Vivaldi or Cent browser

Neeo

I think I am going to ditch Vivaldi in favor of Cent Browser because (1) it is more customizable, (2) uses the industry-standard Alt-D to get to the address bar, (3) has built-in hover-over-tab activate like TabMix Plus which is absolutely required for efficient browsing, and (3) it opens url's in new tabs which is also necessary so as not to overwrite the current tab.

(mod edit: forked topic)

Komposten

@Neeo said in Customizing Vivaldi a'la Firefox:

(2) uses the industry-standard Alt-D to get to the address bar

I'd say that Ctrl+L, which is used by Vivaldi, also is an industry standard way to get to the address bar. It's worked in every browser I've used and it also works in e.g. Windows Explorer, Nautilus (a Linux file manager) and Thunar (another Linux file manager).

Regardless, one can easily change it to Alt+D (or any other shortcut) in Vivaldi's settings.

(3) it opens url's in new tabs which is also necessary so as not to overwrite the current tab.

Writing URL's in the address bar in Vivaldi always opens in the current tab by default (unless you hold alt or shift). However, Quick Commands can be configured to always open everything in new tabs by default. That's how I browse all the time.

If you're talking about when you click on links, Vivaldi defaults to open the links in the way specified in the link element. It's unfortunate that this can't be changed to always open clicked links in new tabs, but I bet that option will come in the future.

For the record, I'm not really trying to convince you to stay with Vivaldi rather than Cent. Rather, I just wanted to give my PoV on a couple of the things you mentioned here. Everyone is different, so Vivaldi won't fit for as all.

Pesala

@Neeo So, in brief, because Vivaldi does not behave like your current browser by default, and you don't know how to customise it, you want to switch to Cent Browser.

I have never used Cent browser, so I cannot compare, but how hard have you tried? There is an entire subforum dedicated to modifications.
As mentioned already, modify the shortcut to Alt+D if that is what you use. The reason it has not been implemented yet is explained in Add Alt+D as a Default Hotkey for Focus Address Field. I don't see the excuse as a good reason, but I guess there may be more than one language that uses Alt+D for a menu.
Vote for Mouse Hover on a Tab Activates It
Opening new tabs is not necessary. It is just one way of working that does not suit everyone. I just use mouse gesture; GestureLeft; to go back to the previous tab after reading a search result, for example.

To Open Links in a New Background Tab

Right-click, Open in New Background Tab
Ctrl+click
Middle-click
Mouse Gesture, Open Link in Background Tab (Over a Link)
Vote for Option to Open New Tabs in Background as Default

To Open Links in a New Foreground Tab

Right-click, Open Link in New Tab
Shift-click
Shift+Middle-click
Mouse Gesture, Open Link in New Tab (Over a Link)
Vote for Option to Open New Tabs in New Tab as Default

Catweazle

From what I've seen, Cent browser certainly has more setting possibilities than almost all other browsers and some cool features. Although it may be a good choice, claiming that it is more configurable than Vivaldi is not true, tabstack, hibernate tabs, mosaic view, reader mode, notes, webpanel, sync, etc. doesn't have it, the Privacy settings are similar. It is certainly a recommended browser and deserves to be better known and we can congratulate Cent's small team for a job well done.
But for a Vivaldi user it can only be for a second browser.

Eggcorn

@catweazle

From what I've seen, Cent browser certainly has more setting possibilities than almost all other browsers and some cool features.

I don't know about that. I'm just trying it out now, for the first time. And Cent's help files are just the Google Chrome help files! That's not a good sign.

Edit: I went to WhatIsMyBrowser.com in Vivaldi and Cent. Vivaldi shows as being Chrome 90, the latest version of Chrome. Cent shows as being Chrome 86. That's a sign that Cent isn't keeping up with Chromium security updates.

Catweazle

@eggcorn , yes this is the lack it has, its a Chromium where they added more settings, but you can't de-google it like Vivaldi, only some APIs in the privacy settings.
For this reason I prefer UR Browser (French product), also not that updated, but with very good own privacy and security features, including a own real VPN, like Brave.

Eggcorn

@catweazle I don't think you understand. I'm not complaining that you can't turn off Google services and extortions (such as Crypto Token). I'm complaining about the Cent help files. Or rather, the lack of Cent help files:

When I click "About Cent browser" in the menu, and then click "Get help with Cent browser": I don't get taken to any Cent help files. I get taken to the Chrome help files.

