Best Internet Browser 2020-2021

Microsoft works very hard to try lock you out from using other browsers. When will it stop? And I can't understand why people/lawmakers accept this. This is one of many reasons to avoid using Microsoft Edge.

Microsoft Goes Old-School, Forces Customers to Use Its Browser reviewgeek.com


Microsoft Calls Firefox’s Browser Workaround “Improper,” Will Block It htg.com | Today

Windows 11 lets you choose your default browser, but it takes a lot of clicks and Microsoft sometimes forces you to use Edge, anyway. Firefox had a workaround, but Microsoft calls it “improper” and will soon block it….

Microsoft clarifies why it forces links to open in Edge browser windowscentral.com

Microsoft forcing people to use Edge has caused frustration among Windows users.

"Windows openly enables applications and services on its platform, including various web browsers," said a Microsoft spokesperson to The Verge. "At the same time, Windows also offers certain end-to-end customer experiences in both Windows 10 and Windows 11, the search experience from the taskbar is one such example of an end-to-end experience that is not designed to be redirected. When we become aware of improper redirection, we issue a fix."

 

Yeah, in your case, Microsoft, is fixing Edge to our faces with nails.

 

Microsoft should have been fined 10 times the value last time. The fine was put all too low. Hence we now see same disgustin behaviour from them once again. Let them bleed with 100 times the fine from last time.

EU fines Microsoft $730 million for failing to include browser ballot in Windows 7 SP1

 

Nice to see MS puting their attention on what really matters (i.e. emojies and forcing Edge on users) instead of developing OS features like tabbed File Explorer.

 

Google just follow Microsoft and Nvidia. Why do it right?

Google Chrome 96 breaks Twitter, Discord, video rendering and more bleepingcomputer.com

Google Chrome 96 was released yesterday, and users are reporting problems with Twitter, Discord, and Instagram caused by the new version.

Yep, Microsoft prefer that you stay with Edge. If you don't want, then we will do everything to force you to use it.

Edge now allows users to buy now and pay later winaero.com

Microsoft Edge offers several native shopping-related features that let users save money by tracking coupons and discounts on various websites.

On the Tech Community forums, Microsoft announced a partnership with Zip (previously Quadpay). The partnership allows users to buy now, pay later in various online stores.

Google is extending Chrome support for Windows 7 by another year

 

Edge shares your information, after enabling Sync by default windowsreport.com | Nov 21, 2021

Some users are not happy at all with certain choices Microsoft is making for them.

A message informed them Sync was enabled and data was being sent to the cloud.

Microsoft is actually enabling syncing without any prior warning or user consent.

Of course, you can turn to sync off, but it’s too already too late by the time you do it.


When launching Edge this morning, many users were surprised to see a message informing them that Sync was now enabled and data was being uploaded to the cloud, to be shared with other PCs where they were also logged in.

Many don’t use synchronization services between browsers because they don’t want to share this information with Google, Firefox, Microsoft, or any other company.

Google also tries to push end-users to activate synchronization services when they first sign into the browser, but if you turn the feature off it stays.

Microsoft, however, has taken a different approach to this situation, one that some don’t agree with.

 

I'm pretty sure "some" is an understatement.

 

Only stupid couldn't see this come.... Microsoft Edge faces backlash over new shopping feature/bloatware
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/windows-11.836230/page-88#post-11130082

 

Browser Extension Brings Back Dislike Count to YouTube Videos

"A software developer named Dmitry Selivanov has created an open-source extension for Chrome and Firefox that can re-add the dislike count to videos across YouTube"

http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...-20-more-bother.767713/page-726#post-11130943

Users rage against Microsoft for integrating 'buy now, pay later' app into Edge techradar.com | Dec 1, 2021

Microsoft keeps undoing all the good work it's put into Edge

BLOATWARE —
Users revolt as Microsoft bolts a short-term financing app onto Edge arstechnica.com | Dec 1, 2021

“This all feels extremely unnecessary for a browsing experience,” one user says.

Post updated to note the loophole in Microsoft's statement regarding fees.

Bloatware
Microsoft says it “does not collect a fee for connecting users to loan providers,” but as numerous commenters below have pointed out, that statement has loopholes big enough to drive a truck through. A Microsoft spokeswoman declined to say if the company received other forms of remuneration.

 

Microsoft Edge now bashes Google Chrome when you download it bleepingcomputer.com

Microsoft Edge is now displaying in-browser alerts that discourage users from downloading Google Chrome by bashing the popular browser.

