Differences between Firefox and Waterfox browsers aren't so elemental

Waterfox, whose logo is shown on the right, doesn't offer a telemetry function like the browser it's based on, Firefox (left). — Zacharie Scheurer/dpa

Their names might involve fire and water, but they aren't as far apart as you would think: There is relatively little that makes the Firefox browser different from one of its offshoots, Waterfox.

An example of just one of the differences is the telemetry function: Firefox collects these technical details and interactions, and sends them to the developer, Mozilla, every day to improve the software.

If a user isn't interested in having their data sent to Mozilla, they can turn off the telemetry function in Settings. But then there are users who consider even the mere presence of such a function undesirable: The Waterfox browser, free of telemetry, is for them.

The Waterfox browser offers other features in the Classic version, such as the installation of plug-ins like Silverlight or Java via an interface that Mozilla itself has long since done away with.

However, it's so close to Firefox that no user should be afraid to try out Waterfox if desired: After starting up, Waterfox even offers to copy the user's settings from an existing Firefox installation.

All the usual Firefox add-ons can also be installed with no problem.

Waterfox isn't just for Windows, but for Mac OS and Linux as well. If you don't any special requirements, it's best to pick the most current version to download. The browser is also available for Android devices – in the Google Play Store, it will only appear in a search if the smartphone or tablet maker runs a 64-bit Android. – dpa