!@#$% Google Chrome

Mr. Analog · September 24, 2013, 03:03:15 PM

Here's how to REMOVE the GIANT web search garbage from your new tab screen

On the address bar type : chrome://flags/
Disable "Enable Instant Extended API"

Why they dick with this stuff I'll never know...

Lazybones · September 24, 2013, 04:14:41 PM

Quote from: Mr. Analog on September 24, 2013, 03:03:15 PM
Here's how to REMOVE the GIANT web search garbage from your new tab screen

On the address bar type : chrome://flags/
Disable "Enable Instant Extended API"

Why they dick with this stuff I'll never know...

I stopped using Chrome because there appears to be ZERO change control... Much like other google products they just keep randomly trying stuff...

Went back to Firefox about a year ago and am currently considering Firefox Long Term Support releases as our Company standard browser.

Mr. Analog · September 24, 2013, 04:31:38 PM

I am more and more inclined to make the switch to something else as well

I started using Chrome precisely because I wanted to get away from random app-breaking updates.

So what's a simple/clean browser these days?

Lazybones · September 24, 2013, 04:40:00 PM

Quote from: Mr. Analog on September 24, 2013, 04:31:38 PM
I am more and more inclined to make the switch to something else as well

I started using Chrome precisely because I wanted to get away from random app-breaking updates.

So what's a simple/clean browser these days?

The big three all have similar look and feel now with slim tabs and address bars. As I said, I like Firefox.

Mr. Analog · September 24, 2013, 04:49:17 PM

Yep, all I want is a very basic experience (with adBlock added of course)

Lazybones · September 24, 2013, 05:02:14 PM

Quote from: Mr. Analog on September 24, 2013, 04:49:17 PM
Yep, all I want is a very basic experience (with adBlock added of course)

Not sure if they reached feature parity later on but for the longest time adBlock Plus on Firefox had superior features due to the plugin system allowing deeper integration.

Edit: If you want great adblocking your options are Chrome, Firefox or Opera.. or some compatible clone

Tom · September 24, 2013, 07:56:57 PM

I tried switching back to firefox a while back, but I just cant do it. It feels slugish and due to my useage patterns, I have to close firefox completely to free up any memory what so ever.

But then, lately chrome has been screwing up enough when using a lot of memory that I end up having to restart the entire thing anyhow... So I suppose thats starting to become a moot point. But the slow feeling? Efhh. Oh, also when one tab is locking up (*cough*facebook*cough*) the entire rest of the browser is locked up. I also can not stand that.

And it seems firefox decided that they will not be implementing per tab processes. They couldn't make it work without a major overhaul and mozilla decided to spend the money elsewhere.

Lazybones · September 24, 2013, 08:04:30 PM

Quote from: Tom on September 24, 2013, 07:56:57 PM
I tried switching back to firefox a while back, but I just cant do it. It feels slugish and due to my useage patterns, I have to close firefox completely to free up any memory what so ever.

But then, lately chrome has been screwing up enough when using a lot of memory that I end up having to restart the entire thing anyhow... So I suppose thats starting to become a moot point. But the slow feeling? Efhh. Oh, also when one tab is locking up (*cough*facebook*cough*) the entire rest of the browser is locked up. I also can not stand that.

And it seems firefox decided that they will not be implementing per tab processes. They couldn't make it work without a major overhaul and mozilla decided to spend the money elsewhere.

When was the last time you tried firefox for the memory use issue? Some of the biggest changes in recent releases where around that... They didn't implement per tab processing (which sometimes uses WAY more memory) but they did sandbox the plugins so embedded items crash in their little dom window instead of taking down the browser most of the time.

If you move your Firefox Temp folder to a ram disk it will blow the doors off of Chrome (even if you do the same for Chrome). Actually the speed of the back button is amazing on Firefox for all but sites that forbid caching since FF keeps the rendered state.

Tom · September 24, 2013, 08:21:41 PM

Quote from: Lazybones on September 24, 2013, 08:04:30 PM
Quote from: Tom on September 24, 2013, 07:56:57 PM
I tried switching back to firefox a while back, but I just cant do it. It feels slugish and due to my useage patterns, I have to close firefox completely to free up any memory what so ever.

But then, lately chrome has been screwing up enough when using a lot of memory that I end up having to restart the entire thing anyhow... So I suppose thats starting to become a moot point. But the slow feeling? Efhh. Oh, also when one tab is locking up (*cough*facebook*cough*) the entire rest of the browser is locked up. I also can not stand that.

And it seems firefox decided that they will not be implementing per tab processes. They couldn't make it work without a major overhaul and mozilla decided to spend the money elsewhere.