Yep, has to be better with the added trust of Microsoft. Ready to swap bro @Mr. Fox


And Google telling Microsoft Edge users to switch to Chrome.


Why can't people determine what they want themself? Need people be feed to take own choices?

 

Yes.

 

Well, being stupid and making bad choices is very common and expected. Taking advice from serpents doesn't make people any less stupid. I think that's what got us in this mess in the first place. Anyone that thinks Microsoft, Google, Apple, Samsung, Dell, HP or any other technology company is trustworthy is dumber than a box of rocks. The best approach is to listen to what they say and then intentionally do something else.

 

In my 9-5, one of my clients is a well-known car company. In the last few years, they've introduced some legitimately good new and redesigned product. Yet their marketing department is a loaded six-shooter pointed straight at their feet. I feel the same way about Edge. It's a good browser that should be allowed to succeed on its own merits, not by forcing it down users' throats.

 

Exactly. When the use of force is involved in any situation that is not an act law enforcement involving a suspected violator, it calls the integrity of the bully into question. The only reason they would use force is because they have something to gain from it and don't care about anything else. It's all about them and their ulterior motives. Unless there is something for me to gain from tolerating the strong arm tactics, I will intentionally go elsewhere to have my needs met because of their Nazi behavior.

 

And don't force on us tacky new must have (for some useless) features as default. We have extensions for that. See... 'buy now, pay later' app from Microsoft above.

 

Microsoft Edge integrating buy now, pay later is predatory and disappointing windowscentral.com

By integrating BNPL with Edge, Microsoft shamelessly hitched its wagon to a system that drives people into debt.

While some people would prefer a clean browsing experience free of monetary components, I haven't seen the same hatred toward Edge's coupon feature that has been displayed about BNPL. There are people that dislike it, of course, but it hasn't drawn the vitriol of buy now, pay later being built into the browser. I think that's because buy now, pay later companies are considered by many to be predatory.

I'm not naïve, at least not enough to think Microsoft builds its browser out of the goodness of its heart. I'm aware that there are monetization opportunities within Edge, such as Bing search and advertising. I don't have the numbers that Microsoft has, but I predict that negative publicity about BNPL will cost Microsoft in the long run. It's already cost Microsoft part of its reputation. It's yet to be seen if it will affect the company's bottom line. I assume that if Microsoft starts losing money that this integration will go away.

 

My primary browser for 2021 is Brave, which simply work well with its enhanced privacy focus even if I always install uBlock Origin, NoScript, HTTPS Everywhere and my trusty sideloaded TGS (The Great Suspender) 7.1.6. The Brave sync chain is also great when it is setup properly since it is like a great combination of "the convenience of online sync with offline sync" when a chain are up and running.

I had a period where I used EdgeChromium but migrated when Microsoft started to become too intrusive with their attempts to "force" it onto users. It reminds me of Google and all their "install Chrome recommendations" down to their manipulation of YouTube to make it appear slower on competing browsers. This kind of behavior is a strong indicator that the browser is unable to compete on its own technical merit, thus making it necessary to use deceptive methods.

Chrome became a no-go to me back when Google decided to replace AOSP Browser with it on Android, which was a serious downgrade in terms of performance and battery life and even more so when they blocked sync on Chromium browsers on the same platform. CS Browser and TugaBrowser provided double performance on the same Android device in comparison with Chrome and the attempt of Google to prevent them from using sync spoke volumes. Proprietary vendor lock-in is not my cup of tea to put it mildly.

They also tried to do the same thing with Chromium on computer platforms, i.e. blocking sync and it didn't make Chrome look any better either. What is a bit interesting though is that is seems like Chromium Wolyss is available with Chrome sync but I install the de-Googled version anyway.

Firefox was a great browser when they used XUL. I avoid it nowadays, though since they abandoned those extensions, started to imitate Chrome and began to give Apple flavor like "this extension require Firefox Y, this extension require Firefox Z and this extension can't work with newer Firefox versions than X". Waterfox feels like a liberation here.

I abandoned Firefox when the XUL support were dropped since I had way too many extensions that I didn't want to live without. Instead came a period of Chrome use, which ended when the aforementioned "Chrome as standard browser on Android" followed by "no Chrome sync for Chromium based browsers on Android" came along.

The most interesting browsers for 2021 is certainly Brave and/or Vivaldi when we talk Chromium and Pale Moon and/or Waterfox when we talk Firefox. Chrome is nothing more than a new Internet Explorer and Firefox like an envious clone.

