Anybody else using Vivaldi?

[John C.]

I installed Vivaldi to see what it's like. There are some things that
seem objectionable in addition to it being based on Chromium.

In the "C:\Users\(user account)" folder, there's a file named
".vivaldi_reporting_data". In it, there's the following information:

{"description":"This file contains data used for counting users. If you
are worried about privacy implications, please see
https://help.vivaldi.com/article/how-we-count-our-users/","installation_time":"(redacted)","next_daily_ping":"(redacted)","next_monthly_ping":"(redacted)","next_semestrial_ping":"(redacted)","next_trimestrial_ping":"(redacted)","next_weekly_ping":"(redacted)","next_yearly_ping":"(redacted)","pings_since_last_month":3,"unique_user_id":"(you'd
better believe I redacted this one)"}

The website mentioned above:

https://help.vivaldi.com/desktop/privacy/how-we-count-our-users/

says:
_________________________________________________________________________
Starting with Vivaldi 2.7, user counting was changed to gradually drop
the use of unique IDs.

- For now an additional request to our user counting endpoint is made.
This request is similar to the old one and includes the unique ID, but
contains additional parameters that will be used by the new unique
ID-free implementation.
- A few versions later, the old user counting request will be removed.
- Even later, the unique ID will be eliminated from the new request
altogether. We will keep generating it locally to aid with counting on
computers with several Vivaldi installations, but it will only be used
locally.

The code used to generate the new request is written entirely in C++ and
will be published with our source releases, allowing you to check that
the code does what we claim it does.
_________________________________________________________________________

If this is true, and I guess if I was a programmer I would be able to
determine this. The unique_user_id eventually should go away, but for
now it's very much present.

There seems to be a bug in the browser where one runs into an inability
to fully edit toolbars. Since I just installed the program and have set
up no extensions and only made allowable changes to the settings, the
bug is, to say the least, frustrating.

I wanted to get help with this problem, but it seems that in order to
post to their help forum (about the only way to discuss this bug) is to
create a Vivaldi account. This is unacceptable to me because to do so
requires providing my age, which is none of their business. One of their
policies demands that I provide correct information, so lying about it
may not be a good idea.

Too bad, because it looked like Vivaldi might be a good alternative to
Firefox.

Oh yeah, since the available extensions are limited to the Chrome Web
Store, what's available there is just a bunch of frivolous garbage.
There isn't even an "Appearance" category there.

Now to see if the program will uninstall thoroughly. I very much doubt
that this will be the situation though.

--
John C. BS206. No ad, CD, cripple, demo, nag, pay, pirated, share, spy,
time-limited, trial or web wares for me please.

I block (filter out) messages posted to this group:
-through Google Groups (source of most of spam posted here)
-through Uzoreto (AKA "Vipernews", source of other spam posted here)
-cross-posted messages (sent to multiple newsgroups at a time)
-from several common trolls (egs. "al", "Bucky Breeder").

[John C.]

Well, it seems that (like Firefox) the latest version of Vivaldi won't
run on Windows 7. This means that filing a bug report would have done no
good anyway.

[AllanH]

On 8/5/2023 4:49 AM, John C. wrote:

> John C. wrote:
>> There seems to be a bug in the browser where one runs into an inability
>> to fully edit toolbars. Since I just installed the program and have set
>> up no extensions and only made allowable changes to the settings, the
>> bug is, to say the least, frustrating.
>>
>> I wanted to get help with this problem, but it seems that in order to
>> post to their help forum (about the only way to discuss this bug) is to
>> create a Vivaldi account. This is unacceptable to me because to do so
>> requires providing my age, which is none of their business. One of their
>> policies demands that I provide correct information, so lying about it
>> may not be a good idea.
>>
>> Too bad, because it looked like Vivaldi might be a good alternative to
>> Firefox.
>>
>> Oh yeah, since the available extensions are limited to the Chrome Web
>> Store, what's available there is just a bunch of frivolous garbage.
>> There isn't even an "Appearance" category there.
>>
>> Now to see if the program will uninstall thoroughly. I very much doubt
>> that this will be the situation though.
>
> Well, it seems that (like Firefox) the latest version of Vivaldi won't
> run on Windows 7. This means that filing a bug report would have done no
> good anyway.
>

