Introduction
Let's go back to 2009, which is exactly when I started using Firefox. At that time, Firefox was the king, offering many features that other browsers didn't have. I have used Firefox ever since. Young people today don't know how good Firefox used to be, and using computers is something that most kids experience when they are very young. It's really cool that I still remember those beautiful days vividly, and I will share my story with you. To me, Firefox is not just a browser but also a part of many interesting stories I've experienced throughout my time using computers.
I'm not quite sure why I've been loyal to this browser for over a decade, and I'll share my perspective as an end user. Don't think of me as a Firefox fanboy or some fanatic software engineer trying to convince you to use Firefox.
I'm just a guy have two hands, two legs, and a brain, and I'm sharing my story with you.
Back to 2009
That was a time I remember vividly. Firefox was the king of the internet. I can’t recall much about Google Chrome, which had been launched just a year earlier, except that my experience with it was terrible—marginally better than Internet Explorer at best. Firefox provided me with a superior experience, offering high customization, outstanding speed, a beautiful interface, and numerous extensions that modern browsers today also feature. When I used Google Chrome back then, it often crashed and couldn't handle dozens of tabs each day. I still remember the days when Adobe Flash Player was the go-to for playing audio and video, before Adobe eventually discontinued it. During those times, I used Firefox to watch videos, and I felt it was better than other browsers.
However, perhaps Firefox rested on its laurels for too long. I'm not going to delve deeply into political conflicts or financial matters here, mainly because I hate discussing them from an end user's perspective.
I feel truly fortunate to have been one of those who, back in the day, had the ability to tinker with and use the internet. At that time, it was rare to see anyone using or carrying a laptop at a cafe, or even having a modern PC setup like we do now. I don't think that I know OpenSource, or even I really care about the privacy of my data,... That really a good time to think about life.
Back to 2024
Today, I see Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge as the reigning kings, but I mainly use them for entertainment purposes because that's where they excel the most, in my opinion.
Nowadays, AI is integrated everywhere in browsers, with ads and chatbots appearing all over the place. This was something rarely seen a decade ago. It illustrates how the internet has changed the way we browse the web and search for information over the past decade. It's strange and fascinating to observe this transformation. I don't know if you have had a similar experience, but I'm certain that the internet has changed dramatically compared to a decade ago at an astonishing speed.
But that very clutter has caused quite a bit of trouble. Sometimes it distracts you and unnecessarily slows down the browser, with some features integrated but never used.
Why I'm Still Using Firefox
I'll share a few reasons why I still find Firefox to be the best:
I feel it's faster for software development tasks and the myriad things I open daily. I don't know why, but it feels faster and more responsive. But as a software engineer, I know that Mozilla Firefox is implemented a lot cool stuff under the hood.
Viewing json files is better on Firefox. When I view json data returned from an API, it's easier to read and understand on Firefox compared to other browsers.
I manage tabs more effectively compared to other browsers, perhaps because I'm so familiar with it, or maybe because it's just better. I can't sau 100% that Firefox is the best, but it's the best for me.
Fonts look better on Firefox. You can see this difference clearly by visiting my blog on different browsers, even I can customize the font on Firefox or do some tweaks to make it look better.
I feel safer using Firefox, especially when modern browsers try to collect your data without your knowledge. Now is the time of AI, your data is gold, and you should be careful with it, a lot company tried to collect your data to make money, and you should be aware of it.
uBlock Origin works wonderfully on Firefox. It give me always a good experience when I browse the internet without ads and tracking. I know that I need view ads for many efforts from nice video creators, but I can't stand with the tracking and the annoying ads when I'm working part.
I have no issues working with dozens of tabs every day. It is stable and doesn't crash, even when I open more than 50 tabs. I know that it's not a good practice, but that is normal work I'm doing every day.
Many people appreciate it because it's open source, but for me, open source or not doesn't matter much. However, I'm sure an open-source platform like Firefox will never be forgotten. And I'm very happy to see that still have a good open source browser like Firefox.
I like the Auto Random Password feature that Firefox provides. It help me more secure when I'm using the internet. When you register on a website, a random password is generated and saved in the browser. It's a small feature, but it's very useful. I know so many people use the same password for everything in their life, and it's very dangerous.
... I could list dozens of customizations, but you should explore them yourself.
I've heard many stories from a beloved teacher of mine, who is 20 years older than me, and he said something I really resonate with:
When they know the reason why, they will stick with it.
Conclusion
As a Firefox user for over a decade, I continue to trust and use my favorite browser as an indispensable part of my daily work. I don't know what the future holds for Firefox, but I'm certain I'm not a fanatic or a die-hard fan; I'm just an end user. Whatever is good and makes me feel comfortable, I will use. Now I'm using Firefox Developer Edition, and I'm very happy with it.
I understand that today, we have numerous choices, which can sometimes lead to unnecessary debates. My advice is to choose whatever browser you feel comfortable with and meets your needs. The internet will lead you to various places, but not always to the best place for you.
Most people choose something popular, but I've found what works best for me. Sometimes, we feeling we don't know enough about the internet, but that's okay !
Some interseting if you don't know about Firefox:
- People created JavaScript by Brendan Eich in 1995, and he was also the co-founder of Mozilla Firefox.
- Firefox was originally called Phoenix, then Firebird, and finally Firefox.
- Google Spent a Half-Billion Dollars on Firefox.
- Rust Language began as a personal project in 2006 by Mozilla Research employee Graydon Hoare
- Firefox is the only browser that is not owned by a tech giant like Google, Microsoft, or Apple.
What about you? Why do you use Firefox? Share your story with me. I'm very happy to hear from you. I recommend you should see this video from 2005: