Looking for chrome alternative

[flynempire]

Hi. For a few years I have been using CoolNovo as my Chrome browser and after having a bit of an exchange with someone here I realize now that I was wrong and they were right.

I apologize to them because CoolNovo's Chromium has not been updated in a long time. While Google and I am sure other alternatives are at the latest or close to the latest version - 38.0.2107.3 (may be newer version out there).

I loved CoolNovo and it did away with the privacy issues Chrome gives you but for several months now it has given me problems like web pages rendered bad or slowness and other issues. So I need to start fresh and need some advice on which Chrome alternative is worth it and do they update to the latest versions and regular Google Chrome?
 

Also I would like the alternative to do away with privacy issues and has good security. I tried once SWIron but did not like it at all. I plan to import the bookmarks I have in CoolNovo and I can install again whatever extensions/plug ins I need.

Thank you for any and all answers.

[Max Norris]

If you want to stick with the Chrome flavor of browsers, could always just go with Chromium itself, updated (usually) daily-ish, currently at 38.0.2114.0.  Build it yourself or grab a prebuilt below, x86 or x64, has portable versions too.

http://chromium.woolyss.com/

[flynempire]

Does this call home to Google or no? Does it look like Google Chrome?

 

I would love 64-bit browser

[Max Norris]

Does this call home to Google or no? Does it look like Google Chrome?

Chrome is built on top of Chromium with some Google specific stuff added. You can still log into a Google account, hit the Chrome store and all that, you can tell it what it can and can't send to Google.. that's up to you. There's a few writeups you can find on what's different.. but they're still the same browser under the hood. And yes, the x64 build (at least on my systems) work fine.. between the x64 build and AdGuard (the standalone version, not the extension), it finally got me to switch from Firefox.. held out for the longest time just because the block extensions for Chrome are rather weak.

[Pupik]

^ You'll be back to Firefox after a while. I also tried to switch to chrome, chromium itself and other browsers based on it (swiron for example), but always returned back to the god of browsers; Firefox.

Couldn't get the best functionality that I currently have on Firefox and all of them used more resources than Firefox ever did.

[Boo Berry]

Maxthon.

[Max Norris]

^ You'll be back to Firefox after a while. I also tried to switch to chrome, chromium itself and other browsers based on it (swiron for example), but always returned back to the god of browsers; Firefox.

I wouldn't rule it out. I love Firefox's extensibility, best out of any browser hands down. It's the engine itself that's killing me.. some script-heavy sites just slow it to a crawl. I hear they're finally working on a multiprocess model for the thing, hopefully that gives it a much needed kick in the pants to get performance up where it should be.. if they can pull that off (and addons work with it properly) I'll definitely reconsider it. I also won't lie, I use Firefox on my phone still, again mainly because of ABP, the Chrome version runs as a proxy and only works when I'm on my wifi.

[TAZMINATOR]

Maxthon.

 

[Boo Berry]

Maxthon is indeed a viable Chrome, especially CoolNovo alternative.

[TAZMINATOR]

Maxthon is indeed a viable Chrome, especially CoolNovo alternative.

 

Thought Maxthon is using the IE engine.

[Max Norris]

Thought Maxthon is using the IE engine.

Last I checked (a while ago) it was both, Webkit and Trident. You can toggle on the fly.

[Boo Berry]

Mostly it uses WebKit (probably Blink soon) as its primary engine with IE's as a 'retro' engine.

[TAZMINATOR]

Last I checked (a while ago) it was both, Webkit and Trident. You can toggle on the fly.

 

Cool. I haven't used Maxathon for a long time.  I used MyIE2 for short time, a long time ago before they renamed it. Then I tried Maxathon when it came out after they renamed it.. I didn't like it.. I went back to FF.

[flynempire]

Thanks guys. Any other opinions out there?

Also what about Firefox. I have been having problems too and was thinking of switching to Pale Moon

[TAZMINATOR]

Thanks guys. Any other opinions out there?

Also what about Firefox. I have been having problems too and was thinking of switching to Pale Moon

 

There are many browsers that are similar to FF... such as:

 

PaleMoon

Waterfox (64bit)

...