Edit: I am suspicious of benchmarks claiming that Chrome is "the fastest browser". It would require a deeper analysis first since it would imply modifications to the Blink engine and/or some closely guarded secret "optimizations" along the same lines as their YouTube manipulation (i.e. putting in extra code that create slower rendering in competing browsers in order to give the impression that Chrome is "faster").

I still remember when Internet Explorer enjoyed constant praise for being "the fastest browser" while Mozilla surpassed on my own computer (I migrated from Netscape Communicator 4.7.8 to Mozilla 0.8 on Mac OS 9.x at the time when the Explorer hype took off and resisted said hype to such an extent that my total use time of IE during the period of 2000-2021 is approximately one hour).

My "nicest" memory with IE were when a user asked me to transfer bookmarks (sorry, Favorites) and I realized that instead of using a Bookmarks.html that could fit on a regular 3.5" disk, those Favorites used shortcuts in a folder and took around 3 MB of space in comparison with my own set that weighed in at 135 KB with way more content). IE turned "Browser non Grata" and I didn't touch it with a 10 feet pole ever since.

 

I've been a Mozilla user since Mosaic Netscape, but started to use Chrome when I bought my first SmartPhone in '13 (Nexus4). I liked the cross-platform usage that Chrome gave me and up until fairly recently used it exclusively on all my devices (linux, android and now windows).

However, I decided that using two Browsers would be a better solution (FOR ME). I use Chrome for all my Google stuff, gmail, Google search, youtube etc. The only security extension I use on Google Chrome is uBlock Origin. For everything else, I use FireFox with uBlock Origin, No Script and Duck-Duck-Go. I also have my most used websites open in separate containers to have all their settings somewhat separate from each other. I never use FF to access any Google sites and only Use Chrome for Google sites. So far, I haven't noticed any black GMC SU's parked out front.

 

Lately I've been using LIbrewolf. I like it. Brave has been my go to for the longest while, but I haven't fired it up since I discovered Librewolf

 

I read two articles regarding browser privacy and decided to take all my extensions offline and go with UnGoogled Chromium as the primary browser.

https://www.unixsheikh.com/articles/choose-your-browser-carefully.html#brave

https://digdeeper.neocities.org/ghost/browsers.html

There are too many issues with telemetry and auto-updates including auto-updating extensions circulating including "privacy focused" browsers that still "phone home" and so on. The most disturbing incidents is the Nano Adblocker/Defender drama and all rumors circulating around The Great Suspender (I use this extension sideloaded with 7.1.6 which is a clean version). It is pretty evident that automatic updates is a serious security issue, especially with extensions but also with smartphone apps. The common scenario seems to be "ownership changes" where an extension and/or app got a new owner, telemetry/spyware are added and a "new version" is automatically pushed onto the users, causing a lot of alarm and a lot of hassle (standard drill such as changing all passwords etc.).

I still remember a lot of panic and hysteria when QuickPic (still the best image viewer on Android since it is fast and scan folders immediately) were sold to Cheetah Mobile and a lot of articles with the bright "uninstall QuickPic" recommendation appeared. Standard 1A recommendation is always to "uninstall" when a more appropriate approach (when the app/extension is good) is to simply install the "last clean version" and disable auto-updates. I did so with QuickPic and followed suit with The Great Suspender.

In order to avoid further hassle and simply use a browser that "just works" without extension drama, I went with UnGoogled Chromium, saved my extensions to a folder and sideloaded all of them into the browser. Now I know that all of them are good and that there are no automatic updates either.

There were a period when I believed in browser sync but I realize that all those needs can be managed offline through exporting and importing browser data and bookmarks. Smartphone sync is not relevant to me since I use those devices as little as possible and never to sign in to forums with. Those sites I do read using Kiwi Browser is a specific set that I also have open in tabs on the PC. Passwords are managed offline using KeePass (I don't believe in any other integration between the browser and password manager than ctrl-c with KeePass 12 second auto-delete of the clipboard for security).

 

Good point about disabling auto-update for extensions. I remember back when I was using Lastpass. They'd constantly push updates, which of course would break half the websites I used it for. Eventually I rolled back to an old version and disabled updates (Finally said to hell with it all and switched to Keepass)
This whole "newer is better" and change for the sake of change mentality is really doing a disservice to users. After playing around with the all the latest and greatest android builds, I rolled back to Nougat (lineageos 14.1). Never been happier (although I still prefer my phones dumb)

 

Those auto-updates are probably the most common attack vector for malware; all the while the official propaganda tell users to "only install extensions from official sources" and "always update their browser", thus opening the door to such dramas as the Nano Adblocker one.

