No more google sync in chromium

Ferdinand · 2021-03-23 07:49:09

eschwartz wrote:

Don't kid yourself that "Google features are removed from Chromium" and therefore somehow it's a decent browser.

I don't get this Chrome-thing. Google is the world's greatest data-collector. People want privacy and use a Google-based browser? I really don't get it.

Instead of understanding, I'll do some recommending:

Use Friefox:
1. Import your bookmarks from your current browser
2. Register an account and enable syncing of bookmarks, add-ons and settings
3. Install the add-ons uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger and ClearURLs
4. Install Firefox on all your devices and log in to your account
Use a password manager, or use Firefox's save password functionality and turn on syncing for those too

Really!

Awebb · 2021-03-23 08:20:20

You indeed don't get it. The people asking for privacy and the people who use Chrome are not the same group. They might have intersections, but you're falling for the most common fallacy in internet debates here.

If Firefox was an option, we'd use Firefox, but Firefox isn't an option. The continuous problems with Firefox's sync on Android prevents me from enjoying FF and makes me prefer Chrome. The number of weird decisions made by the Mozilla foundation doesn't inspire a whole lot more trust than Google. The day Mozilla stopped providing a reasonable self-hosting alternative for their sync service cost them a lot of confidence and trust.

If Android browsers were able to correctly interface with external solutions like desktop browsers, I'd run all my sync over my Nextcloud.

Morn · 2021-03-23 11:54:36

Ferdinand wrote:

I don't get this Chrome-thing. Google is the world's greatest data-collector. People want privacy and use a Google-based browser? I really don't get it.

For me it's not about privacy, it's about not having my login credentials stolen by some browser hack. And so Chrome/Chromium is my first line of defense, but I wouldn't use it for any site that requires personal data or passwords. On the other hand, I would not trust Firefox not to get hacked and leak data all over the place on some random website with a malicious JavaScript ad. Chrome has much better security than Firefox due to using separate processes for each site, so no Spectre attacks leaking data from other sites.

Keeping sensitive data out of your default browser makes sense when a little JavaScript Spectre code can read it all: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26438040

As for password syncing, that is totally stupid in general, whether you use FF or Chrome. Sooner or later everything connected to the Internet gets hacked and these password services are a very juicy target for hackers. Entrusting them with all your passwords is completely crazy IMHO.

Alad · 2021-03-23 13:11:28

Morn wrote:

Chrome has much better security than Firefox due to using separate processes for each site, so no Spectre attacks leaking data from other sites.

https://wiki.mozilla.org/Project_Fission

adventurer · 2021-03-23 14:52:16

Alad wrote:

Morn wrote:
Chrome has much better security than Firefox due to using separate processes for each site, so no Spectre attacks leaking data from other sites.
https://wiki.mozilla.org/Project_Fission

Yes, and Fission can now be enabled in FF 87 as well.

CarbonChauvinist · 2021-03-24 12:08:34

adventurer wrote:

Yes, and Fission can now be enabled in FF 87 as well.

Is this right? I've enabled the required config flags e.g. `fission.autostart` is enabled as is `gfx.webrender.all`

I can access the config:processes page and see processes listed, but hovering over tabs I don't see the [F] shown as they say I should.

adventurer · 2021-03-24 12:16:24

CarbonChauvinist wrote:

adventurer wrote:
Yes, and Fission can now be enabled in FF 87 as well.
Is this right? I've enabled the required config flags e.g. `fission.autostart` is enabled as is `gfx.webrender.all`
I can access the config:processes page and see processes listed, but hovering over tabs I don't see the [F] shown as they say I should.

Yes, it seems that the [F] is only visible in Nightly. I had noticed that it isn't visible in FF Dev, either.

However, in addition to about:processes you should see in about:support that Fission is enabled.

Xaekai · 2021-03-28 03:56:37

Ferdinand wrote:

People want privacy and use a Google-based browser? I really don't get it.

I use continue to use Chromium because Mozilla's console still absolutely sucked when I tried it again a couple years ago. The web developer ergonomics of Chromium mercilessly eat Mozilla's lunch like a crocodile eating an impala in front of its horrified mother. Maybe they've improved this since, but the opportunity cost of switching for me is still far above my threshold.

I personally don't trust any of the major browser vendors. It's like picking a divorce lawyer, no matter how good your choice is you are still getting screwed. Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Brave, and Vivaldi all have black marks somewhere on their record. Hopeful alts like Qutebrowser have crippling deficiencies, i.e. video acceleration or adblock extensions. I'm just picking a "lesser evil" ranked by the things that matter most to me.

Awebb wrote:

If Android browsers were able to correctly interface with external solutions like desktop browsers, I'd run all my sync over my Nextcloud.

Out of curiosity, have you already tried xBrowserSync? xBrowserSync says they have tabs and browser history syncing in the works, and once they get that I really don't care what happens to Chrome Sync. xBrowserSync has an app in the Play Store, which you can share to from any Android browser. It also has a desktop extension

Since you already have NextCloud, and probably it's Bookmarks service, you should know that there is a desktop extension called floccus which can act as a client.

And the match to light these fires is Kiwi, which is basically Chromium for Android plus desktop extension support.

Morn wrote:

these password services are a very juicy target for hackers

Quite right. I could go on and on about... oh hey, a shiny object. Oh sorry, I get distracted so easily, what was I saying?

adventurer · 2021-03-28 10:15:07

Xaekai wrote:

I use continue to use Chromium because Mozilla's console still absolutely sucked when I tried it again a couple years ago.

A couple of years ago? But you know that a lot has changed in Firefox since then?

Another reason not to use Chromium is the upcoming Manifest v3 which will cripple many add-ons like the indispensable uBlock Origin.

Arch Linux

#26 2021-03-23 07:49:09

Re: No more google sync in chromium

#27 2021-03-23 08:20:20

Re: No more google sync in chromium

#28 2021-03-23 11:54:36

Re: No more google sync in chromium

#29 2021-03-23 13:11:28

Re: No more google sync in chromium

#30 2021-03-23 14:52:16

Re: No more google sync in chromium

#31 2021-03-24 12:08:34

Re: No more google sync in chromium

#32 2021-03-24 12:16:24

Re: No more google sync in chromium

#33 2021-03-28 03:56:37

Re: No more google sync in chromium

#34 2021-03-28 10:15:07

Re: No more google sync in chromium

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