Why I wont move to Brave

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Hello! First of all, ty for your hard work creating this browse. I just new it from Sven - author of restoreprivacy.com and decided to test it as a chromium based alternative for Chrome. And here are my impressions.

I really liked the Browser. It’s awful for a so new app. But, i really missed at least 3 features (a few already requested btw, but i felt that i could reforce it), that basically frustrated me in this changing process:

1 )A better sync option. The current option is very restricted to only bookmarks, and needs a “complex” process to be made (when compared with the simple google account: sign and go). Besides that, it does not work well. I had to do it 4 times in 2 days. The first one didnt synced well. The second, synced with my smartphone, but my mobile browser started to present erros when i tried to boomark anything (“error: failed to add bookmark” --> an error similar to what has already been posted here and here in Mar-May/2019, and it seens to not be fully fixed yet). Later, i reinstalled the mobile browser and, again the first synced try didnt work (this time i realized that it was happening because i was closing the desktop browser right after the mobile synced, but i actually had to wait till the desktop finds my smartphone - what took a few minutes). And so i synced the fourth time.

2) The automatic translation option. Chrome already has it, and despite Brave included the Extension (that helps), i miss the automatic option and a shortcut (by pressing the right click in any place of the page. )

3) The use of chromium extensions on mobile version. That is the reason that i prefer Firefox over chrome or brave on mobile, what restricts the use of both, as i really like the sync option among several browsers…

Well, those are the main reasons, but there are a few more, that are not absolutely necessary, but that would add some valor to the browser:

A) Include the Decentraleyes features on the block

B) Block youtube and facebook intrusive adds during videos

C) Add more information about cookies compartmentalization

D) Add more information about the data you collect and specially what you DONT’t collect when using or not the brave reward system, and if it works in other countries beyond US and EUR.

E) Add an “read text” mode, similar to firefox system.

F) Improve the system in general. Sometimes - when typing - words got freezed for a few seconds, for example.

G) Show how activating the option: "Use a prediction service to help complete searches and URLs typed in the address bar" may inflict privacy, and witch servers do you use.

H) Alow to edit the favicons that are added to the main android page when shortcutting a page. For example, i tried to shortcut the youtube page, but the favicon is a Y in color background and not the youtube logo, and there is now way to change it.

I) Allow to edit the speed dial pages from the new tab

I know it’s a hard work, and i ty for the attention. I would love that my feedback could help anyway.

Best regards.

Gaud

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@Gaud great point @mattches and @asad would take a look

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Hi @Gaud, thanks for your detailed feedback!

A - an improved Sync is on the way, we’re well aware of the issues here.
B - translations are also something we’re working on :slight_smile:
C - this would be cool, we agree! I don’t think there are plans to integrate this just yet, but I’ll let the team know.
D - this is a great idea too. and yes, the rewards system is not gated to any specific countries or regions (as far as we can control, at least)
E - there is a reader mode! if you open the hamburger menu (the 3 horizontal lines) while on a page you’ll see an option for “distill page”. This should do the trick. :slight_smile:

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@Gaud, I opted to install the Reader View extension from the Google Chrome store. I believe the code is based on the native Firefox reader and it does have the text reader option.

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Tyvm for the attention @Asad. I believe that Brave is the best browser alternative since when Firefox dethroned IE in early 2000s. It’s very good and has potential to become one of the big five browsers in the next years for sure, along with Chrome, Firefox, Edge-Chromium and Opera. Among these, only you and Firefox has the advantage of respecting privacy and hope you stay that way. Unfortunately Brave opted to include the Brave Rewards System, that has beeing vastly criticized among the specialized sites. I wish you could add more information about what information do you collect when using or not using the system. That clear information would certainly calm down the critics, and so the users.

The distill page seems OK, but no as good as the firefox version. The Reader View suggested by @cynical13 seems to work better (BTW, ty @cynical13). But to use it, you have to trust a third party developer. Maybe the brave developer team could take a deeper look at Mozilla’s open-source Readability implantation and consider moving it to chromium.

In time, this week i was concerned about a thing. While using brave, ESET AV blocked one site that partially opened in Brave without any warnings. I tried the same site on Chrome, and Google Safe Browsing bloqued the access even before eset could block anything. This fact concerned me about how well Google Browse Safety is implemented in Brave and if its working as it should be.
And on another desktop, i noticed that Bitdefender safe search (a feature that adds a green or red check in front of links during web search) does not work on Brave. I sent them a message so they could check it, but maybe you should know too.

Ty! Best regards. :heart::heart:
Gaud

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@Gaud
I have few points here.

  1. As for as sync is concerned I like Brave’s method of syncing which to me “appear” more secure. The method uses randomly generated 24 words to sync desktops. In firefox and chrome, the sync option sync all features including settings, passwords etc which to me is not needed as sacrifice safety. Every time I opt for syncing in firefox and chrome all these options are selected for sync and I have to manually deselect them. I am not sure whether they still stay in the syncing process but I do not sync them in that specific computer.
  2. As for as decentralyces is concerned there is no way to use this even if we install it from chrome web store. Decentralyses needs few tweaking of HTTPS Everywhere addon which is not possible in Brave’s default version.
    Here: Using decentraleyes add on in Brave browser - help needed
    So I had to disenable the Brave built-in HTTPS Everywhere option and had to install HTTPS Everywhere addon from chrome web store and then tweak it to use decentralyeses add on. This considering I use ublock origin and cookies autodelete (next point) makes it too much add on and make it similar to chrome browser with these add ons.
  3. As of now there is no way to white list cookies from websites to be retained if one set Brave browser to delete all cookies upon exit. I am using cookies autodelte add on exclusively for this purpose.
  4. As for as mobile version is concerned I am happy with the default Brave browser. It blocks advertisement effectively to my purpose. I also have firefox with add ons as backup.
  5. default speed dials are not good in Brave. So i disenable that feature which is available in Brave nightly and Brave Dev versions.

Thanks for your comments.

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Hello @nellaiseemai! Ty for answering

  1. I understand your point and i do like Brave sync. I just think it’s too buggy for now. I gave up trying to sync for next days cause i’ve already had to start over a few times for a lot of reasons. About the sync of other items, i respect your opinion, but a believe that there are a lot of user that would benefit of more sync options. For example, i’m constantly travelling around and sometimes have to sync browsers, so for me is good to have history, favorites and others stuff synced when i need (and desynced when i don’t want them). I discovered this extension that does the job very well, but as Mobile Brave doesn’t support extensions, it’s not a very good solution.

  2. I knew about that conflict but i’m not sure if still it aplly. I’ve been using decentral eyes with HTTPS everywhere in firefox and chrome without any problem (and have already tested if everything was properly working a few times). The same happen with brave… I didnt found any conflict. I remember to have read somewhere that the conflict was fixed in last decentraleyes version - anyway, i may be wrong… in case you wanna check if there is still a conflict.

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  1. I’m using it too now. Excelent extension btw. Ty

  2. The mobile version have some bugs for now. Sometimes i face screen freezing (followed by android advice that the app was not responding). And the absence of extensions don’t let me add good stuff like the cookie autodele or youtube enhancer (that block ads during youtube videos). If those functions were added to Brave browser itself, so i would not need so much the extensions… But that would be only for my case.

  3. Indeed.

  4. Still about Mobile version, i just realized that bitdefender doesnt protect Brave in mobile version. Idk wich AV could cover Mobile Brave with real time protection

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@Asad

May you create a DeepL and Linguee translator extension please >.< Google knows everything about everybody.

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@brunomaximom i agree with you :wink:

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Unless one can use their own sync server, no sync is useful to anyone who really cares about privacy.

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Good luck on blocking youtube ads anymore. Google has outright took a stance to the point where they have crippled the youtube usability experience if they detect even a wiff of your browser running any kind of ad blocking features. I never noticed at first because I have premium (to me the price is worth it alone just to not watch adds, but in fairness to them, they have actually beefed up the subscription to include youtube music and background play on mobile), but happened to notice it when working on my son’s device through his account. i had to whitelist youtube on his ad blocker for it to function, as YT throws up a warning when it detects the blocker. I know there are some workarounds on this, but im sure google will find their way around that and will continue to be a cat and mouse game. I just wouldnt hold your breathe on being able to block YT ads going forward.

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We’re still updating anti-adblock on youtube. While google hasn’t given up, we haven’t either.