Windows 10: advice on browser change

I've been happily using Firefox for years, but it seems to be getting slower with each new version. My needs are simple. I just want a fast, uncomplicated browser and would appreciate a suggestion to use with Win 10.

There are all kinds of reviews online but again, these change as new versions of the browsers are introduced. I also know that everyone has their favorite for one reason or another, but I'd appreciate your opinion.

Is Firefox about as good as it gets for my needs?.

:)

 

Advice on Y-Browser

Hi lrmaggot

Perhaps you should look at this post by dan955uk

/discussions/board/message?board.id=smartphones&message.id=54403#M54403

I use it myself to get rid of all TomTom thumbnails out of Gallery.

 

Advice on Y-Browser

Morning all

I have recently installed Garmin on my N95-1, however some of the pictures are stored in the gallery on the phone. I was advised that with Y-Browser I could move these to a different folder so as not to have them in the browser but also still have them accessible
for Garmin to use.

I have successfully downloaded Y-Browser to my phone but am now a little perplexed as to how to move the images accordingly. Any help would be appreciated.

Regards

Steve.

 

Hi:

Firefox "out of the box" is plenty fast on a system whose specs are robust enough to run Win10.

Most slowness and other performance issues originate in the user's profile, not in the program itself.
I suggest starting with a step-wise process to diagnose and fix the issue on your system.
The process works its way from purely diagnostic (e.g. Mozilla Safe Mode), to creating a new profile, to wiping out everything and starting from scratch, with several steps in between.

This article explains it better than I can:

Procedures to diagnose and fix problems

Please let us know how that works.

Cheers,
MM

 

Also:

We could better assist you if you could please complete the "system spec" part of your forum profile.
Your profile says "Win7", but your post mentions "Win10".
The other details would also help....

Cheers,
MM

 

I used to use firefox, but found the sync features in Chrome worked better for me for syncing to my Windows, Linux and OSX box. Plus, I can sync chrome and safari.

 

I've been very happy with Opera on Win 10 Home. Not many extensions but enough to cover most of the basic needs.

 

Thanks for the link. Old profile. Question is in regards to two different computers both running Win 10 and adequate hardware.

 

The things I've read about Opera sound interesting.

 

FWIW, Fx also has a sync feature.

Sync can be both a blessing and a curse, especially for Chrome/Google.
We see lots of infected computers in the malware removal fora in which "sync" results in stubbornly persistent malware that continues to respawn on the user's computers.
I don't need it and -- largely for that reason, I don't use it. But some folks can't live without it...

As you mention an "old" Firefox profile, I suspect that is the root cause of your performance degradation.
I suggest walking through the steps in the tutorial I mentioned in my earlier reply.
As a first step, Mozilla Safe Mode (not to be confused with Windows Safe Mode) is a reversible debugging step that helps to isolate the problem to add-ons. It provides guidance in the direction to take to resolve the performance issue.

For the record, one can certainly install several different browsers on the same computer. A user is not limited to only one browser.
The only downside to that approach is that -- for security and stability -- one needs to be sure to keep each browser (and its add-ons) fully patched and updated.

Cheers,
MM

 

I share your dilemma, always searching for a better browser.

I seem to alternate between FF and Chrome, currently running Chrome Dev. I enjoy experimenting with the developmental versions (FF nightly, Chrome Dev and Chrome Canary). The advantage is they seem much lighter and faster. I have not had stability issues with the dev versions, but note I rarely open more than 2-3 tabs and use minimal extensions.

As you may know, there are other browsers which use the FF source (Pale Moon, Cyberfox, Waterfox) but I did not find much difference in performance compared to FF.

Basically, it is a trial and error task to find the best browser for your system.

 

Little or no add-ons seems to be the key to speed. I use Firefox, IE and Edge interchangeably (sometimes all three at once). TBH I don't find much difference in performance, they're all fast (being 'add-on lite').

 

It's really hard to compare any two computers.

My Firefox profiles all include about a dozen add-ons. When I am working on a research/educational project, I may have 10 or 12 tabs open, plus MS Office (Word and PPT), plus SnagIt, Photoshop, Mailwasher Pro and sometimes Pandora or other radio streaming service.
I see no performance issues or slowness from Firefox. But I have pretty robust hardware.
And, after a hour or two, I often close the browser session and clear cache/cookies/history/data when I take my "stretch break". I then start a new session.

Most browsers, including Firefox, will take and use available memory to enhance one's experience. That is normal.
But, if one is running many other, resource-intensive applications and/or if one's hardware specs are less than robust, I suppose a slow-down is possible.
Another aspect to check: real-time security applications and global plug-ins. They, too, can cause a performance "hit".

Even so, from time to time, it's often a good idea to start with a clean profile (one of the steps suggested in the tutorial I mentioned earlier). That usually fixes minor performance problems.

The bottom line: while it's easy to lay all the blame on the software itself, many performance issues originate at least in part with the user's profile, system specs or other factors.

Cheers,
MM

 

I'd recommend SlimJet or Pale Moon, two lesser-known browsers, the former is based on Chromium engine and has lots of features, while the latter is based on Firefox. If you have a lower-end PC, I'd recommend Pale Moon.