Firefox is getting annoying!

[Michael]

Firefox just updated itself on my computer - I'm not happy about that to begin with since I disable ALL automatic update features on my computers.

And it has installed Google toolbar and made that my default search engine and my default opening page.

On top of that, Firefox now applies spellcheck on my typing in browser windows and all kinds of annoying 'default' type settings.

Firefox will NOT let me turn this Google-shit off or allow me to have a "blank" default start page.

This kind of shit is pretty much going to make me disable/uninstall Firefox.

Anyone else having Google-shit infecting their Firefox browser?

Anyone going to recommend a new browser for me please?

[andrewl]

Firefox just updated itself on my computer - I'm not happy about that to begin with since I disable ALL automatic update features on my computers.

And it has installed Google toolbar and made that my default search engine and my default opening page.

On top of that, Firefox now applies spellcheck on my typing in browser windows and all kinds of annoying 'default' type settings.

Firefox will NOT let me turn this Google-shit off or allow me to have a "blank" default start page.

This kind of shit is pretty much going to make me disable/uninstall Firefox.

Anyone else having Google-shit infecting their Firefox browser?

Anyone going to recommend a new browser for me please?

In the past i got rid of the google stuff by going to Tools --> Add-ons --> Plugins.

Andrew

[drgoodtrips]

Firefox just updated itself on my computer - I'm not happy about that to begin with since I disable ALL automatic update features on my computers.

And it has installed Google toolbar and made that my default search engine and my default opening page.

On top of that, Firefox now applies spellcheck on my typing in browser windows and all kinds of annoying 'default' type settings.

Firefox will NOT let me turn this Google-shit off or allow me to have a "blank" default start page.

This kind of shit is pretty much going to make me disable/uninstall Firefox.

Anyone else having Google-shit infecting their Firefox browser?

Anyone going to recommend a new browser for me please?

Chrome is pretty unobtrusive, if you don't mind the tracking software. I think you can get a knockoff of it with that stripped out.

You could also try Opera, though I don't personally use it, so I'm not familiar.

[Michael]

Chrome is pretty unobtrusive, if you don't mind the tracking software. I think you can get a knockoff of it with that stripped out.

I'd say that "tracking software" is a definite showstopper for me.

You could also try Opera, though I don't personally use it, so I'm not familiar.
I'll probably try it. It is quite unlikely to be worse than Firefox or IE.

(btw, I'm noticing a trend here - products that are highly successful in the market become annoying to use over time as they attempt to capitalize upon their success - this pattern seems to apply to Microsoft, Firefox and Google).

[drgoodtrips]

I agree. Google has definitely lost its "good guy" image in my mind. To compete with Microsoft, they're becoming Microsoft.

Let me know what you think of Opera, if you go that route. I've never used it myself (except on my Wii, since that's the default browser). I try to stay abreast of all basic user technologies, but I don't really have time to do extensive browser testing.

I'm personally neutral on Firefox. The google pairing doesn't really bother me much, and there are some nice usability features. What chaps my ass about firefox is that it leaks memory (over the course of time, it takes up more and more of your RAM, if you leave it running).

[Michael]

I just downloaded Opera.

Gosh, I thought Firefox and IE were annoying! They've got nothing on Opera when it comes to co-marketing agreements.

Blank homepage is impossible. Well, not really. It opens now to my 'blank' homepage, but if I don't do anything for 10 seconds, it will then default to some shopping/search window (complete with lots of blinking advertisements!). :mad:

There are LOTS of useless features I can't turn off (like SPEED DIAL - wtf?). All kinds of built-in links for eBay, Amazon and every other fucking marketing company and search engine on the planet - that CAN NOT BE DELETED.

Opera also makes it so that I can't delete all the default links in the Bookmark menu (again, eBay, Amazon, Google, Yahoo, etc.). They are apparently built-in to the bookmarks and toolbars. :eek:

Seriously - just trying to set up Opera is the most annoying thing I think I've ever tried to do on a computer. Makes the bullshit from Firefox seem quite tame in comparison. :shrug:

Opera is already being uninstalled - it was that freaking annoying to set up.

Seriously - I'm totally "old school" on everything. I like to turn off every feature and get rid of every bit of clutter. I also like to get rid of every feature that I will never use. Opera does not permit any of this. I will never go to eBay or Amazon and don't need their custom search engines to "synchronize" with my browser every time I open the program! I won't ever search from the address bar. If I want to do a Google search, I'll go to Google's website - it don't want or need shortcuts.

I just want a simple browser that browses where I tell it to - and doesn't take me places I don't want to go. That's it, that's all. I want ZERO features except multiple tabs. I don't want anything automatic. I don't want my browser to fill out forms with my personal information and I don't want it to keep a file of my passwords. Just browse, nothing more. I'm thinking this is impossible nowadays.

[drgoodtrips]

Wow. I guess I shouldn't recommend products I haven't tried. Sorry 'bout that.

A lot of purist techies I know sing its praises. I'm going to have to ask one of them why they do that.

The only other ones I have experience with are Konqueror and Safari. The former is primarily Linux and the latter Mac, but I think you can get them for Windows. Last I used Konquerer, it was pretty bare bones, but it has been a while.

[Michael]

Wow. I guess I shouldn't recommend products I haven't tried. Sorry 'bout that.
One never knows until you try it.

A lot of purist techies I know sing its praises. I'm going to have to ask one of them why they do that.
Techies tend to praise something based upon some obscure technical specification that they admire - not necessarily from personal experience using it.

The only other ones I have experience with are Konqueror and Safari. The former is primarily Linux and the latter Mac, but I think you can get them for Windows. Last I used Konquerer, it was pretty bare bones, but it has been a while.
Mac-ported software to PC's normally sucks bad, so I'd avoid that one.

I guess I'll just go surfing to find some site that will tell me how to get Firefox to behave. I don't see any other viable option here. I'm certainly not going to go back to IE!!!

[drgoodtrips]

Oh, also, if you're interested:

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/three_ways_to_enjoy_google_chrome_without_privacy_ concerns.php

This might be worth a shot too. I use chrome at work (because I don't care about my browsing habits being monitored here). I don't remember the setup and what all I configured, but I can say that I don't get "password manager" pop ups, and some of the other things described. There are no toolbars at all. The chrome interface is pretty minimal (attachment):

[Zarquon]

ever tried changing advanced options?
http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/7536/capturebb.jpg

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/6087/capturerp.jpg

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/3773/capture2g.jpg

[Michael]

ever tried changing advanced options?
Do you honestly think I didn't?

I appreciate your help, but I assure you that's the first thing I tried. ;)

I've been using the internet and computers for quite a bit longer than you've been alive. I'm also the one who configured this whole VBulletin forum forum software. I tend to know my way around configuring software.

Edited to add: Found several websites with key information for getting rid of the Google-toolbar in Firefox. Apparently I'm not the only one who got "infected" with this new and annoying version of Firefox.

[Daktoria]

Used to use this before Chrome came out: http://www.maxthon.com/

Firefox 2.0 was what I used before this too. If you want to revert, you can find a version here: http://www.oldapps.com/firefox.php