like a natural fit.

Unlike Mozilla, Google have very different aims and intentions! Although they provide Chromium as open and free, they have a vested interest and their bottom line will always be profit - however indirectly they achieve it. This just makes Chromium seem like a less comfortable fit as the default browser. Beware the Trojan horse!

But let's see what happens when Adobe Flash is no longer supported in FF and both browsers have competing app stores!! Later versions of Mageia may ship with a different default browser!

[wobo]

But let's see what happens when Adobe Flash is no longer supported in FF and both browsers have competing app stores!! Later versions of Mageia may ship with a different default browser!

Well. For normal users FF will still be default. Those who still need the almost obsolete flash plugin will have to install the non-free Chrome (unless Google implements the flash plugin into chromium browser as well, which will make chromium browser a non-free package).