Discussion of two different privacy-related browser philosophies

[arlen holder]

*Discussion of two different privacy-related browser philosophies*

Philosophically, I think there are TWO ways to handle the problem of
desktop browser-based switches specifically for privacy & security.

This thread is posted to IMPROVE our combined knowledge of those 2.
1. Adding browser-specific addons, & then incessantly flipping switches
2. Stetting up a specific browser once, and only once, for each web site

o *I think this is what most people do...*
Having thought about this problem set for decades, personally,
philosophically, I think it's sheer hell to try to attempt to maintain a
single browser by adding browser-specific addons (some of which themselves,
add to your number of fingerprinting bits), and then, even worse, to
constantly and incessantly need to flip myriad switches for _each_ web site
you visit, to maintain the best level of privacy, while still enjoying the
web site's content.

o *This is a different approach I am striving to improve...*
I think it's much more elegant and usefully functional, and simpler
overall, given the plethora of freeware based web browsers, is to simply
set up the best single browser for a single site, where you can flip
switches _once_ to aim for the minimal necessary access to your system for
each site, and yet, to still enjoy the content.

Philosophically, the advantages of this second method are:
o Free desktop web browsers abound... (which provides _plenty_ of choices!)
o Where you can choose the _best_ web browser for any given site
o And where you can _thoughtfully_ set it up for the _minimal_ access
o And where you don't need to maintain _any_ additional addons
o And where the browser start page can be set up for that _one_ site
o And where cross-company cookie-spying is minimized
o For example, you don't need bookmarks; you just need the "start" page set
o And where each browser saves the _minimum_ data (e.g., one login only!)
NOTE: I _never_ let any personal information to be saved; but many do.

Philosophically, some disadvantages of this (I believe) wiser method are:
o You need to maintain a dozen or more browsers (most autoupdate)
o Each GUI class is different (Chromium, Mozilla, & Windows based GUIs)
o Sometimes a specific browser is most perfect for multiple sites
o You need to understand how cross-platform bookmarks work (if you use bookmarks, I don't)
o *Are there any other disadvantages to this philosophical use model?*

In summary, this thread asks for advice in _improving_ our personal system
of freeware web browser privacy & security by asking the reader to consider
the d pros and cons of this philosophical concept of switching from a
one-browser-does-all use model, to a specific browser set up perfectly for
each specific web site.

[Mike Easter]

arlen holder wrote:
> 2. Stetting up a specific browser once, and only once, for each web site

As a person who likes site specific browsers, I presume that you have
investigated the linux app ICE which was introduced by Peppermint for a
site-specific browser creator.

The discussions in the peppermint forums about which browser works out
the 'best' (as the ice tool can use any of many/several different
browsers for its creation) several people felt that the Opera browser
worked out well for that 'peppermint purpose'. Peppermint as a system
is configured to make use of Ice 'directly'

And, they liked that they could easily make site specific VPN browsers
with Opera, which would seem to be right up your alley.

Naturally it is possible to accomplish all of the ice-like and
peppermint-like behaviors without using peppermint or ice or opera.

But, if you aren't familiar with Peppermint, fetch an .iso and write it
to USB and boot it up and make some Ice Opera site specific VPN browsers.

https://peppermintos.com/
https://peppermintos.com/guide/ice/

I don't see Opera in the browser choices of the Ice app, so I'll have to
look into how the Peppermint users choose Opera instead of Vivaldi and such.

--
Mike Easter
aol/acf only

[Mike Easter]

f/ups to aol only

Mike Easter wrote:
> The discussions in the peppermint forums about which browser works out
> the 'best' (as the ice tool can use any of many/several different
> browsers for its creation) several people felt that the Opera browser
> worked out well for that 'peppermint purpose'.  Peppermint as a system
> is configured to make use of Ice 'directly'

> I don't see Opera in the browser choices of the Ice app, so I'll have
> to look into how the Peppermint users choose Opera instead of Vivaldi
> and such.

I booted Peppermint 9 to look at its Ice; it doesn't have Opera in the
graphical interface (but it does have Vivaldi, Chrome, Chromium and
Firefox).

In the forum...

https://peppermintos.net/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=3557 is there a quick and
painless way to install opera in Ice or can you link me to a tutorial?

... but the answers don't seem to put Opera in Ice, but to simply
install Opera in Peppermint. That wouldn't put it into Ice's graphical
window.