Catweazle

@eggcorn , yes, I think this is because it's a one man project and in a Chromium fork, like Cent, the helpfile is the same of all other Chromium. He use the Chrome help file , because he don't has the infrastructure for a own support Forum or Blog.
Same with other Chromium forks with 4 users each.
It remains an exotic curiosity and I don't think it has much of a future. For this the market is already too saturated and with brutal competition.
Of 100 forks at the end there are 10 left, the rest is abandoned.

shifte

hmm...It's clear what @neeo wants to do.
The great wisdoms of the forum is dispersed.
I think, vivaldi should have a unofficial web page which has related information,besides forum.
Something like this opera-presto-page.
Sorry, not English page.
https://gishiko.net/opera/wiki/

Eggcorn

@catweazle Actually, Cent does have a forum. And after reading more about Cent, seems you were right about it having "more setting possibilities than almost all other browsers and some cool features"

It remains an exotic curiosity and I don't think it has much of a future.

Cent would probably have a future, if it merged into Vivaldi. Seems the browsers have the same philosophy. If Cent is a one-man project, then he's probably an impressive man! He could be a real asset to the Vivaldi term (if he can work with others).

Catweazle

@eggcorn , without a doubt, those who dare to develop a browser in this times are not beginners.
It would be a question of asking him, mMaybe @Jon is encouraged to try it.
PD. a lot of results, searchin Vivaldi in this forum.

Eggcorn

@catweazle said in Vivaldi or Cent browser:

For this reason I prefer UR Browser (French product)

I started a thread for UR Browser here.

Edit: Fixed broken link.

Ayespy

@eggcorn Cent is Chinese. Vivaldi, not. I suspect there would not be a merger.

Catweazle

@ayespy ,maybe in China. Anyway, it's the only Chromium I know, apart from Vivaldi, with this amount of configuration and interesting features, although it fails in other ways, the first thing is still too dependent on Google services.
But at least can give Vivaldi some ideas.
As I say, I prefer UR, not very configurable, like other Chromiums, but very stron privacy, include in the strongest settings break some pages. Also a valid VPN, like Brave.

Eggcorn

@ayespy said in Vivaldi or Cent browser:

Cent is Chinese. Vivaldi, not. I suspect there would not be a merger.

If Cent is a one-man-project, why does that matter?

Edit: I mean, why would that stop a merger?

Ayespy

@eggcorn Cent is produced by "a small group of developers" in China. There is no such thing as free commerce in China. Literally everything is subject to the approval of the government, resulting in an extremely unstable picture for individual businesses (they can be closed down, re-structured or moved at a whim), especially small ones. I have literally studied this at length for legal cases concerning the makers of products in China.

Each business is subject to government conditions, which can (and notably have) require(d) the collection of data on their customers and provision of it to the government, technological appropriation, dissemination of government messaging, etc., etc., etc.

The developers of Cent are entirely anonymous. There is literally no information available to the outside world concerning who they are, where they are, what other roles they play in society, etc., etc., etc.

Numerous companies, from the small and marginal, to the mid-sized, to the huge have partnered with business in China to their eternal regret, finding themselves laboring under conditions they would never have agreed to without extortion or blackmail, but keeping going so as not to lose their entire investment.

These are just the conditions of doing business in/with China. So...

Eggcorn

@ayespy Forget about the Cent company as a legal entity (if it is a legal entity). Is there something that would stop this "small group of developers" from working for Vivaldi? Would the Chinese government make that problematic?

As for contacting them: There is the Cent forum.

Ayespy

@eggcorn said in Vivaldi or Cent browser:

Would the Chinese government make that problematic?

Yes. Individuals have no more freedom with their activities than companies do. Nothing (visible to the government) is allowed to happen in China which does not directly or indirectly benefit the government.

I saw the forum. It doesn't tell you anything about the developers. I'm not saying they could not be "found" or communicated with. I'm saying you literally don't know whom you are dealing with.

This is not to say Cent=China=Bad. This is to say an alliance with a Chinese concern would not be a rational business move for Vivaldi Technologies AS. Too many factors outside the control of the participants.

Eggcorn

@ayespy Oh. That's sad.

Catweazle

@ayespy , I also see it as problematic. Well, it was an idea, but I'm sure Jon doesn't feel like talking to a Chinese company either, I imagine.
But anyway, it doesn't stop us from taking any other function as inspiration.
Same with the UR browser, which also has some things I would like to have in Vivaldi.
Adaptivebee is also a small company, but French, with which it is perhaps possible to contact.