F-Droid Dropping Firefox - <AUTHOR> https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdid=org.mozilla.firefox <comment><USER2> They aren't really dropping Firefox, they are just dropping the official build for a custom one: [https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdid=org.mozilla.fenn...](https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdid=org.mozilla.fennec_fdroid)

It's no different that Debian with Iceweasel.

<comment><USER3> Not so correct.

debian's Iceweasel is a little squabble about the logo not being licensed correctly. they only divert official version to add the -debianXXX when they backport security patches on the stable branch. They never removed anything. apart from branding. They even upstreamed the branding agnostic flags so they don't have to change even that!

FDroid's fork is now a move against binary blobs. And copious tracking. They are taking back firefox (pun intended). From the announce: "It __removes __the proprietary binaries out of the official builds. " [emphasis mine]

There was already discussion on the community when mozilla decided to make the, then optional by effort of contributors, google play api on the android build... just so a really small portion of users could share youtube videos to chrome cast (like anyone uses firefox to watch videos they care so much they want to see on the TV...). Everyone reaching the IRC on how to build without the proprietary google dependency was ignored. But some soldiered on. There was even a PaleMoon build on the play store just for that! (palemoon were mostly to avoid the new australis UI, which breaks lots of OS usability/accessibility features just to copy chrome).

Now, on top of the google play api (which now is not just for chrome cast, but also for tracking. ha! didn't see that coming did you?) they added adobe DRM, which will probably reach android soon.

I sure do hope that incite the rest of the community as it incites me. I've been running fennec build laboriously myself on my phones for a while. And i hope i now have the time to stop that nonsense and contribute to fdroid's effort somehow. Even if just by bitching... err promoting on forums.

<comment><USER4> > FDroid's fork is now a move against binary blobs. And copious tracking. They > are taking back firefox (pun intended). From the announce: "It removes the > proprietary binaries out of the official builds." [emphasis mine]

What's the nearest thing for general Linux? I'm guessing Tor Browser without Tor?

I didn't see anything specific in Arch/AUR repositories.

<comment><USER3> I hope Debian's iceweasel will eventually serve that purpose. Stable is still on 31, so it will be interesting to see how 38+ shows up there. maybe looking at what happen on sid will already show something (sorry, i'm not following sid for a couple years now :(

<comment><USER5> Newer versions are available for Debian Stable as well, if you add the appropriate repository: [http://mozilla.debian.net/](http://mozilla.debian.net/)

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER6> Currently these Mozilla domains are blocked in our internal networks. Not all of them are data-collecting services, but it's better to be safe than sorry:

        self-repair.mozilla.*
        tiles.services.mozilla.*
        tiles.*.services.mozilla.*
        pfs.mozilla.*
        snippets.mozilla.*
        fxfeeds.mozilla.*
        services.addons.mozilla.*
        crash-stats.mozilla.*
        *.data.mozilla.*
        versioncheck-bg.addons.mozilla.*
        fhr.cdn.mozilla.*
        sendto.mozilla.*
        push.services.mozilla.*

The amount of stuff you must block to have a decent browser experience nowadays is simply mind boggling. Of course, Chrome or Opera are no more better.

<comment><USER7> Some of those sites are used by the addons service to keep addons up to date, and by blocking them you potentially prevent updates.

<comment><USER6> You can always go to Tools -> Add-ons and mass-update all your add-ons manually at once (Click on the gear icon drop down and select "Check for Updates"). These rules will not block that.

<comment><USER7> Most people will not do that; they (sensibly) expect automatic updates.

<comment><USER6> The type of privacy-conscious users/organizations who go to such a length in blocking these domains will also do the update manually or via their own internal update processes.

I'm not sure what most people do will have any relevance to the point I was trying to make.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER8> I see no evidence that Firefox is being dropped (at this point in time).

\- This page doesn't explain that it is being dropped [0,1].

\- there is no signals from the F-Droid team that I can see that it is dropping firefox [e.g. on #fdroid at freenode].

\- The metadata for the F-Droid build server still includes Firefox [2]

[0] - [https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdid=org.mozilla.fire...](https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdid=org.mozilla.firefox)

[1] - [https://f-droid.org/wiki/page/org.mozilla.firefox](https://f-droid.org/wiki/page/org.mozilla.firefox)

[2] - [https://gitlab.com/fdroid/fdroiddata/blob/master/metadata/or...](https://gitlab.com/fdroid/fdroiddata/blob/master/metadata/org.mozilla.firefox.txt)

<comment><USER9> When I look at your link 0, it says "Note that this package is planned to be dropped from the F-Droid repo soon. Please consider using Fennec FDroid instead to be sure of continued update support." That certainly makes it sound like the Firefox package is being dropped.

