85% Firefox Users Use Add-ons, Only 33% Chrome Users Use Extensions
browserfame.com
browserfame.com
Also you need to factor in differences in the standard feature sets of the two browsers. As a developer the first thing I add to a new FF install is Firebug, but a chunk of that functionality seems to be built-in to Chrome. Some behavioral differences may explain some of the difference too: if Chrome already defaults to the behavior someone used an add-in for in FF then they won't need an extension to tweak the UI.
Further to that people associate FF primarily with add-in flexibility and Chrome primarily with speed - so this perception divides the audience before they even have one of them installed and if you a particular because of its flexible plug-in support and wide range of them available then you are more likely to be the sort of person that has a few installed than someone who chose a particular browser specifically for speed.
FYI: I tend to use Firefox more than anything else, but use Chrome/Chromium for one or two script intensive apps and for its convenient "incognito" mode (both for when others want to login to their webmail/facebook/what-ever quickly on my netbook without leaving traces or logging me out of my account, and for ahem other things).
Firefox is the big, chew-a-lot-of-petrol car with the cruise control, A/C and big comfortable seats. Takes a long time to get up to speed, but it's good for the long drives.
Now I feel like a Luddite, so do you or any HNers have any suggestions for useful add-ons or extensions that are "good for the long drives"?
Lastpass: https://rodan.lastpass.com/lpchrome_bin.crx
Rapportive: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hihakjfhbmlmjdnnhe...
Facebook Disconnect: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ejpepffjfmamnambag...
Adblock: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gighmmpiobklfepjoc...
Readability (Redux): https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/jggheggpdocamneaac...
And yes, I disable ABP for sites that I visit frequently (who have responsible advertising).
(a) It's a lot more cluttered, (b) the UI components which are used are cumbersome: for example the right panel on firebug has a tab at the top while the alternative in chrome isn't as space conscious, (c) icons everywhere which just waste space, (d) I am not sure how to create new CSS properties to attach attributes to, (e) options which aren't obvious to me "Break on sub-tree modifications" -- what will this do?
I could go on. It doesn't feel as responsive as firebug and ultimately firebug just helps me do the most basic tasks as quickly as possible. When I use Chrome I feel confused by the UI, it's difficult to do certain basic things and there are extra features which I don't understand.
I have FF5, Firebug, FireQuery, YSlow and Adblock. That is all I need.
In contrast, my Chrome extension has been pretty static in usage - for me to see any hikes I'm actually going to have to hustle and market it. Firefox lets me kick back, be lazy, and helps me with branding it.
Seriously, you can see the differences of the API installing the Web Developer Toolbar on both browsers. If you get used to work with it on Firefox and switch to the Chrome's version you'll notice you are missing some tools. Even basic ones-- like deleting cookies.
In other words if you don't use extensions a lot, perhaps you are more likely to switch browsers.
And while I have no reason to believe I am representative, I don't tend to accumulate Firefox extensions the way I, say, accumulate iOS apps. There are advantages in culling, and new releases offer a frequent opportunity to do so.
For example, I doubt Vimperator/Pterodactyl is possible on Chrome, and that's a killer feature for me.
There are actually sort of similar addons for Chrome. Vimium has the keyboard navigation, but the full command line and customization is completely gone. It's basically just for keyboard navigation, and last time I checked, that was a little weird with Chrome's focus models (something about hitting escape and it working with my muscle memory; I don't recall exactly).
Right, thanks!
>There are actually sort of similar addons for Chrome. Vimium has the keyboard navigation, but the full command line and customization is completely gone. It's basically just for keyboard navigation, and last time I checked, that was a little weird with Chrome's focus models (something about hitting escape and it working with my muscle memory; I don't recall exactly).
Yeah, I use much more than that. I've "installed" a Vimperator script to control NoScript in the Command mode, I use quickmarks, macros and the :js command with interactive tab completion is very useful.
Firefox feature-heavy and complex, a sort of web swiss knife.
While they are evolving towards implementing each other's strengths (Firefox more streamlined, Chrome more feature-laden) they kind of stay true to their origins.
I tend to use Chrome a lot more, but I always keep Firefox installed and updated as well.
And I would be glad if it could come back to this original intent: on my rather underpowered laptop I use mostly Chrome and Safari, Firefox is just way too slow.
The MS incident was not a plugin (see link) so one cannot assume that all things quietly installed are plugins.
"Add-ons" encompass extensions, themes, NPAPI plugins, and sometimes searchbar engines, depending on how the speaker regards them.
I feel that's much more useful than syncing extensions, as those can be machine dependant (i.e. i wouldn't want the same layout modifications with firefox on my tiny netbook screen that i do on my desktop)
Maybe people aren't as comfortable with the chrome extensions page? Maybe there just aren't as many add-ons for chrome?
Btw, if you upgrade to FF4, will it bring the add-ons with it from the previous version? My guess would be it does..
Are these 85% using add-ons because the add-ons are cooler? or because firefox just isn't as flexible/powerful out of the box?
Maybe Firefox could have some way to have a cross-browser extensions standard to prevent integration concerns?