From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Nils Gillmann Subject: Re: Packaging a free Firefox Date: Thu, 3 May 2018 05:06:40 +0000 Message-ID: <20180503050640.vll3x5ljvgejjhuk@abyayala> References: <87y3h1g42q.fsf@lassieur.org> <87wowlg3vu.fsf@lassieur.org> <20180503050020.ljaqgrop6uwy24op@abyayala> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Return-path: Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([2001:4830:134:3::10]:55566) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1fE6Rb-0002ui-4A for guix-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 03 May 2018 01:06:16 -0400 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1fE6RZ-0002gk-Vf for guix-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 03 May 2018 01:06:15 -0400 Received: from conspiracy.of.n0.is ([2a01:4f8:1c0c:7ad0::1]:50258) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS1.0:DHE_RSA_AES_256_CBC_SHA1:32) (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1fE6RZ-0002gE-Ln for guix-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 03 May 2018 01:06:13 -0400 Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20180503050020.ljaqgrop6uwy24op@abyayala> List-Id: "Development of GNU Guix and the GNU System distribution." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: guix-devel-bounces+gcggd-guix-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Sender: "Guix-devel" To: =?utf-8?Q?Cl=C3=A9ment?= Lassieur , guix-devel@gnu.org Nils Gillmann transcribed 2.4K bytes: > Clément Lassieur transcribed 1.5K bytes: > > > > Clément Lassieur writes: > > > > > Hi, > > > > > > I find Icecat very buggy, even if I compare it to a home-made Firefox > > > package that inherits Icecat (and thus is very close to Icecat). For > > > example I can't even pay with my credit card with icecat-52-guix, > > > whereas I can with firefox-home-52-guix. (It looks like a javascript > > > issue.) Also, lots of videos don't work, and it's difficult to know > > > whether it's because of technical issues or because of DRM. > > > > > > This may discourage people from using GuixSD. > > > > > > My understanding is that Icecat exists because of two reasons: > > > 1. a trademark/logo issue, > > > 2. the need to remove non-free code from Firefox. > > > > > > But it does more: > > > 3. it only packages the stables versions of Firefox, > > > 4. it adds add-ons, > > > 5. it prevents the installation of non-free plugins, > > > 6. probably other things that I'm not aware of. > > > > > > It seems to me that the trademark/logo issue and the non-free code > > > removal could be dealt with at the Guix packaging level. It's probably > > > just a huge bunch of substitutes to do. The package would be huge, but > > > at least we would have control on it. > > > > > > That would remove a layer of complexity, and probably reduce bugs (that > > > come from that layer). That would also allow us to have a recent > > > version of Firefox. > > > > > > And it would be way better than everyone (I exaggerate a bit) having his > > their ^ > > > home-made non-maintened full-of-security-issues Firefox. > > > > > > What do you think? > > > Clément > > > > > Among other things I've been working on Firefox. Not exactly with the intention > of a free one per se, but at least to have it. I've been updating Aurora Nightly > for a while. > Thing is, it get's tricky after 54.0 due to mandatory Rust. I wanted to give the > Rust problem another try soon, if you are serious about this, I can try and summarize > it or provide snippets. You'l be able to find the package definitions, but they do > not apply to Guix package structure (also I need to relicense it. whatever you'll > find AGPL3 licensed is in fact GPL3 licensed now. I am just too busy to fix the > headers, will do it on the weekend).. if I have commited the recent changes to the > wip version. > I seem to remember that the gnuzilla mailinglist did drop some hints about the core > issue I had with rust. > Addition: I think constructing and maintaing a free, unbranded version of Firefox (Aurora) or even a branded one with a Guix theme is possible. What icecat does is not that complex but it requires at least more than 1 person checking the sources continuously. Furthermore we'd need a common ground of goals what changes would be applied and what changes are a no-go.