After looking around I decided to settle down on UnGoogled Chromium and I just installed SeaMonkey together with Classic Addons Archive for nostalgic reasons since I started to use Mozilla when 0.8 came out and then went with SeaMonkey when the project splitted up between Firefox (the then new browser-only) and SeaMonkey (the continuation of the original Mozilla suite originating in Netscape Communicator).

No more auto-updating of extensions here or browser updates unless they are controlled. I also installed Opera 12.18 (last version with the Presto engine) for nostalgic reasons.

It sounds great with "browser sync" and all of that jazz but after reading those articles about privacy and telemetry paired with those issues related to automatic updates and so on, I realize that it is better to be as "offline" as possible. I used Brave for quite a while until I read about the privacy issues and also realized its automatic update loop I recently encountered on a Mac (Apple break compatibility and Brave kept updating to a non-working version all the time in an eternal loop until I locked it using Finder). UnGoogled Chromium with offline extensions from file paired with Firefox based "Classic Add-ons Archive compatible" browsers become the best option.

Edit: UnGoogled Chromium has one annoying issue and it is "automatic sign-out" from sites and specific add-ons when the browser is closed.

I decided to revert back to Brave Beta as the main browser but this time with the add-ons being offline (the only ones installed from the Chrome Web Store are Hangouts and Google Voice).

It seems like the "best" combination of offline/online is something like Brave with offline addons supplanted by Mozilla based browsers and UnGoogled Chromium (one example is to use one of them for shopping where it is inconvenient to enable/disable scriptblocking) and another for "everyday browsing". I gave Firefox 26 a shot but it is clearly too old and Classic Add-ons Archive doesn't work. SeaMonkey is decent but it is a bit tricky with theming (most themes comes up as incompatible, even those that I used before when I had it as my main browser).

 

The EFF will fight Google Chrome Manifest v3 which kills extensions that reliably block ads neowin.com · 3 hours ago

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has confirmed it is fighting Google Chrome Manifest v3 which effectively cripples all popular ad-blocking extensions, but it could be a losing battle...

 

Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround htg.com

Microsoft is taking the browser wars to the extreme. First, the company said that it would block all default browser workarounds in Windows, and now it has done it in the latest Windows update.

Basically, this means that “microsoft-edge:// links” can no longer be forced to open in your default browser of choice. Apps like EdgeDeflector and Mozilla’s workaround made it so these links could be intercepted, but that’s no longer possible with the latest update to Windows.

We’ll have to wait and see if Microsoft has any repercussions for these anticompetitive tactics. The company might just be walking the line enough to avoid getting in trouble, but with the outrage from end-users and the media, it could have a problem on its hands.

The very best solution is to remove/unistall Edge once you install your OS. None should have this piece of junk installed.... @Mr. Fox @Ashtrix @Spartan@HIDevolution @jclausius +++

 

Yeah... they are filthy Stasi dictators. I use Revo Uninstaller Pro to remove Edge Brower rubbish on my systems. Even if it was a somewhat respectable browser, I would not want that filth corrupting my OS. Winduhz 10+ is already corrupt enough without their extra cruft mucking up everything.

 

I realize what a wonder LTSC 2019 is when there is no Edge in sight anywhere in the system. Microsoft really managed to shot themselves in the foot by implementing this kind of "enforcement" including those proprietary "Edge links". The best solution would be "Edge free ISOs" of Windows versions that comes with Edge pre-installed. The best one would be "Edge free LTSC 2021" for the time being; going for LTSC saves time compared to the futile battle of debloating any of the standard versions.

 

Yep, Microsoft works hard to make their new Chromium-based browser less appealing than ever.

Microsoft is adding more bloat to Edge with a Games button ghacks.net | Dec 28, 2021

Microsoft is adding a new feature to Edge, but you're probably not going to like it. The Chromium-based browser now has a games button, because why not?

Where is Microsoft Edge heading?
When Microsoft introduced features like Vertical Tabs, Sleeping Tabs, etc., I thought that Edge browser was very impressive and modern. But the browser has been on a downward spiral for a while.

The Redmond company has been criticized for making it difficult for users to switch default apps in Windows 11. Even if you set a different browser as your default handler, web searches are forced to open in Edge. And then there is all the negative marketing that Microsoft has been involved with, it ridiculed Chrome as a dated browser, promoting itself when the user searches for rival browsers. Maybe they are doing all this deliberately, to take the heat away from Windows 11's performance issues? How's that for 4D chess?

