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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Since when did Firefox make it so difficult to set custom search engine? (feddit.uk)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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So been moving around a lot with browsers, waterfox, librewolf and very recently degoogle chromium, figured id look at Firefox and holy theres less than half the option in setting then there were afew years back but I gotta say the biggest sin is that adding custom search engine is obfuscated, and the chooses of engines are google, bing, duckduckgo and fucking Amazon! Wtf is that about? But anyway all these search engines are pretty awful including duckduckgo but beyond that the browser scene is a joke, mullvad are about the only company I feel compatible with using now

Edit: instead of saying how easy it is to add custom search engines, I'd like to know why the "add search engine" feature in settings is gone?

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Generally speaking, I’ve noticed that, for inexperienced users and beginners, the settings pages/windows/tabs for many web browsers aren’t very… friendly. They’re designed mostly for advanced users and users who are already accustomed to their design/layout.

The one exception to this would be Safari, which is designed to be far more accessible, but most advanced users dislike using it for this reason (and a few other novel UX decisions).

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

The obfuscation of default search engine is predatory is more of what I'm getting at

Also no, setting page is not for advanced users, about:config is

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I mean Firefox is mostly funded by a deal with Google to have them as the default engine. I don't like it but I understand why it is the way it is.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago

Yep its a sorry state of affairs and ass backwards way to circumvent anti trust laws.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yeah, I agree with you re: obfuscation of changing the default search engine. That’s crappy.

I was speaking in a general sense of FF’s and most popular browsers' settings pages’/panels’ UX design, not trying to impugn your own ability to find the setting. Apologies if it came off that way.