</comment></comment><comment><USER10> Seems petty. Mozilla is one of the most pure open source projects out there in mission, ethos, and product. Addons are user choices, and trying to limit that choice is self defeating in free speech.

<comment><USER11> Well, some things at Mozilla seem a bit odd.

A few weeks ago Nightly ended up having "Pocket" integrated, and rumour said it would replace Mozilla's own open source Sync plus the integrated Reader.

Addons will soon no longer be able to be installed unless approved by Mozilla. (Another walled garden. Sigh...)

<comment><USER12> This is very good, I hate having to constantly remove malware plugins off friends'/family stuff, hijacking new tab, hijacking search providers...

<comment><USER3> So, pay apple and use the one browser. You already have that offering.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER13> I've already switched to fennec on my devices. Firefox has turned a dark corner than I can no longer support.

</comment><comment><USER14> > Removed: Mediastreaming (requires non-free library: play-services)[1]

I understand removing EME and DRM support, but they are removing a feature simply because it only works when a certain closed source library is installed. Is graceful degradation somehow "below" them?

That's like banning packages that use .NET (when it was non-free) on NuGet. You can create open source code that supports proprietary libraries without having to compromise your morals, with the sane choice of graceful degradation when you absolutely need the library.

This seems like a very petty reason to completely remove video streaming support from their distribution of Firefox.

1\. [https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdid=org.mozilla.fenn...](https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdid=org.mozilla.fennec_fdroid)

<comment><USER11> Well, the idea behind F-Droid is "free-of-charge, free and open-source software". If the software doesn't live up to that, I feel their are in their right to remove it.

And honestly if you want the full featured software and don't care about ideals, just download it from Play.

</comment></comment><comment><USER15> Let me address some issues on this thread on the best way I can because I am really tired of all the FUD and attacks. I will first address the stuff mentioned on that changelog about the FDroid build of fennec and then I will talk a bit about Mozilla, Eich and what I think people are doing wrong in here.

      Removed: Tests [not sure about that]
      Removed: Crashreporter [tracking]
      Removed: Healthreporter (UI?)

All that stuff provides telemetry for Mozilla that helps in finding and addressing bugs. People complain about a website not working correctly on Firefox but disable all the reporting stuff and never fill a bug on bugzilla. That kind of thing is useful. The source code for that is available on github, you can check what is sent and decide if it is worth using it or not.

      Removed: Mediastreaming (requires non-free library: play-services) [google's binary blobs]

Users want stuff to work. I am not talking about users with a free software mindset that are willing to hop through unfortunate hops to get their system working. I am talking about the average non-technical non-aware-of-foss user which number in the millions world wide (billions?) They want their browser to be able to play multimedia content. If you don't want to use non-free multimedia then don't access mp3 and other patent encumbred content.

      Removed: Updater [tracking]

Another piece that you can check the code. Everyone wants an evergreen browser that receives patches, keeps its health in check and is kept up to date. There is no way of updating software without sending some data about the current software. Check the code and see if there is any sensitive information being sent and decide for yourself.

      Removed: EME/DRM [adobe's binary blob]

EME is one thing and DRM is another. They work together but they are not a single unity. Before EME/DRM you had proprietary unauditable DRM software running wild on your computing device. Now you have an open source sandbox that can be audited to make sure that the proprietary DRM blob can't escape and fetch personal fingerprint data from your computing device. If you don't believe that the EME/DRM sandbox included in your Firefox is the same as the one from the code, there are mechanisms for building your own and using it. And thats the important part: "If you are against DRM then don't using services that use DRM". Some people want to listen to music, watch movies and other multimedia on services that believe that DRM solves some stuff. EME/DRM solution protects their personal data while giving them the features needed to use such services. If you don't agree with DRM then you don't use those services. The DRM blob is downloaded when you use those services, if you're not using them then the blob is not on your machine and never will be.

The fight against DRM shouldn't happen inside the browser but in the users mindset and towards the service providers. The EME/DRM solution was created as a compromise, give the users what they want while trying the best solution to protect them. Let FSF and other FOSS entitites audit the EME/DRM sandbox. Let researchers try to pick personal data and fingerprints from the machine. Match that against the other solution which is non auditable. If all the effort and action placed into the hate machine against EME/DRM was instead directed at educating users and teaching about non-DRM services then EME/DRM would not be needed.

And that brings us to the topic of action. Mozilla is the only large player in the browser ecosystem that has all its code open, its roadmaps published, its processess available for public perusal and collaboration. You can't influence or be a part of Safari, Opera, IE, Edge and Chrome development. You can't verify, audit, help steer, be a part of what the companies behind those products want for the the web.

      THE WEB IS THE ONLY MASS COMMUNICATION MEDIA WHERE EVERYONE HAS A VOICE

Keeping the web free and open, made by everyone for everyone, is the mission of Mozilla. That mission passes through a lot of different efforts which you can help. Millions of people worldwide have no idea how to the web works and don't know how to produce content and make their voice available online.

