What internet browser to replace iceweasel/firefox?

[swirler]

The major problem with iceweasel/firefox, if there is any difference, is that now closed-source bits are allowed. In another thread, it was said that amazon.com is allowed to automatically connect, probably to track users for their advertising purposes.(...)

How is this happening? Are you referring to the default web search plugins that ship with Firefox/Iceweasel (amongst which there is indeed amazon) or something else entirely?

I knew about the so callled "amazon lens" in Ubuntu, I've never heard (so far) of other similar tracking mechanisms built into other distros, let alone Debian.

[edbarx]

Currently, there is a war on web-surfers who filter or block ad content. An article on bbc.com was recently published which corroborates the feelings of many that the same thing is happening with GNU/Linux users of whatever distribution. Time will, as usual, tell who is right and who is wrong. So, why all the turmoil?

User control helps those who want to personalise their web-experience, especially those who want to filter advertising: this means, the war consists of limiting and complicating user oriented configurations. The excuse is definitely business: the pseudo-objective of having beginners not complain about GNU/Linux being too difficult comes as a secondary consequence.

Since, I use a large number of Debian maintained packages both in source and compiled form, I must be a Debian user, regardless of whether I actively use an insignificant subset of packages. Debian users who use window managers or just a terminal are still Debian users although they don't use Gnome or KDE. So, why should it be different with systemd?

[swirler]

I won't be arguing with any of the above...
But, back to the point :

in another thread, it was said that amazon.com is allowed to automatically connect, probably to track users for their advertising purposes.(...)

can you maybe post the link to such discussion?

I'm not saying it is not the case, on the contrary since Mozilla switched to aws/amazon servers or whatever they are called, looks to me that the browser is contacting such servers for stuff like updates, addon updates and other "background" services more often than before: is this what you were referring to, or is there something creepier that I should know about ... you know, reading "amazon.com is allowed to automatically connect" brings up memories of Ubuntu's amazon lens, something I don't count on encountering in Debian.

[jobine702]

Im surprised no one here has mentioned chromium, i just use the version from the repos and it does the job just fine...

Is it google spyware? Probably. But its FOSS google spyware

[keithpeter]

Hello All

I'm using the surf Web browser under dwm and/or wm2.

I can invoke surf from dmenu with an -s argument so switching JavaScript off for some uses.

I use a hosts file to block many of the clickbait farm advertising sites so things are calmer.

All on a Jessie minimal system, currently with binary package installed (see note up the screen about security updates for webkit based browsers other than Chrome). I'm looking at recompiling either surf or dmenu to change the size of font used for internal commands (smaller than the dwm font I have set in config.h and annoyingly small).

Overall effect is very minimal and it makes me less likely to browse away down rabbit holes for hours.