Hate the Chromy’ness of Brave, but as a Lifelong IE user, it’s getting to the point where I need to move to a new primary browser. (I have Firefox and Brave that I use only when I need to).
However there’s a few things outright stopping me from wanting to use Brave:
1. No Menu Bar
Pretty much said it all here: Why not a Menu Bar?
This is the #1 reason. Call me old fashioned, I’ll call you inefficient and innapropriate. I’m using a desktop PC, my browser needs to feel like it, and be a good, fluid experience, not a negative one that literally takes more work to accomplish minor, everyday tasks. Give us a setting FFS! Burger Menus are NOT suitable for Desktop environments. When it expands, it ends up down at the bottom-right of my screen!
Every.Single.Little.Extra.Click I’d have to do EVERY DAY, EVERY TIME I want to access a simple bookmark mounts up to a gazillion wasted over a year. Using an application shouldn’t feel a slog.
2. Script Blocker has Alzheimers.
Why have a built in script blocker, to only give an “Apply Once” button for specific scripts?
Surely the point of a built in script blocker is to Block MOST scripts by default, but naturally allow the ones I want to run, such as the ones that actually allow a web-page to work.
Why can’t I set it to remember the specific scripts I WANT to allow? Why must I manually go through and select “Undo” and “Apply Once” EVERY bloody day? Or more likely, just select “All Scripts Allowed” or Down Shields entirely, which defeats the point, don’t you think?
Why after so long, is this feature (Shields being one of the core parts of Brave) so underdeveloped? The “Script Blocker For Chrome” addon is how I would expect it to work, a simple click on the scripts I want to allow, and then have it remember them.
3. Can’t Customise UI
Firefox does this, why can’t Brave?
Why can’t I set my “Refresh” or “Home” button to be on the RIGHT of the URL bar, if I wanted to? Better yet, let me customise the entire interface and put things where I want them to be. Even IE offers more customisation than Brave does in terms of Layout. A permanent Status bar would be nice too.
Why also can I not set my Tabs to be BELOW the URL (and Menu, hopefully) bar? Giving more customisability and settings would give a much enhanced user experience.
4. Can’t set a Custom Tip Amount.
Why do I have to have a “Set” amount per month to Tip? Why can’t I set my own custom amount, on my own custom schedule? If it’s MY Bat, give ME control, thankyou.
5. Bookmarks Bar shows automatically upon opening a new tab.
I have the Bookmark bar set to Off by default (I’d rather access Bookmarks through a proper MENU bar with a scrolling vertical menu, not a horizontal toolbar). For some reason upon opening a new tab, the Bookmarks bar is displayed until I move off the page. Why, when it’s set to off? A minor annoyance, but again it just makes it feel “Beta”.
Edit: I have decided the above is not necessary, since the Bookmarks bar does disappear as soon as you navigate somewhere. Still be nice to have a “Show Bookmarks bar on new tab” option though in the settings, but isn’t a big deal.
These are mostly due to Brave being built on Chrome now, and Chrome having this attitude (like most apps nowadays) that the user should change for the app, and “just put up with” losing functionality, and little customisation. Those minor frustrations and lack of settings and suitability for the device I’m using (NOT a bloody phone or tablet), just puts me off from wanting to use it.
I’d LIKE to start using it full-time, but currently I only use it when I HAVE to.
A few small tweaks to address the above would change that attitude completely.
(point 3)