"On Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, Vivaldi 5.6 is the last
supported version."
https://help.vivaldi.com/desktop/install-update/install-the-vivaldi-browser/

John, if you're still willing to give a Vivaldi a try, you can download
Version 5.6 from the Download Archive.
https://vivaldi.com/download/archive/?platform=win

[Mick Finnlay]

"John C." <r9j...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> a lot about Vivaldi

I do most of my browsing with Pale Moon and use Vivaldi for those sites
that are too careless or too stupid to implement functioning HTML5 pages
(and LibreWolf for those which, even under Vivaldi, don't work
correctly... they do exist).

And I am pretty paranoid re doing backups, security and privacy but I've
seen no reason so far to keep away from Vivaldi. It's by no means
perfect but it's IMO among the best (and most flexible) of an admittedly
not overly great bunch of browsers based on Chromium.

From the way you phrased your post, I assume Vivaldi is not for you. In
fact, I think the browser for you doesn't (and will never) exist.

--
Mick

[GB]

In article <cg8scitf07bqva7a7...@smokescreen.eof>,
Mick.F...@yopmail.com says...

>
> I do most of my browsing with Pale Moon and use Vivaldi for those
sites
> that are too careless or too stupid to implement functioning HTML5 pages
> (and LibreWolf for those which, even under Vivaldi, don't work
> correctly... they do exist).

+1

[TPayne]

+1

[John C.]

Thanks, but I've already archived the installer for that version. In
fact, although I uninstalled the program this morning, after doing so I
remembered why I put it on my system in the first place. It was because
an important website wasn't working properly with Firefox and I need a
backup browser to view that website.

[John C.]

Mick Finnlay wrote:

I'm currently using Firefox. Unlike a lot of end users, I put a lot of
work into configuration of my OS, my browser, etc. When shit changes,
it's a major paradigm shift for me and I don't have a lot of time to
deal with crap like that. Different people have different needs. I am
not you.

[John C.]

WTF??? What fucking business is it of either YOURS or Mick's what I do?
Who the fuck are you? Why the fuck should I give a flying shit what
either of you think? >80(>

[al]

On 8/5/2023 8:26 PM, John C. wrote:
> TPayne wrote:
>> On 8/5/2023 6:30 AM, Mick Finnlay wrote:
>>> "John C." <r9j...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> a lot about Vivaldi
>>>
>>> I do most of my browsing with Pale Moon and use Vivaldi for those sites
>>> that are too careless or too stupid to implement functioning HTML5 pages
>>> (and LibreWolf for those which, even under Vivaldi, don't work
>>> correctly... they do exist).
>>>
>>> And I am pretty paranoid re doing backups, security and privacy but I've
>>> seen no reason so far to keep away from Vivaldi. It's by no means
>>> perfect but it's IMO among the best (and most flexible) of an admittedly
>>> not overly great bunch of browsers based on Chromium.
>>>
>>>  From the way you phrased your post, I assume Vivaldi is not for you. In
>>> fact, I think the browser for you doesn't (and will never) exist.
>>>
>> +1
>
> WTF??? What fucking business is it of either YOURS or Mick's what I do?
> Who the fuck are you? Why the fuck should I give a flying shit what
> either of you think? >80(>
>

And YentaJohnC goes bananas...

[Mick Finnlay]

"John C." <r9j...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I'm currently using Firefox. Unlike a lot of end users, I put a lot of
> work into configuration of my OS, my browser, etc. When shit changes,
> it's a major paradigm shift for me and I don't have a lot of time to
> deal with crap like that.

I fully understand that. In fact, the main reason why I dumped Firefox
years and years ago was their repeated changing of stuff that worked
perfectly well and IMO needed no great attention... exactly because
those changes often meant a lot of work for those users who fine-tune
and care about their configuration... as I do.

> Different people have different needs.

