Re: [Tails-dev] Tor Browser download script for Tails

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Autor: intrigeri
Data:  
Para: The Tails public development discussion list
Assunto: Re: [Tails-dev] Tor Browser download script for Tails
Hi,

adrelanos wrote (19 Oct 2012 10:31:02 GMT) :
> With relatively low effort I could add a "Tails mode" to Whonix's
> torbrowser update, download, and start script. [1 I tested it on
> Tails 0.13.


This looks like an interesting experiment.
I'm glad you're doing this work.

Also see another script Ague sent to this mailing-list the day before
you did: <20121018193534.GA4631@localhost> in the "Tails
0.14 vs. iceweasel 10.0.9esr-1" thread. Ague went a more
"integrated" way.

> Needed to install curl (~1 MB), I wonder why it wasn't installed by
> default? I guess it will be in 0.14 so or so?


Yes, it will be in there.

> Minor open questions in the script (marked as TODO):
> - "elif [ -f "/etc/whisperback/config.py" ]; then" is used to detect
> Tails. Should I use another file?


I suggest looking into /etc/os-release.
Details:
http://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/os-release.html

> - Does Tails need any Tor Button banned ports? [3]


Being currently offline, I can't check the online resources you point
us to. So, I don't know.

> Biggest problem:
> - zenity has a bug (or I am not using it right). The yes/no buttons
> are outside the visible range. Do you know any alternative for Tails?


Any reproducible minimal testcase?

> The plan:
> This is a stop gap solution. Let's sort the zenity problem, fix
> minor issues, install curl and add the torbrowser script to
> /usr/local/bin/torbrowser. Users who want can download Tor Browser
> and use it in Tails. The script can be moved to tbb-scripts [6] or
> to any other git repo. This shouldn't block your long term plans.
> After there is a better Tor Browser solution, this can be retired.


> How does that sound?


I think it's great if such a script exists, is maintained,
and can be used by those who want it.

However, I'm not sure I would want to ship it with Tails: doing so
would mean we support it on par with the regular Tails web browser,
which means reviewing and polishing it, dealing with additional bug
reports, additional support questions, etc. Performing this additional
work may slow our long-term plans.

There might be some convincing reasons why we should ship it, though,
but I don't see them yet. I must say that the concept of shipping
a (installer for) *differently configured* web browser is a blocker to
my eyes.

Cheers,
--
intrigeri
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