It seems like a few of your usability issues could be solved by adjusting arkenfox settings. I use firefox with arkenfox and experience very little breakage, and have no qualms whatsoever with the browser’s usability.
Try going through a new arkenfox installation while being a little less strict on the settings.
I loved finding your comment, because it’s very similar to my experience with browsers in Fedora. It’s only been a few weeks since I switched from Mozilla Firefox to Brave Browser. The reason was unavoidable: some sites of precarious construction, like the one where I register tax payments, and, soon after, some sites of big corporations, like Microsoft, started not working or working with many limitations in Firefox.
But I don’t like using Brave, which is a big issue! Brave has sessions dedicated to their cryptocurrency, but after closing an old Uphold account, the company would not allow me to reopen it, which means not being able to withdraw BATs and also not seeing much point in the entire crypto session. which occupies all focus of my browser. I also admit to having a personal annoyance with Brendan Eich and what he says on his Twitter (some anti-vax content and what I consider conspiracy theories, but I don’t expect you to agree with me on that point).
Well… My use of the browser usually doesn’t involve many tabs. Normally, my workflow involves opening several and checking them one by one, closing them little by little and keeping between 8 and 10 at most, with 2 pinned. It is enough to not need groups. This gives me the feeling that I use Brave only because of its engine and its synchronization with the cell phone - besides, of course, the privacy issue.
To be honest, my overall best experience with a browser was actually with Microsoft Edge. After downloading it in a moment of haste, I was delighted with the options and how well it works on Linux. I uninstalled it in order to find another similar browser. Vivaldi’s bugs, plus the fact that it’s not open source, distanced me from the software. The ‘chromiums’ out there left something to be desired in terms of quick security updates or other aspects… Anyway, disappointment. Maybe we really are living in a big hangover when it comes to browsers: everyone is Chrome customized, while Firefox is squeezed into the corner for trying to fight too big a battle alone. Gradually, it becomes unusable and, on the other side, you don’t even have a “just works!” private.
I thought maybe you’ll find grouped tabs in other chromium-based browsers (I remember that this function in Vivaldi was perfect and I suppose it must exist in other browsers). But that probably means giving up the private convenience and security of a good developer and user base that Brave Browser and Mozilla Firefox give us.
You can add custom search engines on Firefox without an extension. It’s…somewhat obscure, however: Using keyword searches - MozillaZine Knowledge Base
How does one install the latest release of Brave over on Graphene? I seem to be getting the nightly release of Brave if I install via github apk
Bit off-topic but might be helpful, the anonymous accounts for aurora store are getting rate limited atm so searching for apps doesn’t work with them (updating existent apps still does). So you either need to log in with your own (throwaway) Google account or you go to Aurora Store app settings and enable it to open playstore links. Then you can search for apps in a browser (not incognito mode) and clicking on playstore links should open them in Aurora store.
I cant seem to find this particular function
Settings → Apps → Default apps → Opening links → Aurora Store → Add link → check both boxes
Graphene’s Sandboxed Google Play is actively blocking this. Sadly I cant remove it because I need push notification for email.
I was, however, able to download the latest apk from Github and update it via Aurora Store
You have to go to Settings → Apps → PlayStore → Open by default and then uncheck the links there before you can check them in Aurora Store app settings
Maybe, u can see Ungoggled Browser (Chromium Based). I like it. This is a lightweight approach to removing Google web service dependency.
No this only works with Opensearch engines, or with full addons. Both mean you are restricted to what you are offered. Some users may want that, but specific URL parameters and so on are not possible.
luckily not my experience. I can imagine some hardening like restricting caching or service workers makes websites load very slow. I have the feeling safari uses that, as websites simply load way too fast.
But the browser itself is unbeatable, totally. Maybe better Addon support, with more permissions like Enigmail, calendar, office and so on would be great.
You’re mistaken. This is what you need to do when the site doesn’t serve an an OpenSearch document.
The blend in approach for browser fingerprinting with Firefox is usually harder to identity than Brave randomisation of the fingerprint as website can detect which variable it is randomising and remove those factors for fingerprinting and other areas are just as identifiable.
I am not sure what you mean. On mobile you can only add non-opensearch engines, on Desktop only opensearch ones. Pretty weird deviation.
On Desktop, if the search engine doesn’t serve an OpenSearch document, you can add a bookmark with a keyword and it will work in pretty much the same way as adding a search engine. But yes, it’s very inconsistent across the board for all browsers.
Not an option. Using that addon you can convert a URL string to an opensearch engine, this one will be loaded and you can add it normally. Afterwards you may disable the Addon again.
Default Linux browsers are said to include their OS in the default search engines, an unnecessary tracking parameter. So you may want to delete these and add them again.
Usability? Quite frankly it depends on underlying OS the app is run on. I mean same app can (and 99% of time will) behave differently on different OSes and same h/w.