Chrome browser alternatives

[JBR]

I have been using Firefox as my default browser for several years but, due to some instability problems (eg, closing it and then re-opening resulting in the message 'Firefox is already running'), I thought I'd give Chrome a try. I synchronised bookmarks and loaded my start up tabs and found things work well, with one exception.

What Chrome is sadly lacking is a permanent bookmarks side bar. They have a bookmarks bar at the top, but it takes several clicks and scrolling to get to what I want. The Firefox equivalent is far easier to use.

Having explored their help topics and help forum, I found that this is a very popular discussion and many people have requested that Chrome introduce what should be a very simple change to its software. Unfortunately, it appears that the people who run the browser are just not interested.

Many others have said they'll move back to Firefox, but still no action from Chrome so I think I'll have to ditch it too.

Questions:

Does anyone know of any means of creating a side bar in Chrome that behaves like the Firefox one?

Does anyone have experience of any other alternative browser that performs in the same way as Firefox? Internet Explorer is, I believe, crap but there is a new one that comes with Windows 10 (Edge, I think?), but I have yet to try that.

 

[Dave54]

There's an extension called "bookmarks side panel" for Chrome that gives a similar setup to FF.
I've got it installed, but have got used to Chrome's own bookmark setup now.

One thing I've only found out today, is that Chrome may be more secure. It runs in it's own "Sandbox" which limits access to other things on the computer, and what it can do on the computer. FF apparently does not have the same.

Having said that I've used FF for many years with no problem.

 

[JBR]

Thanks Dave.
I'll try to find that extension.

 

[jockscott]

Microsoft Edge has it's own peculiar problems. When Win 10 is first installed, Edge runs fine for a few days , then slows to a crawl. Apparently this has something to do with Internet Explorer cache settings (don't ask me why this should be) To solve it, I found a solution on the internet. Open Internet Explorer, then go to settings. clear the cache, and then move the internet cache folder to another location on your system, and increase the size to maximum (1024mb) All this can be found by a quick google search.
Opera might be a good browser to use, but I don't know how it compares to Firefox.

 

[JBR]

There's an extension called "bookmarks side panel" for Chrome that gives a similar setup to FF.
I've got it installed, but have got used to Chrome's own bookmark setup now.

One thing I've only found out today, is that Chrome may be more secure. It runs in it's own "Sandbox" which limits access to other things on the computer, and what it can do on the computer. FF apparently does not have the same.

Having said that I've used FF for many years with no problem.

I tried that sidebar extension, but found it a bit messy.
Looking at alternative extensions, I added 'Tidy Sidebar' which, I think, is better. The only problem is that I seem to have to adjust its size each time I open Chrome.

On the plus side, I am finding that Chrome opens pages and scrolls much more smoothly than Firefox.

 

[Dave54]

I think Chrome is better than FF in a few ways, I'd agree with it feeling smoother than FF.. Which is a pity as I like the idea of open source software.
You quickly get used to the small differences after changing though.

 

[JBR]

Yes. I still think that Chrome would have a larger following if, like Mozilla, they'd listen to their customers.
Still, I'm not paying for it, after all.

 

[JBR]

I've been using Chrome for a while now and find it is OK but for one apparent disadvantage: downloading videos, including YouTube.
I had a look in Chrome's 'extensions' and added a couple to the browser. Unfortunately, when I tried to download a YouTube video I got a message saying that Chrome blocks video downloads using this extension. So why, then, does Chrome list it as an available extension and then blocks its use?!

I have decided to keep both Chrome and Firefox: Chrome doesn't appear to suffer some of the problems I mentioned earlier with Firefox; Firefox has a working extension that allows video downloads and a superior bookmarks sidebar.

Of course, the ideal browser would do everything efficiently.
Anyone know of the 'ideal browser' or does no such thing exist?

 

[Dave54]

I don't usually download videos, so not a problem to me, but all browsers have their foibles. I keep FF and Chrome on the machine to check if things that don't work on one work on the other!

 

[wv62]

I use SeaMonkey. It's Mozilla based (like FF) so most of the FF add-ons will work with it. Much better (in my opinion) than Chrome.

 

[JBR]

I don't usually download videos, so not a problem to me, but all browsers have their foibles. I keep FF and Chrome on the machine to check if things that don't work on one work on the other!

Yes, I presently have both on my desktop for that very reason.

 

[JBR]

I use SeaMonkey. It's Mozilla based (like FF) so most of the FF add-ons will work with it. Much better (in my opinion) than Chrome.

Thanks.
I have downloaded SeaMonkey.
One good thing I noticed straight away is that it includes a mail client which, I was impressed to see, automatically downloaded all my inbox and sent messages from Outlook.

I'll now have a good look at the browser. I'd really like to download all my existing bookmarks from Chrome (or Firefox). I'll hopefully find some way of doing that.

 

[Dave54]

I don't usually download videos, so not a problem to me, but all browsers have their foibles. I keep FF and Chrome on the machine to check if things that don't work on one work on the other!

Yes, I presently have both on my desktop for that very reason.

Yes I read your post. I should have put "The same as you" in the sentence
It'd be nice if just one browser did it all though.
Be interested to hear how you get on with SeaMonkey.

 

[JBR]

With a bit of exploration and experimentation, I have now managed to import all my bookmarks and set up my existing tabs.
Now to download AdBlock!

I'll let you know how I find SeaMonkey after a few days of use.

 

[JBR]

After several days' use, I have found this (Seamonkey) browser to be probably the best of those I have tried (IE, Firefox, Chrome) in most respects.
It is quite similar to Firefox, but hasn't (yet) suffered the problem I mentioned earlier: the 'Firefox is already running' message.
Like Firefox (and unlike Chrome) it has a permanent bookmarks sidebar, which I find very useful. On the other hand, Seamonkey (like Firefox) is a little slower to respond compared to Chrome, but I find it acceptable in that respect. Also, Seamonkey appears to have no restrictions on downloading YouTube and other videos, as Chrome seems to have.
Another advantage, of course, is that Seamonkey has an associated mail client that works perfectly.

So I'll stick with Seamonkey. Thanks for all the advice gentlemen.