Going
back about 10 years I was often asked basic computer questions by
family and friends. Not because I was some sort of geek guru, but
because I’d been using computers since the 90’s and knew some of the basics.
But all that changed when Microsoft 10 came out in 2015. I’d already
refused to use Windows 8 in 2013, but with Windows 10 I could see that
my use of all things Microsoft was going to be ending with Windows 7.
While most people “upgraded” to Windows
10, I just said NO and stuck with Windows 7. I still use Windows 7 to
this day, along with Linux Mint and Android. And I still refuse to use
Windows 10 or 11 which I regard as pure spyware. So my days of being
someone you might ask for help with your computer are pretty much over
really, which is fine with me because I always struggled with the tech
side of things anyway.
But one area of computing I still seem to
be asked about quite regularly is Internet Browsers. What do I
recommend? OK, here goes, this post is could easily be pretty boring, so
I might have to throw in some hot arse pics, or fast cars, or ugly
transvestites or something to rev it up a bit. And I’ll try to keep the
tech stuff as simple as possible.
Here is what I use. On Windows 7 I use
Firefox as default with Vivaldi as #2. Truth is I prefer Vivaldi but
they pulled support for Windows 7 early in 2023 and because there are no
updates, occasionally there are minor problems on some sites. Firefox
on the other hand, still updates and runs happily with Windows 7.
On Linux and Android where Vivaldi is up
to date and running happily, I can still run things how I prefer –
Vivaldi as default and Firefox as #2. Vivaldi is not a particulary
widely known or popular browser, so why do I rate it so highly? I have
found it works better than any other browser I’ve tried (and I’ve tried
most of them) and because it is so good for customising I can set it up
exactly how I like. It’s just another Chromium based browser, but they
did such a good job with it, that to me, every other browser feels like a
step down.
Any browser will need a few add ons –
some essentials I recommend are U-block Origin, Ad blocker Ultimate, and
Ad Blocker for YouTube (yes I run three ad blockers) as well as
Raindrop for bookmarks.
These are some browsers I think are worth a look:
BRAVE – A pretty good
browser but lacks some features that are only on Vivaldi. It eventually
fixed it’s annoying “need to upgrade to Win 10 notification” and has
good speed & privacy, but the sync has never worked well. It only
works on 64 bit computers and keeps pushing the Win 10+ narrative. And
the rewards system is bogus, for numpties who want to make a few cents
looking at ads (turn it off in settings). But it is stylish and fast, I’d
give it number one in both those categories.
DISSENTER – It was a
pretty cool browser but as of 2021 the project was abandoned and these
days a lot of sites won’t work with it. At it’s peak it worked really
well and had the best display of any browser on some sites (like
Facebook). I’m just including it here as an honorable mention, it is
totally out of date now and mostly not working anymore.
FIREFOX – From v.109
Firefox got it’s shit together again, it still has the best menu system
& it’s the only browser that runs on all operating systems including
32 bit Win 7. For old computers Firefox is best. It is not open source
and has connections to Google, so it may be spying, but it looks like
the original Firefox browser with the well designed top menu system
dating back to 2000 so I feel at home on it.
LIBREFOX – A Firefox
based privacy browser that runs on Linux or Win 10/11 but not on Win 7
or Android – a better option for a privacy browser that the horrible
Tor. I use this on Linux instead of Waterfox, but this is a full on
privacy browser more like Tor than Waterfox, not an everyday browser as
it wipes everything each restart, so I only use it when I want to be
anon.
VIVALDI – Until recently
this was my default browser on all platforms. Everything can be
customized, & sync works really well. It’s still my favourite
browser on Android & Linux. But the default inbuilt strong ad
blocker can trigger issues on some sites – if that happens switch to a
browser set up without strong ad blockers. Vivaldi sometimes also has
Windows 7 (unsupported) problems on some sites (that is why I moved to
Firefox as my default on Win 7)
WATERFOX – An open
source version of Firefox without the Google spywear – my first choice
of the Firefox forks on Win 7 – It works with Firefox add ons & is
faster than Firefox. It offers two versions of its software: Classic and
Current. The Classic only works for “legacy” systems (Win 7). But, its
Current version is for latest Windows 10 or 11 & gets updated
regularly. It won’t install on Linux or Android so it’s only suitable as
a privacy browser on Windows 7 – but they are planning an Android
version soon.
Some other browsers that suck
And these are some of the remaining browsers that I think suck and are best avoided like the plague (or “covid jabs”):
CHROME – The default
browser on Android phones & the most popular browser in the world,
but this is full on Google spywear data harvesting. I think it is utter
shit all branded with a nice 666 logo, and I prefer to never install it
on any computer.
CHROMIUM – The open
source original version of Chrome and the basis for all the other
Chromium based browsers, but even this was started by Google and I don’t
like it either. And it still has the evil 666 logo & woketard
themes.
DOLPHIN – A touchscreen
browser for Apple & Android with gesture controls – it has had
privacy issues & is just considered to be an upgrade for Safari
(which wouldn’t be hard)
DUCKDUCKGO – Yes this is
also a browser as well as a search engine. Originally just a dodgy
android browser, this is now a developing privacy browser with a built
in YouTube tracking blocker, but it doesn’t work with other extensions
at this point.
MICROSOFT EDGE – The
default browser on Windows 10 & 11, and as expected, a steaming pile
of spywear crap – a lame joke that clueless windows users still use,
making it third most popular browser
MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER – The worst browser of all time, discontinued in 2022 – even Microsoft hate it
OPERA – On Win 10/11 or
Linux, it works OK. It actually used to be a pretty good independent
browser but these days is just another Chrome based browser with
sidebars (which I don’t like) & “new features” as it’s main claims
to fame. Opera’s key problems include an ever increasing range of bugs
on Windows 7, and the Opera management are total woketards. Also the
search engine keeps defaulting back to google, (a known problem with
Opera, & they have signed a deal with Google), extensions don’t show
on toolbar by default and have to be pinned, and if you hide or
autohide the sidebar or it turns off the menu (this is another known
bug) . And the annoying side bar menu system can’t be hidden or the
whole menu disappears
PALE MOON – A fork of
Firefox, an attempt to recreate the old Firefox, but new extensions
don’t work with it, so it’s a total lemon – totally inferior to Waterfox
SAFARI – Apple’s bogus
spywear browser – as of 2021 it can no longer run on Windows but it
always sucked anyway. Strictly for appletards.
TOR – The Onion Browser –
Full privacy but runs very slow – this browser is for privacy rather
than convenience and trying to use it is a pain in the arse. It is based
on Firefox & uses Firefox themes and add ons, but oddly the menu
system is chrome based, so in that regard it’s the only browser that is
Firefox based with the ugly Chrome hamburger menu. It is blocked by some
sites so not everything works. When using Tor your ID is blocked and
many sites don’t allow that. Each time Tor is restarted everything is
wiped, cookies, history, log ins, pinned tabs, the lot. So as a daily
browser it’s unusable.
TORCH – A complete dog of a browser – avoid like an alien anal probe.
Congratualtions, you made it to here, here are some pictures to get you firing on all cylinders again:
As promised, a hot arse:
A fast car:
An ugly tranny (or three):