Posted on 03/29/2024 6:15:43 PM PDT by daniel1212
The way Google has been stepping up its data collection game, it has prompted many people to opt for privacy-focused web browsers that respect their privacy by providing a secure browsing experience.
Floorp is one such web browser that I recently came across that claims to be “the most Advanced and Fastest Firefox derivative” around.
So, join me as I check out this browser.
Being a fork of the popular Firefox browser, Floorp was built keeping privacy and user freedom in mind. It is a cross-platform web browser that prides itself in being completely open-source and not collecting any kind of personal information.
Some of its key features include:
On first launch, it is easy to get Floorp mixed up with Firefox, as it looks very familiar. When I first launched it, the usual quick setup wizard popped up that helped me tailor my experience....
After the initial set up is done, a neat looking tab page opens up with a dynamic background that changes whenever you open a new tab. Then, there were the usual shortcuts, and recommended by Pocket elements. But, they can be disabled if you don't prefer having those...
Not just limited to the web panel, you get flexibility to change the behavior/view of the tabs.
By default, you get a horizontal tab. However, you can opt for a multi-row tab where you get more visibility to your active tabs, making it easy to dabble with multiple tabs. [paste about:preferences#design in the address bar]
In addition, you can also enable vertical tabs, but it is labelled as an experimental feature: [More, by the grace of God.]
I quickly and added key Firefox extensions to Floorp, which, while not better than Firefox as customized, yet it is a good addition which I overall find to be is a better than it’s nearest Chromium-based competition, Vivaldi, which itself is far better for me than Chrome and Edge (which is presently last for me).
Especially if one opens a lot tabs and to be able to obtain multiple tab rows, as with Vivaldi (hack).(Without the latter I would be not be using either Firefox Quantum nor Vivaldi as main browsers, and maybe would use Firefox ESR 52.9 (the last version legacy extensions worked on) or Waterfox Classic for forums, if not aside from commerce.)
I found that Firefox extensions work in Floorp, as does the Izheil Multi-row tabs (which was before I read that this is enabled in Floorp itself, [paste about:preferences#design in the address bar] and other functions installer (though it protests against a non-standard profile).
Of course, there are a few developer preferences that require about:config to "fix," such as always opening search results (from address or search bar) in new tab and open new ones at the end of the tab bar.
I am 71 with stiff arthritic typo-fingers and appreciate such tools, and I thank God for them and those who provide them.
Will it run on Windows XP-Pro?
uBlock Origin Effectively blocks most ads
Custom Scrollbars Hit the options gear icon 
FireTitle titles in tabs and title bars
Form History Control Save, View and Manage text form data
Clippings: Saves text if you choose such and manages frequently-entered text for later pasting
Save Page WE Save Page WE provides a simple facility to save a web page (as currently displayed) as a single HTML file that can be opened in any browser.
Simple Translate When you select text, the translation button pops up and the chosen translation is displayed instantly.
How is it for privacy?
Thanks daniel1212!
Sorry, no: https://docs.floorp.app/en/introduction/installation/.
Firefox version 52.9. 0 ESR was the last supported release for Windows XP and Windows Vista
Firefox ESR https://archive.org/details/firefoxsetup52.9.0esrenus
In which the legacy extensions work, thank God. I still have it though not being used,
ping;
I use Opera across all my devices going back over 15 years at least, (they can share files amongst each other if you like) the old days of Netscape, Microsoft, Firefox and other resource hogs are long gone. Edge is the most intrusive one I have ever seen and will never use that pig, can’t uninstall it either, I hate those types.
There is probably a couple other good ones out there but never bothered to look.
Thank you for bringing this browser to our attention. Those of us who are less than fond of Edge on Windows are always on the lookout for something better, and being cross-platform makes it useful to those like me who have Windows, MacOS, and LInux open simultaneously all day long, constantly moving between.
Just came in to say “Floorp” reminds me of the ad line the “beatnick warlock” (Stephen Landsberg) from the TV show “Bewitched” dropped on Derwood: “We’ll call it “Flurpity-Flurp!”
BFL
And a quick question - should I be running this instead of Brave?
Will it run on Windows XP-Pro?
XP has been past EOL for ten years next month.
Time to give it up.
Thank God for options to be used for God and good. I like Portable installs, including LibreOffice.
Floorp with multiple tab rows. 
Added Floorp to the rest: 
Of course, there are a few developer preferences that require about:config to "fix," such as always opening search results (from address or search bar) in new tab and open new ones at the end of the tab bar.
> Sorry, no...
I'll add, to Daniel1212's useful comment, that if you're running XP-Pro, you really shouldn't be going on the internet, with or without a browser. It's just begging to get pwned.
I have a VM of XP-Pro, to run an ancient application that never got updated for Vista and won't run on anything later either. But it's strictly a local operation, I turn off the network BEFORE I boot XP.
If you must use XP on the internet for some reason, then I recommend you run it as a VM (using VMware, VirtualBox, etc.) and keep a spare clean file copy of it, so that when (not if) it gets pwned, you can just delete that file and make a new copy of the clean spare.
Cannot say now. I rarely use browsers that do not enable multiple tab rows.
Whose virtualization software should I start with? Have a couple things I’d like to do in that space.
Technology has certainly come on orders of magnitude over the years, I well remember in those long gone days trying to set up a home network with Windows ME and had a cell phone with an antenna LOL. Oh, and dial-up.
I think one can run XP or even Windows 9x if careful (pray and press), avoid all gambling, porn, game sites and use a antimalware host file, and keep an eye on what is running, but with the load that the Internet places on a system today then the PC itself cannot handle much.
Refurbished Windows 10 and used desktops and laptops are cheap though.
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