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Comment by rodh | Hacker News Reader

Firefox is my add-on browser. Chrome is my lightweight browser. If I'm quickly checking my email I won't fire up firefox, I'll stick with my low-footprint chrome. If I want to do some web development, or know I'll be spending a while browsing, I'll use firefox. In other words, the lack of extensions on my chrome setup is the reason I use it (when I use it)

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This is my setup exactly. Chrome is like the sports car, fast as, very zippy, but isn't all that comfortable.

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.

I don't use Chrome extensions. I used to use a lot of FF add-ons, but when I switched to using Ubuntu over Windows I don't think I reinstalled any apart from Firebug.

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"?

For Chrome:

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...

The two extensions which I can't live without are:

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).

I like your analogy. Firefox is still a memory hog.

It seems to me that Firefox uses less memory now than Chrome with 30 tabs open.

For web development the Chrome developer tools are very good. Frankly I can't seen myself living without them now.

You should really give Firebug a try then ;-) Not that Chrome's dev tools are bad, but Firebug is terrific

That's the point though I guess. Why use a different browser and install an extension when you have great tools built-in to your default browser?

This is just opinion, but: I wouldn't consider chrome tools great if I was comparing them to firebug. I find development on any other browser very cumbersome.

What things in Firebug do you prefer over Chrome? Genuinely interested.

I actually just opened it to try and remember what annoyed me. It's really the UX which I just don't think is as good: feature-wise it's pretty similar.

(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.

What particular features do you find Firebug better at? Last time I was working with Firebug I don't remember it having a profiler and very easy to use debugger. I might have missed it.

Not sure what you mean. Visual debugger (with breakpoints and all) in FireBug is almost on par with IDEs.

I used to swear by Firebug, but these days it actually feels sluggish compared to the Chrome dev tools.

EXACTLY my setup. Just compare how much more powerful "iMacros for Firefox" is compared to "iMacros for Chrome" (web browser macro recorder). Same for Firebug. The chrome API has still too many restrictions to make truly useful "system level" addons.

It's funny you put it like that. Opera is my main browser, Chrome is my heavy/with addons browser.

You're doing it wrong.

How so?

Same as mine. Except I have Silver Bird, Gmail Checker Plus and Tidy Read.

Checking your email in a browser?

I can't be arsed with all that. Takes too much effort switching around.

I have FF5, Firebug, FireQuery, YSlow and Adblock. That is all I need.

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