--
Mike Easter

[arlen holder]

On Sun, 31 Mar 2019 08:53:28 -0500, british drama team wrote:

> Isn't there a practical limit to the number of browsers you can set up,
> and thus a practical limit to the number of sites you can visit?

Hi british drama team,

Yours is a logical question, which needs to be considered with perspective.
o Let me start with the overarching top-down organizational perspective

It's sort of like asking how many folders you have on your computer
o Versus how many top-level folders you actually use every day:
<https://i.postimg.cc/2j1djchc/quickaccess01.jpg>

Me?
o I have 3/4 of a dozen folders I constantly use every day.
{app, data, software, tmp, special, android, screenhots, upload, vpn}
o These 9 folders are fit easily within my "Quick Access" on Windows 10.
<https://i.postimg.cc/KzMXx7N1/quickaccess02.jpg>

How many folders does Microsoft even allow in QuickAccess?
o I'd guess it's roughly only about a dozen, right?

Same question with how many items in a typical rightclick context menu?
o The numbers change, but it's roughly around a dozen, right?

How many types of editors do you

Same question with how many apps do you edit images with
o Me? I use about half a dozen apps for editing images every day
<https://i.postimg.cc/jqzZz338/quickaccess03.jpg>

Same with almost any general setup question on Windows, right?
o For example, how many "special" folders do you use daily?
{Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Favorites, Screenshots, etc.}

This sort of GUI-setup question goes on all the time, right?
o How many normal-sized icons can you fit on a task bar anyway?

Lots and lots of these questions have roughly about the same answer.
o For example, how many folders do you need in your program hierarchy?

Me? I have about top-level folders which hold _everything_ I can install.
o That takes care of my menu, which has the same dozen top-levels.
o That also takes care of the archives, which use the same dozen.
o And it takes care of the program-files hiearchy, which is the same dozen.
<https://i.postimg.cc/L6RKfbRD/quickaccess04.jpg>

And, how many _sub_ folders do each of those top-level folders need?
o Here's just my editor sub folder, which has about a dozen "editor types".
<https://i.postimg.cc/d33Mnv8r/quickaccess05.jpg>

Obviously I _think_ about how to set up a system GUI all the time.
o Most oft-used GUIs allow for about a dozen elements in them

For example, the phone hierarchy is almost the same dozen things:
o <https://i.postimg.cc/rs3t4VV6/homescreen00.jpg>

As is the iPad, which has a similar dozen or so hierarchical folders:
o <http://www.bild.me/bild.php?file=4567626charger04.jpg>

Even within any one homescreen folder, subfolders are about the same:
<https://i.postimg.cc/SsLffRyG/delimiter01.jpg>

Do you notice a common pattern yet?
o The order of magnitude for "common things" is about a dozen or so.

Your question is apropos, where we think logically in overall perspective:
o How many reliable browsers are there?
o I'd say there are "at least" an easy dozen, right?

Off the cuff, how many _types_ of sites do you visit anyway?
o I'd say it's not more than a dozen, right?

Then why not set up each browser specifically for a class of sites.
o You can probably do that with a third of a dozen browsers, in reality.

Off the cuff, how many of those browsers are IP privacy browsers?
o I'd say about a quarter of them are _designed_ for privacy

The rest you can tailor for "pseudo privacy" if that's what you need.

For example, how many browsers can be set up in "incognito mode"?
o Let's say about three quarters, at least (maybe all).

Off the cuff, how many of those browsers are merely general purpose?
o I'd say offhand, a quarter to a half might be"general purpose" browsers

The point is that you _can_ THINK about your browsing activity
o Just like Microsoft _thought_ about the QuickAccess toolbar

You can arrange your browsing activity within about a dozen areas.
o Then you use one browser for each arrangement

How you arrange your browsers will be different than how I arrange it
o Just like how my mobile device home screens are different from yours
ANDROID: <http://www.bild.me/bild.php?file=4246002homescreen01.jpg>
iOS: <http://www.bild.me/bild.php?file=8196701homescreen02.jpg>

The point is that you don't look at the question at the bottom level
o You don't ask "how many Internet sites do I visit? every day?"

So much as you ask the top-level question:
o How many types or classes of Internet sites do I visit every day?

