Librewolf and Librefox: Free alternatives to Firefox beyond Waterfox
A few days ago, we talked about Waterfox taking advantage of the launch of his latest version 2020.08. However, despite its good features and functionalities, its union or purchase by the advertising company «System1» at the beginning of 2020, a company that is also the current owner of the search engine «Startpage» give us a negative point for your full or blind recommendation.
Therefore, today we will recommend freewolf, and also to Librefox, to replace or supplement the use of Firefox, in case you do not want to definitely try or use Waterfox.
Waterfox: An excellent free, open and independent web browser
For those who have not read our previous post on Waterfox, below you can visit and read it. However, it is worth noting here briefly, that the same is:
"A 64-bit browser based on Mozilla's free and open source platform. And one of the first 64-Bit browsers widely distributed on the web, which has quickly gained many followers (users). Above all, since at the beginning it prioritized the issue of speed, but now it also tries to be an ethical and user-oriented browser". About Waterfox".
Free alternatives to Firefox
freewolf
Citing the Librewolf official website, it is promoted as:
"A fork of Firefox, focused on privacy, security and freedom ".
With the features and functionalities following:
- No telemetry: Delivers an excellent user experience without adware, annoyances or unnecessary distractions, such as the worry of tracking or tracing by telemetry.
- With private searches: Through recognized providers in the area, such as DuckDuckGo, Startpage, Qwant and more.
- Ad blocker included: Includes uBlock Origin by default.
- Enhanced Security: It incorporates a Firewall extension and other security improvements included, without sacrificing the browser's usability.
- Quick updates: Provides a solid and modern foundation based on the latest stable Firefox source, to keep the security and stability of the browser well up to date.
- Open Source: Its open source on GitLab and Gitter offers the necessary trust and participation of all stakeholders to maintain an excellent and transparent application.
For more information about Librewolf, you can also access the following link.
Librefox
Citing the Librefox official website, it is promoted as:
"A fork of Firefox with privacy improvements ".
Reason why: Librefox offers its users the power Browse freely.
Currently, the project of Librefox aims to do meet Firefox privacy and security without forking the project. Therefore, instead of being a fork, Librefox what it offers is the use of more than 500 privacy / security / performance settings, patches, Librefox-Addons (optional) and a clean package of Firefoxi.e one without the Firefox updater, crash notifier, and built-in addons that don't respect privacy.
Last but not least, Librefox is NOT associated with Mozilla or its products.
For more information about Librefox, you can also access our previous post about it:
Conclusion
We hope this "useful little post" about «Librewolf y Librefox», which are 2 excellent free and open alternatives for replace or improve use Firefox, without having to go through Waterfox, due to the negative point mentioned at the beginning; is of great interest and utility, for the entire «Comunidad de Software Libre y Código Abierto» and of great contribution to the diffusion of the wonderful, gigantic and growing ecosystem of applications of «GNU/Linux».
And for more information, always do not hesitate to visit any Online library as OpenLibra y jedit to read books (PDFs) on this topic or others knowledge areas. For now, if you liked this «publicación», don't stop sharing it with others, in your Favorite websites, channels, groups, or communities of social networks, preferably free and open as Mastodon, or secure and private like Telegram.
Or simply visit our home page at DesdeLinux or join the official Channel Telegram from DesdeLinux to read and vote for this or other interesting publications on «Software Libre», «Código Abierto», «GNU/Linux» and other topics related to «Informática y la Computación», and the «Actualidad tecnológica».
But both «Librewolf and Librefox» also bring Startpage as a search engine and it is a pity to install and test it; do not have a .DEB file for which we do not know how to compile or work the Source Code.
Greetings, Gerson. Interesting point about Startpage. However, they have it as a default search engine but not as a partner or ally of the project, I imagine. And yes, many alternatives to Firefox do not come in that convenient installation format.
1. Back up your Firefox folder and user profile.
2. Download and replace in the Firefox folder:
https://gitlab.com/librewolf-community/settings
3. Done.
If you are not convinced, better throw IceCat.
Interesting I did not know that there were alternatives to firefox.
Greetings, 4c656f. Thanks for your comment. Yes, there are many, for example the old IceCat and the current Basilisk.
Excellent article
I will go try it
Sorry but Telegram is neither secure nor private. It has closed code on the server, and there is no telling what happens. Signal would be the really safe and private alternative, or if not, a matrix or XMPP client, like element.io or conversations.im respectively
Signal has not updated their server code on GitHub in almost a year, it is highly unlikely that they will run the same version on their servers as the one that is published.
The fact that the code for _un_ server is published does not mean that it is the code used on the server itself.
waterfox supports XUL and offers appimages for easy usage
librewolf and librefox offer nothing that I can't have with waterfox or even firefox itself
Greetings, Hans Meier! Thank you for your comment and valuable input.
https://blog.desdelinux.net/en/librewolf-librefox-free-alternatives-firefox-waterfox/
xD