Ditch Chrome

Chrome is a data sucking MONSTER

I worked for almost a year in Digital Marketing for a major newspaper until last December when I got fired. I suppose I got fired because working in digital marketing was a nightmare and I guess it showed on my face and in my actions, comments etc.

Everything was Google. I had to learn how to create content for the web site through Google. I learned how Google/Chrome tracks every little damn thing you do online. I could go on about this but I don't want to relive the digital marketing nightmare or open myself up for trouble with my old work place.

Recently I've seen articles about Chrome spying on you when you go online. I knew they did but used Chrome anyway. So I have decided, even though it isn't skinned to go with Firefox.

We'll see how it goes. I'm using Firefox to post this.

172,157 views 30 replies
Reply #1 Top

The main thing Chrome knows about me is "Boy, this guy sure spends a lot of time trying to figure out how to fix stuff." \o/  

Good luck with your defensive maneuvers, I fear it's something of a lost cause, but it never hurts to keep trying. ;)  

Reply #2 Top

I was using Brave which is built on the chrome engine but is suppose to be more secure, I say was because after I updated from Windows 7 to Windows 10, Brave does not seem to want to load web pages. I was using the most current build and even tried the beta but no luck, Chrome works but not Brave. 
I might go with Firefox or Opera but I do like that Chrome remembers your favorite sites, whatever computer I install it on I have my favorites in my favorites bar after signing in.  

Reply #3 Top

Chrome sucks here and there but I get a lot less hassles than FF or Opera. Neither played nice which prompted the old heave ho. Not sorry.

Reply #4 Top

Google, Facebook, and countless others prove that spyware is legal and highly profitable.

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Reply #5 Top

there is that

Reply #6 Top

Good old Internet Explorer.  I guess I'm a dinosaur lover.

Reply #7 Top

Sometimes the Jurassic world isn't all it cut out to be. Just sayin'

Reply #8 Top

I'm using Microsoft Edge Developers edition, it uses Chrome source codes, along with others, and I'm liking it, I can't say if it's "spying" or not, I'm sure it's like all the others, just my opinion. :grin:  

https://www.microsoftedgeinsider.com/en-us/download

 

Reply #9 Top

Chrome is a resource hog even when you shut it down it still runs in the background just open your task manager. People complain about bloat ware on their computer and still use Chrome.

I use Edge and IE (and yes I have Chrome installed as a backup). I never understood why people use so many browsers on their computer when they all do the same thing. o_O  

Reply #10 Top

Quoting ALMonty, reply 9

Chrome is a resource hog even when you shut it down it still runs in the background just open your task manager. People complain about bloat ware on their computer and still use Chrome.

I use Edge and IE (and yes I have Chrome installed as a backup). I never understood why people use so many browsers on their computer when they all do the same thing. o_O  

Maybe on your computer, not on mine. It will depend on what you have enabled for extensions but I have several loaded and my computer barely notices it. You can also stop chrome from running in the background. 

Reply #11 Top

Mine is showing 17 apps open where yours is showing 8, but your using more memory than I am. If I open Chrome on my laptop the fans begin to spool up doesn't do it with IE.

Reply #12 Top

Quoting ALMonty, reply 11

Mine is showing 17 apps open where yours is showing 8, but your using more memory than I am. If I open Chrome on my laptop the fans begin to spool up doesn't do it with IE.


425mb of memory is nothing when you have 16gb installed and that is not much for today's computers, there are people here with over 32gb of memory. If you are using an old computer with not much memory it might be a problem.

Reply #13 Top
Quoting JuniorCrooks, reply 12

425mb of memory is nothing when you have 16gb installed and that is not much for today's computers, there are people here with over 32gb of memory. If you are using an old computer with not much memory it might be a problem.
 
 
 
I've only got 8gb of memory. I think that's the bare minimum anymore, what I can afford.  :D  
 
I'm happy with Firefox so far. It's very smooth. Mozilla has updated it pretty well.  :D  
 
There's a lot of themes to choose from and so far I've been able to color co-ordinate to the WB skin I'm using.
 
