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. > You might consider creating a custom hosts file. Somewhere I believe I have a URL where you can download a file of hosts to block, but I have added to this on my own. I would be glad to share my hosts file, but it is big; not just big, but abnormally big, currently 16 mb. Anyway, if you use a customized hosts file, then you don't really need an ad-blocker. I haven't looked at an online ad since about 2005 or so; unless, of course, I am forced to use a direct connection. Bill > > 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 >