 

 

Here is a list of the browsers so you will see the features about what is based on, what engine, etc.:

 

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/List_of_Mozilla-Based_Applications

[Max Norris]

Also what about Firefox. I have been having problems too and was thinking of switching to Pale Moon

Pale Moon's pretty solid, used their 64 bit version for a while.  (Although speed wise I still feel like "vanilla" Mozilla fared better.. maybe it's just me *shrug*)  Note though they're using the long term version 24, so that's either a blessing or a curse depending on your like/dislike of Australis and if your addons will work with it.  Also note that it's incompatible with Firefox's sync, so if that's an issue you may want to look elsewhere.  Personally only had one addon that didn't like it, kind of fond of the DeepDark theme but meh, not a big loss either, everything else ran fine.  Waterfox is another decent option, that one is on version 31 I believe, but again I always wound up back with the regular version, usually stayed with the beta's myself.

[.Neo]

Opera. It's build upon Chromium and doesn't have any of the Google stuff.

 

http://www.opera.com

[hardbag]

Opera. It's build upon Chromium and doesn't have any of the Google stuff.

 

http://www.opera.com

 

I'll second this. Opera has been around since 90?s and they've always hailed privacy. They used to use they're own rendering engine, called Presto, but some over a year ago they switched to chromium/blink. Opera will be here for years to come, so there's a guarantee. And what they had achieved with presto - last version being Opera 12, hopes are high with the new Opera too. 

 

The first chromium/blink version released was Opera 15, now they have Opera 23 stable out and Opera 24 in beta. And Opera is bound to release a x64 version at some point near future.

 

Firefox is good too, though. And Firefox is open source. I wish they'd have an official x64 version.... 

[Anibal P]

I just use Chrome Dev, I'm not paranoid so what little data Google gets from me is not a big deal, seems pointless to go through all the hassle of trying to avoid Google, but somehow get all the benefits of what they do 

[Ruti]

Maxthon.

 +1

[xrobwx71]

Netscape FTW!  :shifty:  

 

 

I am using the 64bit Chrome and it rocks for me. I have to use the 32bit IE for battlelog because the $%#@&% Battlelog for BF4 doesn't run on the 64 bit browsers yet. I also use FF, Waterfox as well but my default is Chrome 64bit.

[.stan]

Hi. For a few years I have been using CoolNovo as my Chrome browser and after having a bit of an exchange with someone here I realize now that I was wrong and they were right.

I apologize to them because CoolNovo's Chromium has not been updated in a long time. While Google and I am sure other alternatives are at the latest or close to the latest version - 38.0.2107.3 (may be newer version out there).

I loved CoolNovo and it did away with the privacy issues Chrome gives you but for several months now it has given me problems like web pages rendered bad or slowness and other issues. So I need to start fresh and need some advice on which Chrome alternative is worth it and do they update to the latest versions and regular Google Chrome?

 

Also I would like the alternative to do away with privacy issues and has good security. I tried once SWIron but did not like it at all. I plan to import the bookmarks I have in CoolNovo and I can install again whatever extensions/plug ins I need.

Thank you for any and all answers.

Hey there!

 

You should probably go read this http://www.insanitybit.com/2012/06/23/srware-iron-browser-a-real-private-alternative-to-chrome-21/ and decide between Chrome and Opera afterwards :)

[flynempire]

Hi thanks for the link and very interesting read. I knew SWIron was BS that is why once I tried it I removed it the next day. It also did not look good (the interface).

Well i have done a lot of research and downloaded a few portable apps. Maxthon is pretty awesome and fast.

I think I am just going to back up extensions and bookmarks of CoolNovo and stick with Chrome by Google. I can always go in the settings and disable things I dont want or need and use an extension to be able to get more privacy. It will be straight from Google, updated always and hopefully fast and stable.

So for chrome should I use the 32-bit or go for 64-bit? I have 64-bit Win 7 Pro system and I heard 64-bit Chrome still has some issues. If that can be clarified I will make the change today.

So it seems simple to me there. As for Firefox that is my problem now. Does Maxthon replace it or Opera? I would like 64-bit also..

This community is great! Thanks for everyone who chimed in

[Max Norris]

So for chrome should I use the 32-bit or go for 64-bit? I am have 64-bit Win 7 Pro system and I heard 64-bit Chrome still has some issues. If that can be clarified I will make the change today.

I've been using the 64 bit version for a while now (some systems Chromium, some Chrome) and haven't personally run into any issues with it, although the only plugins I have are the "usuals", Flash, Silverlight, etc. Haven't really noticed any big performance differences or anything, but *shrug* seems solid enough.

[Boo Berry]

I have to use the 32bit IE for battlelog because the $%#@&% Battlelog for BF4 doesn't run on the 64 bit browsers yet. I also use FF, Waterfox as well but my default is Chrome 64bit.

Battlelogium, Google it. ;)

 

Maxthon replaces Firefox/Opera just fine.