Me?
o I log into about a quarter of a dozen Internet "social" type sites.
o And then I habitually visit another quarter of a dozen common sites.

That leaves about half a dozen browsers for the other types of sites.

Interestingly, I looked up how many web browsers exist for Windows.
o <https://www.webdevelopersnotes.com/browsers-for-windows>

There are 83 Windows "web browsers" on that page (not all are useful).
o Acoo Browser
o Amaya
o AOL Explorer
o Arora
o Avant Browser
o Baidu Browser
o Beonex Communicator
o Bitty Browser
o BriskBard
o Browse3D
o Chrome
o Chromium
o Citrio
o Coc Coc Browser
o CometBird
o Comodo Dragon
o Comodo IceDragon
o Conkeror
o Crazy Browser
o Crusta Browser
o Deepnet Explorer
o Dooble
o Edge
o Enigma Browser
o Epic
o Firefox (also known as Mozilla Firefox)
o Flock (web browser)
o GNU IceCat
o Grail
o GreenBrowser
o Internet Explorer
o Iron Browser
o K-Meleon
o KidRocket
o KidZui
o Konqueror
o Kylo
o Links
o linx
o Lobo Java Web Browser
o Lunascape
o Maxthon
o MenuBox
o Midori
o Nano
o NeoPlanet
o Netscape Navigator
o Nuke Browser
o Opera
o Otter Browser
o Pale Moon
o Pink browser
o Polarity Browser
o QtWeb
o QupZilla
o Rockmelt
o Safari
o SafeZone Browser
o SeaMonkey
o ShenzBrowser
o Sleipnir
o SlimBoat
o SlimBrowser
o Slimjet
o Sogou browser
o space time
o The Classic Browser
o Titan Browser
o Tor
o Torch Browser
o TT
o UC Browser
o Ultrabrowser
o Vivaldi
o Waterfox
o Wyzo media browser
o xB Browser
o xombrero
o Xtravo
o Yandex Browser
o ZAC Browser
o 360 Extreme Explorer
o 360 Security Browser

> Second, what do you do when you're on browser A and you want to click a
> link that would take you to a site that belongs to browser B? Do you
> copy the link and paste it into browser B?

This is _another_ apropos question. which I appreciate
o Since I'm still honing my overall overarching browser philosophy solution

Once you "log in" to anything, you have to take more precautions.
o You need fewer precautions (IMHO), if you don't log in.

The answer to the question varies with the type of site that I'm visiting.
o As an example, if I'm on a car forum site, I stay on _that_ forum.

If I need an external link, I use a _different_ browser to open it (usually).
o That different browser is usually the "general purpose" browser

Notice that the general-purpose browser doesn't know my "login".
o Also note the general purpose browser has the most wide-open settings.

The general purpose browser is for what you're talking about, I think.

But if I'm logged into a social networking site, I _stay_ only on that site.
o Bear in mind there are zillions of "hidden" links then tied to your login
o Which is why _that_ browser is one that is locked up more securely

And if I'm watching YouTube videos, I stay with that browser also.
o At least until the session is no longer needed

When I close a browser, it "forgets" as much as it can be set to forget.

Almost never do I need to "surf the net", where I'm still forming the
top-dozen "places" I visit with a browser, so I do admit that, while the
overarching philosophy is sound, I haven't gotten to the point of complete
organization (which generally takes a few years) like I have long ago done
with my Windows, Android, and iOS menus, folders, and app hierarchies.

> Third, what do you do when you're hovering over a link that you'd like
> to visit, but it's not a link for which you have a browser configured?
> Do you just say no, or do you go set up yet another browser?

Again, you ask EXCELLENT questions, all of which I need to think about,
philosophically, to fit into a well-honed browser security approach.

Offhand, I don't generally "hover", where what I do is I decide if I want
to go to a link, where if I want to, whether I use the _same_ browser I'm
in or whether I use the general purpose browser, is dependent mostly on
whether I've already logged in.

If I'm logged in, I _never_ use the same browser.
If I'm _already_ in the general-purpose browser, then I click away.

In fact, when I'm in the general purpose browser, I'm just like everyone
else, in that I don't use much (if any) precautions, other than all my
browsers are configured to deny the microphone, camera, payment system,
etc., and all are configured to dump as much as they can be configured for,
upon closing.

