vanderwal.net

Zen Browser Privacy and Ease of Routing

I have discussed my browser use in the past and recent did a large run through which browsers I use and why (see My Browser Family :: Off the Top :: vanderwal.net).

I use Zen for a variety of uses and deeply appreciate the Spaces and have a few of them . In recent weeks I heard a mention about LinkedIn and how bad it is with privacy reading other open tabs and your browser history. I mentioned this to a few others and got the, “we thought everybody knew this” response.

Zen is based on Firefox which is good with privacy and security. Zen Spaces create walled gardens for what is within the Space. The last few weeks I been running a LinkedIn Space in Zen, the downside is I run into LinkedIn links from many sources (email, backchannel messages, links in other browsers) and the friction has been opening links into Zen, but also the Space.

Space Routing Eases Opening Links Where I Want Them

Zen has something they call Space Routing where I link opened in Zen for, say LinkedIn opens in the LinkedIn Space directly. When I’m in another browser, most of them have the browser extension / plug-in to use Choosy, a macOS app that routes an open page or link to another browser and Choosy lets you select which browser. Now when I hit a link to LinkedIn and route it to Zen browser it goes to the LinkedIn Space.

I have set up a few Space Routings, not only for LinkedIn. I use O’Reilly Media a lot for workshops, reading books, and quick research needs. I love having an O’Reilly Space as it keeps all resources I’m using together and I don’t have to go digging through tabs and other browsers and their tabs. Before Space Routing I would have to click on the Zen browser and open the O’Reilly Space so I could click on an O’Reilly link elsewhere and open it where I wanted it.