I guess you could say that they are "enabled". As in, these things exist as built-in features of the browser. But you must explicitly turn them on. For Brave Rewards:
For the Crypto Wallet you must accept the terms of use:
2 Likes
Yes. That is what I want to say. It is ''enabled'' but first You have to set it up and then it really starts to work.
2 Likes
2 Likes
I wouldn't be opposed to having a build with these features removed completely, but I don't think is worth the trouble of packaging it and distributing it just for this purpose.
Although, some people might see the features and think that Zorin OS is somehow involved with cryptocurrencies or something. It might be a good idea to write a blog post clarifying this misconceptions about Brave.
2 Likes
@AZorin Can we assume Firefox will be available as an APT from the Software Store.
1 Like
Yes, we plan to keep the Firefox APT repository enabled in Zorin OS 17.3 by default during this transition period, in case someone still wishes to install the same Firefox package we included previously.
Moving default browsers is a major change, so we want this transition to be as smooth as possible for all users, including those who want access to the same browsing experience as before.
In future major releases of Zorin OS, you'll be able to add the Firefox APT repository to your system by following these instructions:
5 Likes
@AZorin So that will not be true from ZorinOS 18 then?
Users will have to go though the pilava of going to Mozilla and follow all those instructions to install a .deb of Firefox instead of clicking Firefox from Software Store. That will not be nice for newbies.
1 Like
Isn't this ironic. Using Brave A.I. search engine to see if anyone has hacked Brave browser (think ungoogled-chromium) and it didn't but did bring back some references of issues with it.
"
Brave Browser Hacked Issue
There is no specific information about a Brave browser being hacked to exclude AI and Crypto functionalities. However, there have been reports of issues with the Brave browser, such as unexpected tabs opening in the background, which could indicate a security issue or a malicious activity.
Brave browser does integrate with cryptocurrency features, including a built-in crypto wallet called Brave Wallet, which can be used to store and manage cryptocurrencies and NFTs. It's important to ensure that the browser is up to date and to check for any suspicious activities or unauthorized access to your wallet.
If you suspect that your Brave browser has been compromised, it's advisable to run a security scan and consider resetting your browser settings or reinstalling the browser to ensure your security.
Below the A.I. result, this came up:
1 Like
The official Firefox Flatpak and Snap packages will be available from the Software store out of the box, so users would be able to easily install Firefox from there without needing to follow instructions from Mozilla's website if they don't wish to.
Being adverse to Snap and Flatpak, that counts me out.
What about:
I have it on my phone and can access Netflix.
But you were arguing things being nice for new users... it will be nice and easy for them to install from the Software store, and you have the other option of installing it from Mozilla directly. Sounds like a win - win to me.
1 Like
We have been arguing that APT should be the default source on Software Store over Flatpak and Snap. The latter gobble up valuable disk space and have other system compatibility issues which I am unable to support.
2 Likes
We tested SRWare Iron as well. Just like some of the other browsers that didn't make the cut, it appears that their Linux version doesn't support DRM content, which means that it doesn't meet our requirements as a full-featured general-purpose web browser (ditto).
It also isn't clear whether it's fully Free and Open Source Software. Its Wikipedia article states that it's licensed under "BSD, with some parts under other licences. Source code not provided." and I wasn't able to find any up-to-date source code repositories for it online.
In addition, it wouldn't seem to fulfill our "Popular and recognisable" requirement either.
3 Likes
Because of the DRM-Support in common: Did You take a Look in the Settings of the Browsers if it is turned off by default? Because in Firefox and Brave it is turned off and You have to activate it.
Yes. DRM is generally disabled by default, but browsers that support it usually prompt you to enable it when you visit a page that has DRM content.
Probably a stupid question but...
How much work would it be to package a Zorin Browser?
The same way that other OSs do:
Cachy Browser (based on Firefox) for example.
Or De-Googled Chromium (would be recognisable)?
Imagine the Chromium circle with a Zorin "Zed" in the middle.
The other solution would be to package it with a few options and include choosing which browser you want during install.
1 Like
Flatpak has a lot to offer. For the right usage, Flatpak can be a real lifesaver or neatly solve a problem.
It also has its own problems.
But for new users, defaulting to Flatpak creates more problems than it solves.
New users trying to install needed software and get set up do not know about different package formats enjoying a bunch of internecine squabbling on GnuLinux.
They try to get set up, then run into vague issues that have no error code - that turn out to be cases of Flatpak Permissions Issues - that was completely avoidable by not defaulting to an alternative packaging format instead of the standard APT.
The alternative formats are confusing to a newcomer. Instead of troubleshooting, we need to stop in the middle and try to explain a complex subject that while they are capable of understanding it, is unfamiliar and complex and distracting.
The default simply should be APT. Flatpak reserved for those cases where it meets user needs well.
I agree with choice. The End User having the options.
Many new users do not even know that the software store is defaulting them to an Alternative - which makes that not a choice.
They did not get to knowledgeably choose the alternative format on an as-needed basis. It was chosen for them, then the illusion of having had a choice dangled over them like an excuse after the fact.
8 Likes
I might be wrong about this but my understanding is that the new terms of use do not apply when package and distribute your own binaries.
Since Firefox already exists in the Zorin OS repositories, why not keep that it around? Even if it's not the default browser that comes installed by default, the ability to easily install Debian packages can go a long way.
The issues with Flatpak that @Aravisian mentions can be very frustrating. Things like a simple drag & drop to upload a file won't work (unless it just so happens that the file in question already is in the downloads directory).
4 Likes
There are cases where I disagree (OBS is the only specific one, as the OBS team goes to particular effort with their flatpak and it works better on Zorin than the APT does), but in the case of browsers especially, a new user should never be presented with a flatpak. It was disorienting/frustrating/infuriating for me to constantly have Firefox try to save my downloads in /run/user/1000 until I uninstalled and switched to the APT (this was while Zorin was still using the Firefox flatpak by default). I didn't understand where my files were going; I didn't realize it was essentially a ramdisk, and it was a pain in my rear constantly navigating to ~/Downloads every time I wanted to save a file. Firefox, or perhaps browsers generally, are the last applications I can ever recommend be run as a flatpak.
3 Likes