> Fourth, many people tend to revisit certain sites over and over, which
> would lend itself to your use model, but I'm guessing that the revisit
> percentage is somewhere around 30-70%. What do you do with the other
> 30-70% of sites that are new, never before visited, and only visited
> once?

All your questions are apropos, and thoughtfully presented.
o As you might guess, there is a general-purpose browser set up

The only critical rule in the general purpose browser is that "no login" is
ever allowed to be on that browser, ever. That's a hard rule.

In practice, it's kind of ironic that my general purpose browser is
generally set up to be the crappiest browser I have, which, as you might
imagine, is usually a "Windows" browser, bearing in mind there are only
three main classes of web browsers that I can think of:
o Mozilla-based browsers (e.g., Seamonkey, Palemoon, Icedragon, etc.)
o Chromium-based browsers (e.g., Opera, Epic, Brave, etc.)
o Windows-based browsers (e.g., Edge, IE, etc.)

Are there any other broad GUI classes?

> We have more questions, but we'll stop there to begin our evaluation
> into this new use model to see if it makes sense for us.

I very much appreciate your thoughtful questions, where I hope I put at
least as much energy into documenting the answers as you did in posing the
apropos questions.

I think the _key_ question is how do we ARRANGE or ORGANIZE our browsing?

Clearly I "organize" things, based on an overarching "philosophy", where
I'm almost never random (except when that's part of the philosophy), and
where the final organizational need arises slowly over time like a Stoke's
sedimentation structure.

With browsers, for example, we all started with Netscape (I think there was
one before that even, right?) in the days of "dogpile", and then we slowly
got more complex from there, when Netscape showed up, and then Microsoft
got into the game, and then a million other things happened like privacy
issues, each of which spawned another browser or five. :)

At this point, my question to everyone is HAVE YOU THOUGHT about what your
browser philosophy is?

In the initial analysis, I think a critical question to answer is:
o What classes of browser strategy exist out there?

For example:

Some people must be using a one-browser fits all, approach, right?
o Those people _need_ a Swiss Army Knife browser
o It doesn't do anything well - but it does everything.

Others use the customized browser approach (which is my goal)
o Any one browser is set up for only one class of browsing activity
o It does one thing well - and only one thing well (what it's set up for)

I'm sure there is an "in between" model, which is a Goldilocks approach
o They have _some_ secure browsers (set up for privacy)
o They have some general purpose browsers (set up for content viewing)

My question for the community at large...
o What are the FUNDAMANTAL browser philosophies we can choose from?

[Arlen Holder]

UPDATE:

To implement the philosophy of one browser per task, you would require
(AFAICT) from about a dozen to a score of reliable supported browsers.

To that end,below us an actionable detailed updated listing for 2020
browsers with full-installer links for most of common consumer platforms.
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.comp.freeware/krNaXA-YEbw>

Note the surprising details that were brought up in that thread from
purposefully helpful people that almost all the browsers work on almost all
the platforms; you just have to _find_ the links to the full offline
installers (which is the hard part) for each platform, (which we did over
the course of the past week, with the help from many helpful people).

The goal is twofold:
a. Save others' time archiving for 2020 the best supported browsers, and,
b. Enable many others to implement the one-browser-per-task philosophy.

This one-browser-per-task philosophy provides added security & privacy.
o Which is available to you for all five common consumer platforms.

For example, here's a screenshot of my updated Android browser hierarchy:
<https://i.postimg.cc/8cdTSVMn/browser01.jpg>
(Note Android & iOS have "Aloha" which is another so-called "VPN browser"
which doesn't seem to be on Windows/Linux; so it's not listed below.)

Here's the latest actionable update taking into account EVERY SUGGESTION!