Jokes aside, I can barely find a reason to recommend Edge these days. Sure, it is well optimized and hence is faster than other browsers on Windows, but that's about the only positive thing I have to say about it.

Yep, nice others can see it the way I do


All the Unnecessary Things Microsoft Added to Edge in 2021 htg.com | DEC 29, 2021

 

Microsoft need two versions of Edge: A slimmed down, productivity focused "Edge Pro" and a consumer edition simply named "Edge". Simply allow the user to easily switch browser edition such as offering an installer where you choose between Pro or consumer version. The introduction of "Pay Later" gave a distinct in-app-purchases feel and constantly adding bloat is only going to end with the insane situation where people consider Chrome to be a "fast, bloat free browser" and even more Google pushing for AppData installations on PCs with Edge preinstalled (i.e. teaching people that they should install everything, circumventing installation blocks on a computer etc.).

Edge is rapidly becoming a browser analogue to carrier branded smartphones even if Microsoft is "giving" it away without locking people into a 24 month "Edge Contract" giving you a "free browser" when you pay "only" $9.99 per month, enjoying gaming buttons and "Pay Later" options.

What the world need more than ever is small, fast and efficient browsers that the user can customize with addons of their own choosing.

 

Bloat needs no accuser. Sometimes you have to take out the trash.

 

I have settled down with Brave + offline plugins from file supplanted by Chromium, Pale Moon and Waterfox. Chrome isn't something I would install when unGoogled Chromium are available. Google burned their bridges when they decided to disable Chrome Sync for CS Browser, TugaBrowser and Snapdragon Browser on Android and also when they tried to force Chrome by removing AOSP Browser despite the latter being way faster on Android devices (I always removed Chrome and sideloaded AOSP Browser after that).

It is surprising to see the screenshots implying that Chrome is a "slimmed down" browser. I guess it says more about Edge and Firefox, though since "fast and bloatfree" isn't what I have experienced with Chrome when I used it (for a while).

 

Yes, that is what the implication is intended to be... not to imply that Chrome is good, only that Edge and Firefox suck worse. Awesomeness is a thing of the past. It doesn't really exist any more. We identify the least sucky options available in 2021. That is pretty damned sad, but it is what it is. The good options are obsolete and the liars that want to be viewed as leaders try to scare us into accepting filth by pretending it is safer and more secure. Maybe it is in some ways, but it's still crap and I'd prefer to be "unsafe" rather than excuse crap based on a notion that it is less "dangerous" to use. Running with scissors isn't as dangerous as your mama wanted you to believe it was, but mama never contemplated that we'd be stupid enough to play Russian Roulette.

 

Privacy-focused Brave browser records massive growth in 2021 bleepingcomputer.com

The privacy-focused web browser Brave continues to grow rapidly as the company reached 50 million monthly active users for the first time in 2021.



"We aim to double this growth again in 2022 and engage with even more users who seek a privacy-conscious way to browse the Web that rewards them instead of punishes them with tracking, and helps them directly support creators,” he added.

 

I must admit that I have a hard time to see how Chrome (Chromium + proprietary closed source Google additions and DRM) would be better than Chromium, especially unGoogled Chromium. Firefox is a derailed browser and that is why I prefer Pale Moon and Waterfox (Waterfox + Classic Addons Archive as an addon source is decent).

It would be interesting to see a comparison between Chrome and Chromium with the same build number. I am not fond of proprietary forks of open source projects, especially not those suffering from proprietary vendor lock-in (my anti-Chrome stance started when Google decided to enforce Chrome as the Android default browser and then the aforementioned sync debacle when competing browsers on Android such as CS Browser and TugaBrowser gave double performance vs Chrome on the same device).

Another thing I can't stand with Chrome are all those "we recommend Chrome" popups and the artificial slowdown of YouTube in other browsers; it remind me too much of Microsoft Internet Explorer tactics. The first browser I start to avoid is the one that start to use this kind of strategies, i.e. creating artificial "benefits".

It is unfortunate that Microsoft went downhill with Edge. Firefox derailed when Mozilla decided to imitate Chrome.

Edit: I noticed that Edge started to warn the user with an annoying popup when using offline extensions (unpacked ones). That's a dealbreaker since I prefer to sideload all my extensions after the Nano Adblocker/Defender and The Great Suspender drama (I sideload TGS 7.1.6 still).