The Mozilla Webmaker project helps teaching the web through workshops. Instead of spreading FUD and attacking people online, you can direct your energy into positive actions such as educating users on how to make the web their own and how to make their opinion count such as when talking about the DRM situation. The webmaker initiative goes beyond that with workshops and activities to teach about privacy, online rights, net neutrality, information credibility, programming. All that is open and in need of help. Educating users do more about the web than removing EME/DRM API hooks and sandbox.

Firefox is the only browser that has its source code completely open and where you can help steer the project. You can be a part of Mozilla and then join the thousands that are trying to steer the web towards the users. If you don't agree with some practice, then, instead of shouting on Twitter and Hacker News, join the mailing lists and discussions. Be a part of the process. Help.

Firefox OS is the only mobile operating system developed in the open and based on web technologies that are not controlled by a single entity. You can help us create a wonderful mobile system that brings the benefits of the open web in the hands of everybody. Instead of rooting and fighting about isolated closed proprietary islands, you can help steer our little web boat. Our low- cost (and low-specs :-P ) devices are bringing internet access to lots of people in emerging countries, with that there is information sharing, education, and other life transforming opportunities that bring positive social change.

Mozilla is what we make it be. As volunteers, employees, fans and users we can make it more than it ever was. Mozilla is also a project, an idea, that making a good quality software and solutions as a foundation/community we can rival companies and make the ideal of values over profit prevail on the web.

I see a lot of hate for all the decisions Mozilla makes. Apparently it is the fashionable trendy thing on the web to spread FUD instead of taking positive action and helping. The whole situation with Brendan Eich is one of those cases. Brendan is a normal human being like all of us. We all have our flaws, prejudices, qualities, dreams, and bad decisions. Everyone here has some opinion and action taken about such opinion that goes against something that is deeply important to some group. We're humans, we make mistakes. We're products of the zeitgeist of our formative years. We learn and change through time but yet we all make mistakes at the eyes of others and sometimes even to our own. Unlike many here, I've been around Brendan Eich couple times and he was always pleasant, supportive and energetic about the web. That is his passion and fight. A strong problem with the web is the echo chamber. Someone makes a mistake or something we all disagree and consider bad and that person is forever bound to suffer our hate. That kind of action leads us nowhere. Whats helps is education, empathy, showing "the other" why we thing our opinion is important and why we would think another course of action was correct. Dialog and comprehension makes the world a better place, pitchforks don't.

You all here, may you be FUDing/fear mongering or not, can help Mozilla, the Web, Brendan and everyone. You can join the cause of an open web though dialog and positive actions. You can help Mozilla better its code and actions. You can help teach people about the web and let them multiply their opportunities. You can help audit code, translate content, make us see the correct path when we're in the dark. You can help Mozilla fight for a web made of people and not of incompatible features and companies.

Thats what I am asking. Instead of flamewars and fighting Mozilla, join us, help us work, teach and learn with us and we'll all make a much better and interesting web.

<comment><USER16> The effort to try to change a massive project like Firefox to the better vastly exceeds the effort to rightfully complain and abandon it. Seeing the course of mozilla over the past half decade makes me doubt that one would have any chance to get them on the "right" track again. I hope there will be another phoenix, that does not assume everyone to be a dumb post-privacy tablet user

<comment><USER15> If you think that creating a new browser from scratch is less effort than helping Mozilla then I believe that you're in for a big surprise.

Let me pose a simple honest question, if not Mozilla, then who? Which major browser vendor you see going in the direction you want? If no one is going there, then, what entity you think could create a succesful browser with the values you want?

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER17> Mozilla chose to become spyware, so they're booted out of F-Droid. This makes sense.

<comment><USER18> When and in what way did Mozilla decide to become spyware?

<comment><USER3> not necessarily spyware, but moving away from the community focus.

       1. UI copying chrome
       2. telefonica servers for video chat
       3. Ads on your new-tab-page
       4. Yahoo search deal
       5. Adobe binary blob DRM installed and enabled by default. this is flash security holes all over again.
       6. google binary blob DRM on android.

mozilla have long gone from being a incubator the firefox project to try to be a startup coming up with the next big thing, for who knows why. like their sync thing that they keep annoying me to use every time. it's like ubuntu trying hard with ubuntu one. but ubuntu at least was started to make money.

<comment><USER2> How is the Yahoo search deal any different than the search deal with Google that they've had for years and years?

And the EME module, good or bad, is _not_ a security hole like Flash. The CDM modules are heavily sandboxed, preventing them from doing anything in the system besides talking to the browser. On Linux, it uses seccomp: [https://lwn.net/Articles/332974/](https://lwn.net/Articles/332974/)

<comment><USER19> I think the difference is that Google is a superior search engine, so in a world where technology trumps money it would be the default.* Of course, abiding by that would kill Mozilla's bargaining position, and Mozilla losing funding would suck for everyone, but...