Reply #14 Top


I learned how Google/Chrome tracks every little damn thing you do online.

I never trusted Google from word go and never will. I never understood why Google needed acres and acres of data banks worldwide.... unless it was actively seeking, collecting and storing everyones data for purposes of its own.

I had somebody once say: "But Google makes so many great apps and provides so many wonderful services."

I responded thusly: "Ah, but there is a self-serving agenda behind each and every one of those services and apps.  Yes, the services are often useful, tempting and inviting, but [keeping the self-serving agenda in mind] it is much easier and more cost efficient to corrall all the sheep in more manageable packages: ie; the services with tracking and data collection abilities.  And those great apps, which can also track, etc, are just services conveniently packaged so users can take them anywhere and everywhere on portable devices.... meaning Google knows exactly where you/they are at any given time.

I've heard far too often; 'but using Google apps and services' has never harmed me'.  That may be so, thus far, but you never know what Google is willing to do to further its own agenda and advantage.

 

Reply #15 Top

So I have decided, even though it isn't skinned to go with Firefox.

well done ! .. and also the new Firefox Quantum can be skinned no more Complete Themes addons but Styles check: "Styled+ for Firefox" 

Reply #16 Top

Quoting JuniorCrooks, reply 2

I might go with Firefox or Opera but I do like that Chrome remembers your favorite sites, whatever computer I install it on I have my favorites in my favorites bar after signing in.  

 

Firefox Sync has done this for years as well.

Reply #17 Top

I am giving Firefox a try, I have it set up the way I like but I had to exluded windowblinds from skinning it because my tabs were not closing, it works fine if excluded. 

Reply #18 Top

I switch back Firefox yesterday since Chrome is giving me that double post problem. It work fine and I don't need to exclude it from WB.

Thank you,

 

Basj,

Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #19 Top

Been using Brave for quite a while now.  I liked the original muon version better for its site-rendering accuracy & quality but that's been mostly maintained in the new chrome-based version.  The muon version was also missing some features that chrome plugins I find useful provide,  If they are to be believed, Brave's developers claim the browser incorporates strong privacy protections.  I lean toward believing that, Brendan Eich being the big cheese there.

Reply #20 Top

Here is what you are dealing with.

Reply #21 Top

Quoting Iben, reply 20

Here is what you are dealing with.
-Unclear metaphore.

Reply #22 Top

I have found Google useful over the years and sometimes those

search result links are better than bookmarks.

 

Reply #23 Top

Quoting Iben, reply 22

I have found Google useful over the years and sometimes those

search result links are better than bookmarks.

 

Why do you need to chose one over the other? I have both because my home page is set to google .ca, whatever I type in the search box it remembers until I delete my search history. I also find it convienient to have my most visited sites in my bookmarks bar.

Reply #24 Top

I've been using Firefox and Chrome, and am not happy with either. Firefox used to be my preferred browser, but in the past yeatrs it became a memory hog. As for Chrome, while it uses a separate process for each tab, it doesn't seemt to use as much memory as Firefox. But that greatly depends on the sites I visit.

That said, I've switched off everything I can in my OS and browser settings to prevent data mining of any kind - and that does include quite a few obscure things that you can only find when duck-duck-go-ing for it (you didn't expect I would be 'googling' for it, did you?). In the end, I can say that while I do get my share of targeted advertising, my system and browser experience is pretty much clear of obscure processes, data being sent behind my back, or stuff being sent to me without asking. SPAM in my inbox (spam folder, actually) does never reference any online identity I use - they're only mass mails, and that makes them easy to recognize, and managable.

So, independently of the browser you use, if you are always careful not to give out any more information on the web than is absolutely neccessary, and spend some effort to make your system and browsers behave, you can be relatively safe.

Reply #25 Top

I have been using Chrome for many years, there is nothing better. :-)