 

I just despise Google in general. Everything they stand for as a company is rubbish and falls into the same category as Facebook and Twitter as examples of the worst America has to offer the world. They are run by woke idiots from the top down. I loathe the links below every browser search page that loads as a lame ploy to subliminally push their stupid extreme left agenda. They do not provide any way to disable their ignorant attempt at brainwashing the public. The highlighted "message" link below isn't the best example of the politically-motivated nonsense that is typically in that space, just providing it as a point of reference to what I am referring to. Fortunately, the public isn't as dumb as they are and their agenda remains a minority worldview no matter how hard they attempt to portray it as mainstream. Great reason to use an alternative search engine that isn't theirs or a like-minded crony pushing the same agenda.

 

And the reason they run into same problems time after time after time. Why not give a fine that hurts so bad that they lose all profits?

Facebook and Google fined by France over cookie opt-out breaches neowin.com | today

Facebook and Google have been fined by the French regulator CNIL. It levied the fines because the companies make it too difficult to reject cookies. They now have to make it easier to reject cookies.

 

It seems like uBlock Origin, NoScript et al manage to eliminate those links since I don't see them when I open Google search.

Even if I had a period of Edge usage (before MS derailed it), browsers from "woke and monopolizing" companies hasn't been my cup of tea. My first browser was Netscape Navigator followed by Communicator before switching to Mozilla 0.8 followed by Firefox before a short period of Chrome followed by Chromium, then Edge-Chromium before moving to Brave. I resisted Internet Explorer as much as possible and avoided it like a plague during the dark ages of monopolistic attempts on the side of that browser (this included a lot of media propaganda claiming that Explorer was the best browser). Chrome is a Google version of IE and the tactics used are very similar. The only "savior" here is that the base components are open source, thus enabling other browsers to remain compatible with the same extensions et al, which is a benefit after Mozilla destroyed Firefox by killing XUL and then introduce a lot of version incompatibility with their addons.

The worst sides of Google are apparent on Android, which has turned into a platform of ads and propaganda paired with serious restrictions. It was a healthy platform once upon a time with a healthy development community (XDA-Developers) until approximately 2018 when anti-root measures took hold and the device designs were dumbed down (iPhone like design et al). I just can't accept a device where I have to endure a lot of ads and if I take control (root it), things stop working due to SafetyNet restrictions. It has turned me anti-Google and anti-smartphone and I consider smartphones to be digital versions of tabloid press such as New York Post. Chrome browser and ChromeBooks are ways of turning computers into dumbed down smartphones where the population is kept in the darkness of "limited knowledge, thus needing it to be simple and dumbed down" followed by the constant "smartphones are the future" propaganda including arguments centering on the "it is so convenient to use a smartphone, computers are so complicated and clumsy because they are desktops" (a common argumentation error nowadays seems to be the straw man of a PC as a big desktop tower and that Internet browsing on the sofa "require" a smartphone because it is a one-way street leading direct to that phone immediately when leaving the desk, same goes for arguments about how the person are using "computers in the office" and now "want to relax at home with a smartphone" ).

It is evident that Google by restricting Chrome Sync et al are attempting a "walled garden" approach were the user should depend on Chrome and select platforms based on its availability. It remind me of Netflix and similar services (I can't stand any "streaming services" where you don't control the content and must use proprietary clients to access it).

Google represent the postmodern vicious mainstream cycle, which goes like: "People aren't knowledgeable about IT/don't have the patience/don't have the ability to learn [insert excuse/explanation] and because of this, products must be made simple [dumbed down, lots of restrictions, proprietary vendor lock-in]". Smartphones are excellent tools for pushing this agenda together with ChromeBooks.

 

Double post deleted

 

Yes, they will. Adguard does as well. But, I still know they are there and hidden/blocked and it bugs me knowing, LOL. It's like you don't see it, but you know the baby has a poopy diaper. You can smell it and it stinks. I can't use blockers like any of those on my work computer because they interfere with web applications I use all day, so they are still an annoyance in that scenario.

Indeed. Adguard is more awesome on Android than Windowws, as hard as that might be to believe. Web browsing is miserable on a smartphone for me without it. Not only are you bombarded with garbage, but the screen already lack usable space and when you add more clutter to a tiny screen, it makes matters worse.

Yup, since they think censoring is cool, they should be censored by causing financial ruin and shutting them down by depriving them of operating capital. See if they enjoy a taste of their own medicine.