---
slug: firefox-redux
title: "Firefox Redux"
date: "2023-12-02T17:53:53-04:00"
---
This weekend I installed [Firefox Nightly][] from [Mozilla's APT
repository][apt-repo] and then switched my desktop browser from
Chrome to [Firefox][].  Thoughts so far...

### Firefox Pros

- [uBlock Origin][] and other useful extensions will continue to
  work past June 2024.
- Importing bookmarks, credentials, and history was seamless.
- Tab switching and omnibar searches are faster than Chrome.
- [Firefox Sync][] and [Firefox View][] are great; I prefer them to
  their Chrome equivalents.
- Better interface customization.
- Better bookmark management.
- Better [PDF][] reader.

### Firefox Cons

- No tab groups.  ~~There are several tab management extensions, but none
  are as elegant as tab groups.~~ (**Update:** [Tab Stash][] is a
  passable alternative for me).
- Occasional [screen tearing][] on complex pages.
- Chrome has smoother scrolling.

I also worry about [Mozilla][] as an organization; a substantial portion
of their revenue comes from their contract with Google and they have
made some questionable business decisions in the last couple of years.

### Why Ditch Chrome?

[Manifest V3][eff-manifest-v3] was the final straw; it is a
[thinly-veiled attempt to hobble ad blockers][ars-manifest-v3].  Before
that there was [AMP][], [FLOC][], [Web Environment Integrity][wei],
[Privacy Sandbox][], and probably a dozen other anti-competitive and
user-hostile changes I have forgotten about (see also:
[enshittification][]).

I switched from [Firefox][] to Chrome a decade ago because of the
minimalist interface and better performance.  Neither reason applies
today; the Chrome interface has become cluttered and [Firefox][]
performance has improved substantially.

In retrospect it was probably unwise for us to give an effective browser
monopoly to an advertising company.

### Other De-Googling Recommendations

1. Search engine: [Duck Duck Go][].  Fast, good results, spartan
   interface, [useful shortcuts][duckduckgo-bangs], doesn't feed
   your search history to Google.
2. Mobile: [Firefox for Android][firefox-android].  Fast, great
   interface, supports [uBlock Origin][].  I've used it for years on my
   phone and tablet.

**Update (2023-12-04):** Added note about [Tab Stash][].

[ublock origin]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UBlock_Origin
  "Free and open source browser extension for content filtering and ad blocking."
[firefox]: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/
  "Mozilla Firefox"
[mozilla]: https://www.mozilla.org/
  "Mozilla"
[firefox-android]: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browsers/mobile/android/
  "Firefox for Android"
[firefox sync]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefox_Sync
  "Firefox Sync"
[firefox view]: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-set-tab-pickup-firefox-view
  "Firefox View"
[enshittification]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification
  "enshittification"
[eff-manifest-v3]: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/12/chrome-users-beware-manifest-v3-deceitful-and-threatening
  "Chrome Users Beware: Manifest V3 Deceitful and Threatening (EFF)"
[ars-manifest-v3]: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/11/google-chrome-will-limit-ad-blockers-starting-june-2024/
  "Google Chrome will limit ad blockers starting June 2024 (Ars Technica)"
[ars-slower-extension-updates]: https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/12/chromes-next-weapon-in-the-war-on-ad-blockers-slower-extension-updates/
  "Chrome’s next weapon in the War on Ad Blockers: Slower extension updates (Ars Technica)"
[tab containers]: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/containers
  "Multi-Account containers extension for Firefox."
[apt-repo]: https://blog.nightly.mozilla.org/2023/10/30/introducing-mozillas-firefox-nightly-deb-packages-for-debian-based-linux-distributions/
  "APT repository for Firefox Nightly packages."
[amp]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accelerated_Mobile_Pages#Reception
  "Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)"
[floc]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federated_Learning_of_Cohorts
  "Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLOC)"
[privacy sandbox]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy_Sandbox
  "Privacy Sandbox"
[wei]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_Environment_Integrity
  "Web Environment Integrity"
[doublespeak]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doublespeak
[firefox nightly]: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/channel/desktop/#nightly
  "Firefox Nightly."
[screen tearing]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_tearing
  "Rendering artifact where information from multiple frames is shown in a single draw."
[duck duck go]: https://duckduckgo.com/
  "Fast and private search engine."
[duckduckgo-bangs]: https://duckduckgo.com/bangs
  "Duck Duck Go bang shortcuts."
[pdf]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDF
  "Portable Document Format (PDF)"
[tab stash]: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/tab-stash/
  "Tab Stash extension for Firefox"