IdeaWell

Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

I switched to Brave

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

Four prevalent themes in the discussion

  1. Brave’s ad‑blocking/privacy strengths (once crypto/AI is turned off)
  2. “I've tried helium as a chrome-based ad-blocking browser alternative and found it nice to not have to hide the crypto/AI‑nonsense since it doesn't exist. Everything beyond the Crypto/AI stuff is indeed pretty damn good in Brave.” – vincent-uden

  3. “Brave has the best filter lists built into a blocker… it's just the best option for most people.” – seaal

  4. Concerns that yet another Chromium‑based browser does not challenge Google’s monopoly

  5. “It may be better in the shorter term, but using yet another Chromium based browser doesn't really improve the current situation with Google's browser monopoly.” – mjorgers

  6. “>but using yet another Chromium based browser doesn't really improve the current situation with Google's browser monopoly.” – PorciiVorbesc

  7. Ethical/political criticism of Brave’s founder (Brendan Eich)

  8. “'Yes yes yes. Brave was founded by an absolute scumbag.'” – benjaminkiefl (referring to Eich’s $1,000 donation to California Prop 8)

  9. “He, like 52% of voting Californians, in 2008, opposed gay marriage.” – cholantesh

  10. Discussion of alternative browsers and desired features (Vivaldi, Zen, LibreWolf, containers, vertical tabs, etc.)

  11. “Not phoning home, vertical tabs and peak new tab aesthetic is what got me in.” – vovavili (on Brave Origin)
  12. “I love vivaldi … drag and drop tiling … built‑in full page screenshotting…” – swozey
  13. “you should try Zen! It's basically Arc, but based on Firefox, open source and, more importantly, actively maintained.” – Vinnl

🚀 Project Ideas

Chromium Clean

Summary

  • A libre Chromium‑based browser that removes all crypto/AI features, telemetry, and Brave‑specific bloat while bundling uBlock Origin, vertical tabs, and container tabs out‑of‑the‑box.
  • Core value: gives privacy‑conscious users a fast, ad‑free, familiar Chrome‑like experience without the unwanted “crypto/AI nonsense” that drives them away from Brave.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Users who like Chrome/Chromium UI/performance but want a privacy‑first browser without Brave’s extra baggage (e.g., vincent‑uden, LollipopYakuza, seaal)
Core Feature Pre‑configured uBlock Origin + built‑in vertical tabs + container tabs + zero telemetry
Tech Stack Chromium (Blink/V8) source, C++/Rust build tooling, depot_tools for updates
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • “I've tried helium as a chrome-based ad-blocking browser alternative and found it nice to not have to hide the crypto/AI-nonsense since it doesn't exist.” – vincent‑uden
  • Provides a concrete alternative for HN discussions about sustainable Chromium forks that respect user privacy while staying current with security patches.

FoxBoost

Summary

  • A Firefox‑based browser that integrates performance‑focused optimizations (e.g., tuned JIT, sandboxing) and ships with Chrome‑like UI conveniences: vertical tabs, container tabs, and one‑click ad‑blocking (uBlock) while preserving full Firefox compatibility.
  • Core value: gives Firefox users who miss Chrome’s speed and UI features a drop‑in replacement that keeps their extensions and sites working.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Firefox users who encounter compatibility or performance issues on sites (e.g., PorciiVorbesc, drnick1, seaal) and want a smoother experience without switching to Chromium
Core Feature Performance‑tuned Firefox engine + built‑in vertical tabs + container tabs + uBlock preset
Tech Stack Mozilla Gecko (C++/Rust) with patches; UI using Firefox Photon; native packaging
Difficulty High
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • “I use FF with FingerprintResist on… I find Firefox very usable… I rarely… have to use a clean, stock Firefox profile…” – drnick1
  • Could revive interest in Firefox forks and offer a tangible alternative for users who feel Firefox lags on certain sites, a frequent HN talking point.

FilterProxy

Summary

  • A lightweight, self‑hosted local proxy that applies uBlock‑style filter lists (including custom lists like Brave Experimental Adblock rules) and offers a simple web dashboard for whitelisting/blacklisting sites, viewing stats, and toggling filters per‑device.
  • Core value: lets any browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.) enjoy Brave‑grade ad blocking without installing browser‑specific extensions, ideal for locked‑down environments or devices where extensions are restricted.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Users who want system‑wide ad blocking (e.g., on Linux, Raspberry Pi, or corporate laptops) and appreciate Brave’s filter lists but don’t want to run a full Chromium‑based browser (seaal, drnick1, skeptics of extensions)
Core Feature Transparent HTTP/HTTPS proxy with uBlock filter engine, per‑rule enable/disable, dashboard
Tech Stack Go or Rust for proxy engine, adapted uBlock filter parser, SQLite for stats, minimal HTML/JS dashboard
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: Hosted Pro plan $5/mo

Notes

  • “Brave has the best filter lists built into a blocker. Between Bypass Paywalls Clean Filters and Brave Experimental Adblock rules for blocking twitch.tv ads, it’s just the best option for most people.” – seaal
  • Can be discussed as a privacy‑first alternative to centralized ad‑blocking services and easily deployed on home networks, a topic that often surfaces on HN.

ProfileSync

Summary

  • A cross‑platform desktop app that synchronizes bookmarks, history, passwords, extensions, and browser‑specific settings (vertical tab layouts, container tab colors) between Chrome/Chromium and Firefox profiles, handling conflicts gracefully.
  • Core value: eliminates the friction of switching browsers or using multiple browsers by keeping your data and workflow in sync, addressing the inertia mentioned by vincent‑uden and others.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Power users who maintain both Chrome and Firefox (or Chromium forks) for different use cases and want seamless transition (vincent‑uden, PorciiVorbesc, jellyfin users)
Core Feature Bi‑directional sync engine with mapping of extension data (e.g., uBlock settings, vertical tab positions) and conflict resolution
Tech Stack Electron or Tauri (Rust) UI, native-browser APIs via native messaging or direct profile file I/O, SQLite for sync metadata
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Hobby

Notes

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