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Add to SafariWhen comparing K-Meleon vs GNU IceCat, the Slant community recommends GNU IceCat for most people. In the question“What are the best desktop web browsers?” GNU IceCat is ranked 8th while K-Meleon is ranked 31st.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Secure and fully under user control
No malware/adware toolbars/extensions can be injected. You can switch off Java, JS, Flash, popups, and Ads from the toolbar or with a hotkey.
Pro Extremely customizable
Almost every detail can be personalized:
- skin
- buttons (icon theme and on/off state)
- toolbar placement
- menus
- number of settings and preferences
- proxies (add and switch with ease)
- locale (switch on the fly without downloads and restarts)
etc.
Pro Fast and lightweight
Light on memory footprint: the smallest RAM amount used among all the modern browsers. Fastest application startup. Very responsive. Invaluable on the older and low-end hardware.
Pro Highly extensible
Has hundreds of its native extensions written on its own macrolanguage.
Supports dozens of XPI-extensions for Firefox.
Pro Native
Pro All the benefits of Firefox, but with 100% free software
Pro LibreJS
LibreJS blocks proprietary JavaScript code, ensuring your user freedom.
Pro Protects your freedom, certified free by the FSF
Pro Extra security and privacy features
Pro Made by idealists
It is part of the GNU Project.
Pro No spyware
Pro Https-Everywhere by default
Pro SpyBlock
Blocks privacy trackers.
Cons
Con Dead
Ended in 2016.
Con Stability issues
Con Extremely dated interface
The UI is ugly, which is forgivable, but sticking to a setup from the early 00s makes using it clunky.
Con Windows only
K-meleon is only available on Windows. It was previously available on Android and Linux, but now the both discontinued.
Con Uses Goanna
Its one of the oldest gecko forks which was made by one man.
Con Not secure
Con Too much bloat
The browser comes with 15 addons installed by default, most of which are useless or ruin one's browsing experience.
Con Mainly just an old Firefox
It is mainly a renamend older version of Firefox that comes preinstalled with some extensions.
Con Not up to date
Latest binary is still version 60.7 ESR and was last updated over a year ago
Con Requires too much unnecessary configuration to use
You have to manually delete all the bloated addons from your files (only for them to show up again when the browser is updated) and manually install some addons and themes that the browser labels as "corrupt".
Con Very slow boot time
It takes 10+ seconds for the browser to load up
Con Can't install some Firefox themes/addons
"Installation aborted because the addon appears to be corrupt".
Con Includes LibreJS by default with no way to remove it
Con Very slow boot time
It takes 10+ seconds for the browser to load up
Con Dependent on Mozilla
Since IceCat is based off Firefox, it's dependent on all of Mozilla's decisions.
Con Made by idealists
It is part of the GNU Project.
