Thinking to switch from Firefox to Chrome... AGAIN

cormie

Hey folks,
I'm a long time FireFox user here and switched to Chrome for a few months back in 2012 after FireFox wasn't loading some stuff properly. The issue was resolved and I was happy to go back to FireFox, but I can't remember the reason I didn't really take to Chrome.

Anyway, fast forward to now, and I'm thinking I might switch back to Chrome, more-so for the Google integration and syncing than anything else.

I'm a big fan of Google and how everything is interconnected and what I search for on Google maps on my laptop shows up in the history when I open MAPS on my phone, of how photos I snap on my phone sync to Google Photos and all the rest.

I know most of this is still possible with FireFox, but I'm looking to move more and more to cloud based solutions so I don't need to worry about backing up as many things on the laptop etc and I believe Chrome makes it all even better?

I read today you need Chrome to be able to edit Google docs offline and I'm thinking to switch all my spreadsheets and the likes to Google Docs rather than using Openoffice, and offline access is of course important.

I also seem to recall that you can sync bookmarks on your laptop browser so that they'll show up on your android browser too? (actually this may be possible with firefox too, but as android generally always comes with Chrome preinstalled, it's just one less thing to worry about setting up).

I just watched this video too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-P68I41Yuw

and Chrome seems to perform very well.

My only concern is the add ons, I have some very handy add ons I regularly use for firefox, so if anyone knows of Chrome alternatives, please shout

Adblock Plus
Check4change (monitors a page for any changes)
FireShot (very handy for taking screenshots of webpages, and snapping the full site in one image even if it's a lot of scrolling)
Lastpass (password manager)
MinimizeToTray revived (this is actually one I really like don't like programs taking up space in the taskbar
The Camelizer - Price Tracker (very handy for checking price history on Amazon)
Media Hint (don't use it really but it allowed access to the likes of Hulufrom anywehre in the World)
IDM Inegration (allows easy downloading of youtube/RTE player videos etc with Internet Download Manager)
Hide Tab Bar With One Tab (hides the tab bar if there's only one tab open)


Would really miss some of the above if Chrome doesn't have anything similar, but I'm hoping that's not the case?

Any feedback would be great!

toe_knee

I have moved from Firefox a long time ago and love Chrome. Adblock is available on Chrome along with last pass. As for the other plug ins I'm not sure as I don't use any of them. There is a huge user group so I would think that any popular plug in on other browser would have similar on chrome. I will check tomorrow for you for those other plug in a you mentioned

me_irl

Personally I use both browsers and, depending on mood, switch between both.

I think Firefox has Sync: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/sync/

Adblock Plus

I prefer uBlock Origin. Works on both browsers and are a bit more "open" instead of making deals with some sites.

Check4change (monitors a page for any changes)

VisualPing? https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/visualping/pemhgklkefakciniebenbfclihhmmfcd?hl=en

FireShot (very handy for taking screenshots of webpages, and snapping the full site in one image even if it's a lot of scrolling)

This? https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/take-webpage-screenshots/mcbpblocgmgfnpjjppndjkmgjaogfceg?hl=en

Lastpass (password manager) - also works on chrome

MinimizeToTray revived (this is actually one I really like don't like programs taking up space in the taskbar

Minimize chrome to tray...? https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/minimize-chrome-to-tray/ajedaeoideoipodoijpbpabhhadnniac

The Camelizer - Price Tracker (very handy for checking price history on Amazon)

Also on Chrome - https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/the-camelizer/ghnomdcacenbmilgjigehppbamfndblo?hl=en

Media Hint (don't use it really but it allowed access to the likes of Hulufrom anywehre in the World)

Also on Chrome (but has crappy reviews) https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/media-hint/akipcefbjlmpbcejgdaopmmidpnjlhnb

IDM Inegration (allows easy downloading of youtube/RTE player videos etc with Internet Download Manager)

This? https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/internet-download-manager/blhjobkfabeopalncconblmakfcllmhk?hl=en

Hide Tab Bar With One Tab (hides the tab bar if there's only one tab open)

Not sure about that one!

You can still access your google drive and edit docs / sheets / slides in Firefox too.

cormie

Wow, thanks a lot, very helpful!!

I think I'll have to give it a go. Actually what sparked me to make this thread is that I've been having a BSOD with my laptop the last few months, random shut downs and some times it seems to reset some program settings and I thought I had lost all my bookmarks and stuff in firefox, thankfully I didn't, but it would be nice to have them stored somewhere on Google and just sync to Chrome

me_irl

cormie wrote: »

Wow, thanks a lot, very helpful!!

I think I'll have to give it a go. Actually what sparked me to make this thread is that I've been having a BSOD with my laptop the last few months, random shut downs and some times it seems to reset some program settings and I thought I had lost all my bookmarks and stuff in firefox, thankfully I didn't, but it would be nice to have them stored somewhere on Google and just sync to Chrome

I don't use the sync features but can see the benefit of them. I store all my passwords in Lastpass. So I don't need to transfer those.

Personally I run chromium (https://chromium.woolyss.com/), it's just Chrome without the tacked on Google-ness.

I do export and store my bookmarks in Google Drive / External Drive just in case that happens.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/export-firefox-bookmarks-to-backup-or-transfer

You can import them in to another browser (not just Firefox again).

cormie

I use lastpass too, very handy, but I had always disabled the remember password option and autocomplete in any browser I use, the most I'd do is click the "remember me" when logging in to places, so LastPass is a great way to have all the passwords remembered, without them being stored in the browser and anyone using the browser can log into places with.

Does Chrome/Google store bookmarks (or more?) the same way it stores Android contacts, that they are always just available to sync and each bookmark added automatically syncs, or you have to manually backup to drive?

me_irl

cormie wrote: »

I use lastpass too, very handy, but I had always disabled the remember password option and autocomplete in any browser I use, the most I'd do is click the "remember me" when logging in to places, so LastPass is a great way to have all the passwords remembered, without them being stored in the browser and anyone using the browser can log into places with.

Does Chrome/Google store bookmarks (or more?) the same way it stores Android contacts, that they are always just available to sync and each bookmark added automatically syncs, or you have to manually backup to drive?

I do the same with Lastpass, untick remember master password.

Here's how the sync in chrome works. https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/165139?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en

So, themes / bookmarkes / history / extensions / any locally saved passwords (in the browser) are all transferred. Once you're logged in to the browser it'll mirror everything from (e.g.) a work PC to your own laptop or desktop and vice versa.

As I mentioned I've no need to do this as I've separate bookmarks for work. So I don't want them to get jumbled up!

I've previously used an online bookmarking service called X-Marks. https://www.xmarks.com/

But with FF Sync and Chrome Sync there's no real need to install that.

riclad

You can use 2 browser,s , use chrome for google docs, gmail etc youtube,
use firefox for special functions like firefox.
i use firefox mainly for downloading youtube videos, and there,s a few websites that work better in firefox.
its not so easy to download videos in various formats, mkv,mp4,mp3 in chrome.
I don,t think there,ll every be one browser that does everything easily.
to use a cliche one browser to rule them all.
As google does not want to help people watch hulu outside the us etc as it has contracts with all the big media companys.
Like apple does not like apps that compete with its own services.
the one thing i won,t do is use ie browser as i dont trust microsoft lax attitude to users privacy.

cormie

Thanks again folks! Will make the switch to Chrome and see if there's anything I miss in Firefox, hopefully not!