Indeed. Did you jump to a conclusion that Vivaldi users in general (or
perhaps simply me in particular) are unwilling to invest the amount of
time you invest(ed) in configuring their browser? If so, you are
mistaken. One reason why I prefer Vivaldi, *if I have to use a
Chromium-based browser*, is precisely its configurability.

> I am not you.

Thank god.

--
Mick

[John C.]

Fuck off, Mick. Welcome to my killfile.

--
John C. BS206. No ad, CD, cripple, demo, nag, pay, pirated, share, spy,
time-limited, trial or web wares for me please.

I block (filter out) messages posted to this group:
-through Google Groups (source of most of spam posted here)
-through Uzoreto (AKA "Vipernews", source of other spam posted here)
-cross-posted messages (sent to multiple newsgroups at a time)

-from several common trolls (egs. "al", "Bucky Breeder", Mick, etc.).

[al]

On 8/6/2023 8:29 AM, John C. wrote:
> Mick Finnlay wrote:
>> "John C." <r9j...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I'm currently using Firefox. Unlike a lot of end users, I put a lot of
>>> work into configuration of my OS, my browser, etc. When shit changes,
>>> it's a major paradigm shift for me and I don't have a lot of time to
>>> deal with crap like that.
>>
>> I fully understand that. In fact, the main reason why I dumped Firefox
>> years and years ago was their repeated changing of stuff that worked
>> perfectly well and IMO needed no great attention... exactly because
>> those changes often meant a lot of work for those users who fine-tune
>> and care about their configuration... as I do.
>>
>>> Different people have different needs.
>>
>> Indeed. Did you jump to a conclusion that Vivaldi users in general (or
>> perhaps simply me in particular) are unwilling to invest the amount of
>> time you invest(ed) in configuring their browser? If so, you are
>> mistaken. One reason why I prefer Vivaldi, *if I have to use a
>> Chromium-based browser*, is precisely its configurability.
>>
>>> I am not you.
>>
>> Thank god.
>>
> Fuck off, Mick. Welcome to my killfile.

Will YentaJohnC QUIT alt.comp.freeware AGAIN? His temper seems to be
getting the best of him.

[John C.]

John C. wrote:
> Mick Finnlay wrote:

>> John C. wrote:
>>>
>>> I'm currently using Firefox. Unlike a lot of end users, I put a lot of
>>> work into configuration of my OS, my browser, etc. When shit changes,
>>> it's a major paradigm shift for me and I don't have a lot of time to
>>> deal with crap like that.
>>
>> I fully understand that. In fact, the main reason why I dumped Firefox
>> years and years ago was their repeated changing of stuff that worked
>> perfectly well and IMO needed no great attention... exactly because
>> those changes often meant a lot of work for those users who fine-tune
>> and care about their configuration... as I do.

Then we agree on that.

>>> Different people have different needs.
>>
>> Indeed. Did you jump to a conclusion that Vivaldi users in general (or
>> perhaps simply me in particular) are unwilling to invest the amount of
>> time you invest(ed) in configuring their browser? If so, you are
>> mistaken. One reason why I prefer Vivaldi, *if I have to use a
>> Chromium-based browser*, is precisely its configurability.

No, I did not, of course. Only that some do. Your question was
facetious. And although Vivaldi is configurable, I experienced problems
configuring the Panel toolbar with a fresh, unmodified install of
version 5.6.2867.62.

>>> I am not you.
>>
>> Thank god.

Indeed.

> Fuck off, Mick. Welcome to my killfile.

After re-reading your reply, I'll admit that nothing you said was that
horrible so I'll continue to read your posts.

--
John C. BS206. No ad, CD, cripple, demo, nag, pay, pirated, share, spy,
time-limited, trial or web wares for me please.

I block (filter out) messages posted to this group:
-through Google Groups (source of most of spam posted here)
-through Uzoreto (AKA "Vipernews", source of other spam posted here)
-cross-posted messages (sent to multiple newsgroups at a time)

-from several common trolls (egs. "al", "Bucky Breeder", etc.)