On Wednesday 19 August 2020 14:12:39 Janek Stolarek wrote:
> > I did try Vivaldi, and it has some good things about it; however, it is
> > not exactly free/libre, GNU/Linux, Richard-Stallman-approved.
>
> Indeed. The team claims that although the code is not on a Free license
> (aside from Chromium modifications, which are BSD license), but it is
> openly available for inspection:
>
> https://vivaldi.com/source/
>
> > Vivaldi makes connections to gezillions of different IP addresses.
>
> I would be guessing it queries external sites for data needed to provide
> functionality like ad blocking (it needs to regularly update the ad
> filters), etc. Firefox seems no better here, I think.
>

No, certain browsers typically make lots of connections like this: Chromium, 
for example, but Vivaldi is worse. In a nutshell, it usually comes down to 
the degree to which they are proprietary versus free/libre. (I am not saying 
that this is the actual "cause"; it is probably just a coincidence that keeps 
happening, again and again and again.) 

Mozilla-type browsers do not display such behavior; although, I ought to 
qualify my statement, this is *after* I have modified it quite a bit, making 
dozens of changes in about:config and elsewhere. 

> > Otherwise, have you considered other Mozilla-based browsers, such as
> > Icecat
>
> I haven't heard about Icecat. I will take a look.
>
> > There is also PaleMoon, as well as a few others, and most of these
> > preserve some of the old Mozilla features that we have missed.
>
> I do have Palemoon, which I primarily use when I need to download huge
> files. Palemoon has the Flashgot plugin, which intergates with Trinity's
> KGet allowing to easily redirect links to TDE's download manager. It's a
> pity that when Firefox moved to Quantum it left behind so many good
> extensions that have not been replaced until now and most likely will never
> be replaced.
>
> > I am sure you have your own reasons for choice of browser, so I will
> > refrain from rants against proprietary or "non-free" software.
>
> I do prefer my software open source and only go for closed source when
> there's really a significant difference in software quality.
>
> Janek
>

I keep repeating, I am not really an evangelist for GNU/Linux; I am only 
interested in what works. If "non-free" software just worked (and did not 
leave obvious traces of how it is actually working against its users), then I 
would probably still be running Windoze or the rotten Apple. 

Again, it is probably just a coincidence that I prefer free/libre and 
GNU/Linux, because coincidentally it just works. 

Bill