8 Chromium based full offline network installers
o *Brave* (Main claim: Tab'able TOR?)(+ tricks for offline installer)
<https://brave.com/download/>
<https://brave-browser.readthedocs.io/en/latest/installing-brave.html#linux>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.brave.browser>
<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brave-private-web-browser/id1052879175>
Platforms: Windows, Linux, Android, & iOS
o *Chrome* (Main claim: Speed?)
<https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/?standalone=1>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.android.chrome>
<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chrome/id535886823>
Platforms: Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, & src
o *Chromium* (Main claim: Portability?)
<http://www.chromium.org/getting-involved/download-chromium>
Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac, & src (not Android or iOS)
o *Epic* (Main claim: Proxy privacy)
<https://epicbrowser.com/thank_you.php> (+ tricks for offline installer)
Platforms: Windows, & Mac
o *Iridium* (Main claim: Privacy/Security)
<https://iridiumbrowser.de/downloads/>
Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac (not Android or iOS)
o *Iron* (Main claim: No data collection)
<https://www.srware.net/iron/>
<https://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron_download.php>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.iron.srware>
Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac, & Android (no iOS)
o *Opera* (Main claim: Proxy privacy)(+ tricks for offline installer)
<https://www.opera.com/computer>
<https://www.srware.net/iron/>
<https://apps.apple.com/app/id1411869974>
Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac, Android (no proxy privacy on iOS)
o *Vivaldi* (Main claim: Flexibility & control)
<https://vivaldi.com/download/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vivaldi.browser>
Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac, & Android (no iOS)

7 Mozilla bases (Gecko?) full offline network installers
o *Firefox* (Main claim: General purpose?)
<https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.mozilla.firefox>
<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/firefox-private-safe-browser/id989804926>
Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, iOS, & src
o *IceDragon* (Main claim: Speed with FF Compatibility)
<https://icedragon.comodo.com/>
Platforms: Windows (32 bit only) (not Linux, Mac, Android, or iOS)
o *IceWeasel* (Main claim: Debranded Firefox)
<https://sourceforge.net/projects/iw4win/>
<https://pkgs.org/download/iceweasel>
Platforms: Windows, Linux (not Mac, Android, or iOS)
o *PaleMoon* (Main claim: No data collection?)
<https://www.palemoon.org/download.shtml>
<http://linux.palemoon.org/>
Platforms: Windows, & Linux, & src (not Mac, Android, or iOS)
o *SeaMonkey* (Main claim: All-in-One functionality?)
<https://www.seamonkey-project.org/releases/#2.49.5>
Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac, & src (not Android or iOS)
o *Tor Browser Bundle* (Main claim: Anonymity)
<https://www.torproject.org/download/languages/>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.torproject.torbrowser>
Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, & src (no TBB privacy on iOS)
o *WaterFox* (Main claim: No data collection)
<https://www.waterfox.net/releases/>
Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac, & Android (not iOS)

2 Microsoft based full offline network installers
o *Edge* (Main claim: Ubiquitous on Windows, apparently chromium based)
<https://microsoftedgewelcome.microsoft.com/home/en-us/?FORM=MH14YU&wt.mc_id=MH14YU>
<https://mspoweruser.com/edge-for-linux/>
<https://www.microsoftedgeinsider.com/en-us/download>
<https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/microsoft-edge-mobile>
Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, & iOS)
o *Internet Explorer* (Main claim: Ubiquitous on Windows, depracated)
<https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/18520/download-internet-explorer-11-offline-installer>
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Explorer_for_UNIX>
Platforms: Windows & Linux (not Mac, Android, or iOS)

1 Apple based full offline network installer
o *Safari* (Main claim: Ubiquitous on Apple products)
<https://support.apple.com/downloads/safari>
<https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204416>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.torproject.torbrowser>
Platforms: Windows (outdated), Mac & iOS (not Linux, or Android)

4 Independent privacy-based full offline network installers
o *FreeGate* (Main claim: anti censorship)
<http://www.dit-inc.us/freegate.html>
<http://us.dongtaiwang.com/loc/download.en.php>
Platforms: Windows (not Linux, Mac, Android, or iOS)
o *Polarity* (Main claim: Efficiency due to Trident/Chromium)
<https://sourceforge.net/projects/polaritybrowser/files/>
<https://sourceforge.net/projects/polaritybrowser/files/polaritybrowser.apk>
Platforms: Windows & Android (not Linux, Mac, or iOS)
o *Avant* (Main claim: 3 rendering engines, IE, Chrome, Gecko)
<http://www.avantbrowser.com/download.aspx>
Platforms: Windows (not Linux, Mac, Android, or iOS)
o *UltraSurf* (Main claim: anti censorship)
<http://www.ultrasurf.us/download/>
<http://www.ultrasurf.us/download/u.apk>
Platforms: Windows & Android (not Linux, Mac, or iOS)

As always, please improve so that, on every platform, there are at least a
dozen to a score of browsers with links to the full offline installers, so
that everyone benefits from every additional item of useful value.

