Icecat vs. iceweasel

Icecat vs. iceweasel

[Andreas Enge]

Hello,

there are a number of sites for which I still need to use iceweasel, since
icecat will not work on them. Now it may well be that the site is also poorly
configured, but it is still surprising that the two behave differently, and
I wonder whether there is something to be done in our icecat setup.

For instance, if I try the following site:
   http://www.francevivipares.fr/siteafv/
enter an arbitrary (right or wrong) password and click on submit,
the following error message is displayed:
IceCat has detected that the server is redirecting the request for this address in a way that will never complete.
This problem can sometimes be caused by disabling or refusing to accept cookies.

Even when accepting third party cookies, the site does not work.

Does anyone have an idea what is happening?

Andreas

Re: Icecat vs. iceweasel

[Ludovic Courtès]

Andreas Enge <andreas@enge.fr> skribis:

> there are a number of sites for which I still need to use iceweasel, since
> icecat will not work on them.

AFAIK the main difference between these two is the set of plugins
installed by default.  Otherwise it’s essentially the same thing.

> the following error message is displayed:
> IceCat has detected that the server is redirecting the request for this address in a way that will never complete.
> This problem can sometimes be caused by disabling or refusing to accept cookies.
>
> Even when accepting third party cookies, the site does not work.
>
> Does anyone have an idea what is happening?

Dunno.  You could try pinging bug-gnuzilla@gnu.org.

Ludo’.

Re: Icecat vs. iceweasel

[Christopher Allan Webber]

Ludovic Courtès writes:

> Andreas Enge <andreas@enge.fr> skribis:
>
>> there are a number of sites for which I still need to use iceweasel, since
>> icecat will not work on them.
>
> AFAIK the main difference between these two is the set of plugins
> installed by default.  Otherwise it’s essentially the same thing.
>
>> the following error message is displayed:
>> IceCat has detected that the server is redirecting the request for this address in a way that will never complete.
>> This problem can sometimes be caused by disabling or refusing to accept cookies.
>>
>> Even when accepting third party cookies, the site does not work.
>>
>> Does anyone have an idea what is happening?
>
> Dunno.  You could try pinging bug-gnuzilla@gnu.org.
>
> Ludo’.

I think that Iceweasel, requiring far fewer modifications from FireFox,
is also massively more up to date, especially the versions from
http://mozilla.debian.net/ IIRC?

Last I heard the IceCat binaries were a bit further behind.

I don't like the direction Firefox is heading, but we're a bit
constrained by IceCat not being as up to date, especially in the world
of fast and furious "new web features" and "new web vulnerabilities".

In a more ideal world, IceCat, or something like it which has community
development behind it, would totally subsume Firefox as a
community-curated web browser, not falling in with many of the nastier
bits that Mozilla has been keen to ship lately.  But I think given the
present, maybe we should provide both.

But, thoughts from others?
 - Chris

Re: Icecat vs. iceweasel

[Ludovic Courtès]

Christopher Allan Webber <cwebber@dustycloud.org> skribis:

> Last I heard the IceCat binaries were a bit further behind.

We use our own binaries though.

> I don't like the direction Firefox is heading, but we're a bit
> constrained by IceCat not being as up to date, especially in the world
> of fast and furious "new web features" and "new web vulnerabilities".

My primary concern is about vulnerabilities.  Mark has been doing a
great job applying patches for IceCat vulnerabilities in Guix while
waiting for patched IceCat releases.

Ideally, this patching would occur directly in IceCat itself, quickly
followed by releases.

Now, if it turns out that those demands cannot be fulfilled, for
instance due to limited development resources on IceCat, then we may
want to consider joining forces with Debian’s Iceweasel team instead.
It’s a discussion to have with the IceCat maintainer, obviously.

WDYT?

Ludo’.

Re: Icecat vs. iceweasel

[Andreas Enge]

On Sat, Sep 26, 2015 at 02:56:09PM +0200, Ludovic Courtès wrote:
> Christopher Allan Webber <cwebber@dustycloud.org> skribis:
> > Last I heard the IceCat binaries were a bit further behind.
> We use our own binaries though.

And I confirm they are up-to-date with respect to the icecat releases, which
seem to happen reasonable frequently now.

The problem that I cannot access all pages is also not new; I suppose it is
related to some standard configuration that differs from iceweasel's.

Andreas