When was the last time you tried firefox for the memory use issue? Some of the biggest changes in recent releases where around that... They didn't implement per tab processing (which sometimes uses WAY more memory) but they did sandbox the plugins so embedded items crash in their little dom window instead of taking down the browser most of the time.

If you move your Firefox Temp folder to a ram disk it will blow the doors off of Chrome (even if you do the same for Chrome). Actually the speed of the back button is amazing on Firefox for all but sites that forbid caching since FF keeps the rendered state.

I wasn't paying too much attention to memory use, as I knew firefox was already going to use less memory. What I couldn't stand was how much slower it felt. And how attached to chrome's features I've become

I'd probably have to switch to firefox on mobile and my media box to get the awesome back. (I added a new bookmark on my bookmark bar to my laptop, and it instantly added it to my media box's bar which is where I wanted it to begin with

)

But Chrome's memory use problems have seemed to increase significantly. I've caught it using >4 up to 8+ GB. It might be worth another attempt to switch. We'll see.

Did they also fix individual pages lagging other pages out, or locking up the entire browser?

Actually, thats another issue thats been bugging me with chrome, more and more lately, the entire freaking browser locks up for many seconds at a time. All windows stop rendering any content. Pissing me off.

Lazybones · September 24, 2013, 08:29:41 PM

Quote from: Tom on September 24, 2013, 08:21:41 PM
What I couldn't stand was how much slower it felt. And how attached to chrome's features I've become I'd probably have to switch to firefox on mobile and my media box to get the awesome back. (I added a new bookmark on my bookmark bar to my laptop, and it instantly added it to my media box's bar which is where I wanted it to begin with )

Firefox has this as a native feature as well now with Mozilla Sync, or you could use Xmarks, which is what I uses and it works across IE, Firefox and Chrome.

Tom · September 24, 2013, 08:33:53 PM

Yeah, I was using mozilla sync for a while. and probably xmarks before that..

But do they all sync passwords and form data as well? chrome syncs /everything/.

Lazybones · September 24, 2013, 08:37:52 PM

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/chrome-27-firefox-21-opera-next,3534.html

Recent tests, its a mixed bag, but based on comments Firefox SMOKED the other browsers on memory efficiency with large numbers of open tabs, and reliability by a long shot in this set of tests..

It also scored very well beating chrome in many of the performance tests.. but not all.

Darren Dirt · September 25, 2013, 11:05:38 AM

Quote from: Mr. Analog on September 24, 2013, 03:03:15 PM
Why they dick with this stuff I'll never know...

1. cuz obviously nobody opens a new tab wanting to see readable-sized snapshots of their most common 8 sites, no, of course they always want to just SEARCH! -- duh...

2. THANKS!

3. Firefox seems to bog down with Flash (but then again here at work doesn't seem to be the most up to date version, and we're "managed desktops" so can't do it myself gotta wait until a Package GAH!)

4. Chrome kicks ass for most complex/time-consuming Javascript stuff, and since that's what a lot of my bookmarklets that I use all the time need to do, I am sticking with the Google monster ... but for sure disabling the thing mentioned in OP -- did I mention THANKS!?

5. just disabled it, yay -- and skimmed through the other "features" -- wtf is this? (ah -- answer here.)

Mr. Analog · September 25, 2013, 11:13:34 AM

No problemo man

It was really jarring, I mean I use the location bar to search all the time (ever since they melded it with the old search bar that used to be in the top right that you could easily change search engine without going into the gear icon), I don't know why anyone would need a big honkin' Google homepage on their new tab screen, particularly if it loads some humongous "doodle" (which it's supposed to be able to do)

and another thing (because grumpy old man rant), the doodles have been getting more and more out of control. I don't often go to the Google homepage (unless I want to see auto-complete for a search!) AND I don't mind most doodles but occasionally they'll have a doodle in flash or HTML5 and it's just a pig on my already overburdened machine. I'm in a pinch trying to plumb the depths of some bug but I want to see if there are hints in the auto-complete I don't want to be sitting there waiting for some virtual pendulum load, like what?

Darren Dirt · September 25, 2013, 11:19:32 AM

Quote from: Mr. Analog on September 25, 2013, 11:13:34 AM
the doodles have been getting more and more out of control. I don't often go to the Google homepage (unless I want to see auto-complete for a search!) AND I don't mind most doodles but occasionally they'll have a doodle in flash or HTML5 and it's just a pig on my already overburdened machine. I'm in a pinch trying to plumb the depths of some bug but I want to see if there are hints in the auto-complete I don't want to be sitting there waiting for some virtual pendulum load, like what?

holy crap YES that ALSO grinds my gears -- especially on my 3-year-old Android phone! I stopped using the "mobile" google a year ago because it somehow took forever to finish loading ... and now I'm considering going back just because of things like ^ this ^ . "Don't be even attempting anymore to not be at least semi-evil"