--
See also these URLs which don't have the full offline installer links.
o *Usage share of web browsers*
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_web_browsers>
o *List of web browsers*
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_web_browsers>
o *Comparison of web browsers*
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_web_browsers>
o *List of web browsers for Unix and Unix-like operating systems*
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_web_browsers_for_Unix_and_Unix-like_operating_systems>
o *Lightweight browsers*
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_lightweight_web_browsers>

[Arlen Holder]

UPDATE:

Based on information in this thread today:
o Firefox 72.0.1 fixes a security vulnerability that is actively exploited
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.os.linux/gz_Q2x9uawA>

And, given the main reason for needing so many browsers is twofold
a. Enable users to more easily install any browser they want, or,
b. Enable the one-browser-per-task philosophy
o Discussion of two different privacy-related browser philosophies
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.comp.freeware/H4694--5znY/LOOCa11RBgAJ>

As opposed to the swiss-army-knife-browser philosophy that most people seem
to use, in the *one-browser-per-task philosophy*, each browser is set up
specifically to allow the _minimum permissions possible for that task_.

While we're on the subject, there are two more privacy tricks, one of which
came up in this thread today about killswitches:
o Looking for and InternetOff like program for Linux
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.comp.freeware/7EAW3bfdS18>

Which is to set the _default_ browser to any of the _proxy_ browsers, which
protects your privacy when links are automatically popped up (e.g., when
installing software, particularly on Windows, as I haven't seen a browser
pop up after a software installation on Linux).

Another related privacy based issue is that you can set the startup tabs to
allow privacy-based actions, such as:
o Chrome-based browsers: chrome://settings/clearBrowserData
o Mozilla-based browsers: about:preferences#privacy (is there better?)
o Microsoft-based browsers: ?
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.comp.freeware/jxtXrrjmWVE/P_aTEDsgBAAJ>

Notice that I can't find yet a better way to make it a single click for
Mozilla-based browsers or Microsoft based browsers to wipe out the cookies
on demand.
--
Purposefully helpful adults gather on Usenet to share items of value.

[Arlen Holder]

On Fri, 10 Jan 2020 17:14:49 -0000 (UTC), Arlen Holder wrote:

> Another related privacy based issue is that you can set the startup tabs to
> allow privacy-based actions, such as:
> o Chrome-based browsers: chrome://settings/clearBrowserData
> o Mozilla-based browsers: about:preferences#privacy (is there better?)
> o Microsoft-based browsers: ?
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.comp.freeware/jxtXrrjmWVE/P_aTEDsgBAAJ>

How do you set up Microsoft browsers to open to a "delete history" tab?

I don't know.

This is, apparently, one manual way to delete cookies on the Microsoft
browsers, but it's impractical in the sense of startup tabs.

Start > run > control (which brings up the Control Panel)
Control Panel\Network and Internet\Internet Options\Delete browsing history and cookies\Delete\Delete

[Arlen Holder]

ADDENDUM:

BTW, how's this "privacy" based browser methodology for downloading freeware?
1. You need to be on the Internet of course, to download freeware
(or use your archives with the killswitch turned on)

2. Then you visit only the canonical site (e.g., not the sharing sites!)
where you can use Tor Browser Bundle (or perhaps a privacy search engine)
to _find_ the canonical links to the freeware (if you don't have the links
already listed in your software archives).

3. You visit that canonical link with a _different_ proxy-based browser
than the one you used for your search, where that different proxy-based
browser needs to be fast (Linix won't have them all - Windows will):
(I use Epic to download software 'cuz it's the fastest with or without VPN)

4. Then once you download the software, you can hit the killswitch
<https://www.liquidvpn.com/vpn-kill-switches/>
(but I don't generally bother). Instead, I just install the software.

5. Lots of freeware phones home after the install, where almost all
use the default browser, so you should have the default browser set
to a proxy browser (which can be slow, where slow is to your
advantage 'cuz it allows you time to realize it's happening.
Hence I use Opera but TBB would also work as it's even slower.

Notice that gives you three browsers to keep your privacy intact a bit.
A. Tor Browser to _find_ the canonical software (or Brave).
B. Epic privacy browser to _download_ the canonical software.
C. Opera privacy browser to _intercept_ the "phone home" links.
(Or just go on VPN but your default browser must NEVER save cookies!)
(Or just use a killswitch but some software STILL phones home the first time!)

