Re: Tor Browser

[ng0 <ng0@we.make.ritual.n0.is>]

Hi,

Mark H Weaver <mhw@netris.org> writes:

> Alex Vong <alexvong1995@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> ng0 <ng0@we.make.ritual.n0.is> writes:
>>
>>> Alex Vong <alexvong1995@gmail.com> writes:
>>>
>>>> Finally, I agree that icecat could switch to tor browser as its upstream.
>>>
>>> Maybe you want to help me out with writing the email / post to
>>> torproject:
>>> https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/guix-devel/2016-08/msg00326.html
>>>
>>> On second note, maybe this is message should be addressed to both
>>> torproject and icecat developer(s). What do you think? I have no fixed
>>> plan in mind for this.
>>>
>> Hmm, maybe I will give my (rough) idea here. In my opinion, icecat has 2
>> important features, librejs (gpl3+) and the lack of non-free addons
>> suggestion.
>
> We would also need to remove Firefox support for DRM (e.g. EME), avoid
> steering users to non-free media codecs, and maybe some other things to
> meet the requirements of the GNU FSDG.
>
> I suspect that these changes are substantial enough that we'll need to
> change the branding, and avoid using the Firefox trademark, but I'm not
> sure.

I think there's a need to change the branding. Gentoo ships a firefox
with a huge patchset applied and uses a branding with some changes
(Aurora). I'd like to get the icecat developer involved in the
discussion at some point, to get additional input and find out where
help is needed.
I think the same idea like for many projects applies for Icecat: when
you get involved, bugfixing is faster. Icecat has the bug of being based
on an insecure firefox version - let's help to move it somewhere safe.

>> For librejs, TBB already have noscripts, although they serve different
>> purposes (librejs intends to block non-free js only), I doubt devs would
>> want to include 2 js blocker addons. But I think html5 everyhere will be
>> a good addon for TBB since most html5 player requires js. Currently,
>> enabling noscript breaks most video-playing sites.
>>
>> For the lack of non-free addons suggestion, TBB recommends not to
>> install addon, but the addon page is still there, which suggest non-free
>> addons. I don't really know what should we do here.
>
> The IceCat project maintains a page of free addons.  I guess we should
> use that.

With our gentoo overlay, we started to include addons to be installed
from outside the mozilla addon store, as the gentoo firefox is
configured to have a system controlled addon location.
Now starting with FF 48, addons will only be able to be installed from
the official FF store, but I think this setting can be turned off
hopefully.
We (ybti overlay) discussed a similar approach for Guix, to configure
firefox based browsers (and others) to additionally use addons from
Guix, to allow more control of what's included etc.

> I agree that the best outcome would be for IceCat to switch to Tor
> Browser as its upstream,

Agreed, but...

> or at least to borrow heavily from their patch
> set.
>

...maybe that is not completely necessary, the bugtracker link of firefox
which I was passed recently shows that firefox and torbrowser want to
upstream the patchset of torbrowser.

>      Thanks,
>        Mark

-- 
♥Ⓐ  ng0
For non-prism friendly talk find me on http://www.psyced.org