* or DuckDuckGo (inferior but privacy conscious), but good luck with _them_ funding Mozilla

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER20> I boycotted firefox after the Brendan Eich affair.

Mozilla is supposed to be a symbol of the hacker ethic.

When they bent to the whims of social media lynch mobs - they betrayed the one who literally built the foundation of their existence.

<comment><USER21> They didn't bend to social media. They made it very clear they were surprised by the internal reactions and that's why he stepped back down. Besides, social media or not, the primary reason the issue blew up at all was a lack of transparency in their organizational politics. This isn't about Gamergate.

<comment><USER22> The truth is, we'll never know the whole truth about why they did what they did. I find it hard to believe that social pressure played no part in their decisions.</comment></comment></comment>


How to Improve Your Coding Skills - happy-go-lucky https://www.pydanny.com/code-code-code.html <comment><AUTHOR> Go on youtube. Find the MIT computer sciences courses (free!!). Watch them.

Seriously. Nothing improved my coding skills more than going over the basics all over again but with a good professor.

<comment><USER2> This is exactly what I have been doing as well over the past couple of weeks.

<comment><AUTHOR> Take a look at this amazing repo filled with video courses: [https://github.com/Developer-Y/cs-video- courses](https://github.com/Developer-Y/cs-video-courses)

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER3> I didn't find this article very insightful. It feels more like a poem than practical advice for beginners.

I'd temper point #2, I've found as a beginner I was much too attached to what I had taken so long to learn and I refrained from exploring other languages and paradigms seriously. Once I freed myself from that I became much better at coding overall.

Studying computer science has helped me a lot as well, it opens you up to fields and technologies you possibly had no interest in before and forces you to explore them and broaden your perspective.

</comment><comment><USER4> > Over the years I've stayed with the easiest-to-learn stable IDEs/text > editors. Yes, I know there are really powerful tools with arcane commands > (Vim, EMACS, etc), but I don't want to have to stop what I'm doing to learn > new tools. I want to code, not tinker with desktop tools or arcane text > editors

Wut? both of those editors make coding so much more easier and the rest of the stuff is just a cop out imo

<comment><USER5> In my view IDEs are much harder to learn... For vim or EMACs, you just need the cheat sheet to start with, but with a IDE, sometimes I have to go to video tutorials in order to figure out a button.

<comment><USER4> Seconded

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER6> TL/DR;

Write code everyday and don't break "The Streak".

</comment><comment><USER7> Yes code and code some more but make sure to solve different problems, solve the same problems different way. IMHO that's the more important imply message (Explicit is better than implicit.) It's like running. If you always run the same distance/cadence; at best you keep what you gain; I find that I rarely improve doing the same thing over.

</comment><comment><USER8> practice</comment>


Maven Release Plugin: Dead and Buried - <AUTHOR> https://axelfontaine.com/blog/dead-burried.html <comment><USER2> Thanks for pointing me to this! I knew there was an easier way :) I was using a simple bash script instead of the (too complex) release plugin</comment>


Swift Local Refactoring - <AUTHOR> https://swift.org/blog/swift-local-refactoring/ <comment><USER2> How does this compare to the refactoring support available in AppCode?

[https://www.jetbrains.com/objc/features/refactorings-and- cod...](https://www.jetbrains.com/objc/features/refactorings-and-code- generation.html)

<comment><USER3> This post is specifically about how you can write your own refactoring (and contribute them back to the Swift compiler if you choose to do so).

The nice thing about Swift being open-source and Xcode supporting multiple Toolchains is you can test your own modifications to the language, refactorings, etc. Xcode will syntax highlight your language changes and provide access to your refactorings.

It is also a great way to test out other people's proposed changes to the language: pull their branch (or download their toolchain archive) and give it a try __. As implementations for proposed Swift 5 changes start to become available you can test them in real situations and provide informed feedback.

 __As with any code, be careful about downloading from untrusted sources!

</comment></comment><comment><USER4> The lack of refactoring was a huge pain when I tried swift in Xcode. I'm glad that the issue is finally getting some attention.</comment>


Nyzo development: 15 months of hard work (and beyond) - <AUTHOR> https://medium.com/@nyzoco/nyzo-development-15-months-of-hard-work-and-beyond-520ea7591e97 <comment><USER2> I'm not a fan of crypto at all, but I like the originality of this story and real consistency of Nzyo developers. It isn't clear to me are these sentinels in the same cycle with verifiers or they are out of it, fully independent.

<comment><AUTHOR> Sentinels are the 'shadow' nodes which protect the in-cycle verifiers. They can produce blocks when the main verifier is inactive.</comment></comment>