The point is to mix up the browsers to try to limit data amalgamation,
all of which are proxy browsers of some sort (TBB, Opera, Epic, Brave):
o Discussion of two different privacy-related browser philosophies
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.comp.freeware/H4694--5znY/LOOCa11RBgAJ>
--
Usenet allows purposefully helpful adults to publicly assist each other.

[Arlen Holder]

UPDATE:

One reason for using a variety of browsers each set up for one type of task
is to foil fingerprinting efforts in order to preserve privacy on the net.

To that end, please see this comprehensive listing of the full offline
installer locations for all the well known freeware multiplatform browsers:
o Do we have (yet) an actionable list of all free Windows & Linux
web browsers (and the path to the full offline network installers)?
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.comp.freeware/krNaXA-YEbw/w8QTIPIuBwAJ>

In addition, to foil location fingerprinting, please see this new thread
this week on randomization of your browser timezone via automatic &
graphical means:
o Tutorial for randomizing your timezone in the background & with a GUI
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.msdos.batch/0EE2VwfKwYc/fjh7tvLpAAAJ>

For example, this illustrates the proof of concept of the GUI & background:
o <https://i.postimg.cc/5NLJCznK/tz03.jpg>
o <https://i.postimg.cc/Gh62bnq0/tz04.jpg>
--
Every Usenet thread should add on-topic technical tribal knowledge value.

[Arlen Holder]

Yet another privacy/security reason to avoid browser extensions altogether.

o *Massive spying on users of Google's Chrome shows new security weakness*
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.comp.freeware/2slp7HQ2RNg>

[Arlen Holder]

UPDATE:

For those who want as many as three Microsoft Windows browsers to work
concurrently in Windows 10, you simply need to know a handful of tricks.
<https://i.postimg.cc/PrcV1pXF/browser06.jpg>

With a few tricks, you can easily use all three browsers concurrently:
a. Internet explorer
b. Old legacy Microsoft Edge UWB classic
c. New Chromium-based Microsoft Edge
<https://i.postimg.cc/QN6rbSQD/browser05.jpg>

Where your WinXP-style cascade menu can point to all three concurrently:
o <https://i.postimg.cc/PrcV1pXF/browser06.jpg>

1. Here is my screenshot of C:\app\ where browsers are of varied types:
o <https://i.postimg.cc/jqvR1RrG/browser01.jpg>

2. Below that, are the "types" of browsers, one of which is http
o <https://i.postimg.cc/xdrQmCKb/browser02.jpg>

3. Inside of http shows four fundamental browser code bases:
(chromium based, mozilla based, independents, & microsoft based)
o <https://i.postimg.cc/Y9MwXsDr/browser03.jpg>

4. Inside the Microsoft code base are the three MS Windows 10 browsers:
(internet explorer, old legacy Edge UWB classic, new Edge Chrome)
o <https://i.postimg.cc/4y3RGhTj/browser04.jpg>

Looking at the M$ *.lnk shortcuts, these are the TARGETS to each:
a. Internet Explorer
TARGET: "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"
b. Old legacy Edge UWB classic
TARGET: %windir%\explorer.exe shell:Appsfolder\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge
c. New Edge Chrome
TARGET: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe"

Entering those commands into the Win+R Run box brings up each browser:
a. InternetExplorer: Gear icon > About Internet Explorer
Version 11.959.18362.0 (Update version 11.0.200)
b. Edge UWB: Elipses > Settings > General > About this app
Version Microsoft Edge 44.18362.449.0
Version Microsoft EdgeHTML 18.18363
c. Edge Chrome: Elipses > Settings > About Microsoft Edge
Version 84.0.522.50 (Official build) (64-bit)

Note that you can choose which Edge browser, also, if you like:
o Win+R > microsoft-edge://

In the end, these simple tricks allow all three to work concurrently:
<https://i.postimg.cc/PrcV1pXF/browser06.jpg>

While Internet Explorer, AFAIK, is unaffected when installilng the new Edge.
o "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"
<https://i.postimg.cc/PrcV1pXF/browser06.jpg

As far as I know, unless you change two registry keys, whenever Edge Chrome
is installed, the old Edge legacy classic UWB is "hidden" automatically.
o Edge Chrome:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe"
o Edge UWB:
%windir%\explorer.exe shell:Appsfolder\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge

AFAIK, the old Edge comes back the instant you delete the new Edge,
but in most Windows 10 systems, you can't delete the new Edge
(the control panel and systems add/remove programs is grayed out).

However, if you know the trick below, you can easily delete it!
o C:\> cd C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\84.0.522.50\Installer\
o C:\> setup.exe --uninstall --system-level --force-uninstall --verbose-logging
<https://i.postimg.cc/2SzGQkQZ/archive-installer.jpg>

Note that the given logging option is optional and that the directory name
(in my case, it's the current version 84.0.522.50) will change over time
because it's based on the version of new Edge that you have installed.

You need this trick because the "Uninstall" is grayed out in the GUI.

But the new Edge will come back with the next Windows Update, unless you
know two more tricks, which are registry keys to change to allow peace &
harmony among Edges (and yet another trick, which is the timing of it all).
o <https://i.postimg.cc/QN6rbSQD/browser05.jpg>

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate]
"DoNotUpdateToEdgeWithChromium"=dword:00000001

And

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate]
"Allowsxs"=dword:00000001

The former prevents Windows Update from stepping on your browser of choice,
and the latter allows peaceful coexistence of the two Edges concurrently.

All this is AFAIK, as I've only done it once, on one machine, so I ask
others who test it out to clarify, correct, and continue to add value.
--
Usenet is a wonderful polite public potluck of useful adult discussions

[Arlen Holder]

Update

In order to use the multi-browser philosophy, you need lots of browsers:

As always, to cross reference the Usenet permanent record so that it's
easier for othres to find tutorials and solutions, here are two tutorials,
each of which took me hours to figure out, create, and test on multiple
machines, which will benefit others who want to install all _three_
Microsoft browsers side by side simultaneously, even after subsequent
Windows updates:

o Tutorial to set up 3 Microsoft web browsers
(Edge UWB, new Edge, & Internet Explorer)
to work concurrently coexisting peacefully
even after subsequent Windows Updates
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.comp.freeware/fZlJTYRxYFg>

The first tutorial in that thread assumes people made the mistake of
installing the new (Chrome) Edge, which hides the old Edge (by default).
o <https://i.postimg.cc/PrcV1pXF/browser06.jpg>

The second tutorial in that thread assumes you are setting up a new
Windows 10 machine, where it assumes you still have the old Legacy Edge.
o <https://i.postimg.cc/q7VC5YXV/microsoft-browsers01.jpg>

As always, please improve so that all benefit from every Usenet post.
--
Usenet is a public web-searchable repository of useful hints & tutorials.

[Arlen Holder]

Update:
*Did I miss any commonly available freeware web browsers?*

For an example of setting up all your browsers in an organized fashion:
o Discussion of two different privacy-related browser philosophies
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.comp.freeware/H4694--5znY>

For example: <https://i.postimg.cc/Mpwvz1pF/browser09.jpg>

*Did I miss any commonly available freeware web browsers?*

For how to set up all three M$ browsers simultaneously, see this tutorial:

o Tutorial to set up 3 Microsoft web browsers (Edge UWB, new Edge, & Internet Explorer) to work concurrently coexisting peacefully even after subsequent Windows Updates
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.comp.freeware/fZlJTYRxYFg>

For example: <https://i.postimg.cc/q7VC5YXV/microsoft-browsers01.jpg>
--
Usenet is a rich public web-searchable archive of solutions & tutorials.

[Peter Köhlmann]

Arlen Holder wrote:

> Update:
> *Did I miss any commonly available freeware web browsers?*

Idiot. You are not even smart enough to see that your completely clueless
"discussions" are in the wrong groups. But then, you are a wintendo luser.
And of those one of the dumbest

[Arlen Holder]

Update:

In order to implement the multi-browser privacy philosophy,
you need a bunch of browsers (duh), and, more so, in addition,
you might need a few privacy browsers (as defined by "proxy").

To that end, please improve upon this newly compiled set of browsers today:
o What free, ad free, account free, free unlimited bandwidth VPN (aka proxy) browsers do you know of?
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/MXJLCPCS5vI>
--
As always, posted out of the goodness of my heart, to help others.
(Please add value by improving this information so all benefit.)