Mozilla's Distribution Policy states that you're not able to distribute their software if you make modifications to it, like removing the Terms of Use. Otherwise, you'd need to fork it and forego the Firefox name & branding.
We don't maintain the Firefox package in our repositories. Instead, we've added Mozilla's own APT repository as the source of the Firefox package in Zorin OS 17. Doing so ensures that updates to the browser can be delivered in a timely manner directly from the developers and lowers the maintenance overhead.
For security reasons and to avoid reducing the package manager's performance when checking for updates, we err on the side of not keeping numerous non-essential third-party APT repositories enabled by default in Zorin OS.
If a user wishes to install Firefox by themselves and is particular about choosing APT as the package format for it, they'll always be able to add the official Mozilla APT repository in Zorin OS 18 onward. This would be just like with other third-party software that have their own APT repositories.
Perhaps a sensible standpoint is to make a DRM compliant browser the 'de facto' browser for the masses but also advise users to be mindful that if they want security and privacy they should consider using a secondary browser, but not Firefox. This article looks at alternatives with additional links on how to improve security even more on certain browsers listed:
What about adding a dummy package in the zorin repositories that, when installed, adds the official firefox repository to the system and downloads it from there? Would that be possible?
I just went to LibreWolf website (searched for it in ZEN), downloaded it for Linux and imported bookmarks, which took about 5 minutes, if that. I'm using it here for the first time.
I have Brave installed as a flatpak, but I like Firefox better in terms of usage. I hope that Mozilla responds positively to @AZorin request. Otherwise there will only be Chromium browsers in the future, which wouldn't be good, would it?
@Dexxa , I use both Zen and LibreWolf, which are both Firefox forks, oh yeah Mulvad too. I won't use a Chromium browser unless it is the very last option available. I'm really happy, I have not had any issues in the last - I don't know, at least a couple of months with Zen, and no problems at all with LibreWolf. Mulvad is a "different browser" and I wouldn't use it as my every day choice, but it has its uses avoiding being finger printed, etc..
I have tried Brave in the past year but it's not for me.
It's great, isn't it? I am using the .deb version, because for some reason flatpak didn't show a special category in start menu for all the web apps I installed:
If everything you need works fine, just carry on as usual.
The main difference is that Flatpak packages run in isolation from the rest of the system, which can sometimes get in the way of getting things done. For example, you won't be able to drag & drop files from your file system to upload them (unless you use the Downloads folder which is explicitly whitelisted by default).
As for updates, typically they'll come much more often on Flatpaks than they do on Debian packages. Although, in the particular case of Brave this is not true since Brave keeps their own repository to distribute the Debian version of their browser, which you can install.
I saw a Video-Interview from the The Linux Experiment Youtube Channel to this Topic. It is an 1-Hour-Video, I know. But it offers a bit more Content and Context to this Situation.
Thanks for the link to Nicks video. It will be interesting to see how things pan out after the dust settles after the TOU disaster.
I for one will avoid Chrome and Chromium based browsers where possible, so the only alternative right now seems to be Firefox and Firefox forks. I still have Firefox but am now beginning to use LibreWolf where I can. Open source is still a preference when it comes to web browser.
The danger if FF goes down the pan, then I guess the forks will go with it.
I tried Brave, but I like Firefox. After the video, I think Mozilla might be good again after all.
We'll see what the future brings, Gecko can't really be different.
For those wanting to avoid watching the interview on Google's YouTube:
In respect of Thunderbird, I ceased using this when Google searcb engine appeared in its backend and could not be replaced. I prefer Evolution. I am currently using Chromium but would love to go back to using Firefox, not least because being from the older generation I prefer a visible Menu without having to press F10. I still need Firefox to access local city forum as using Chromium it brings up a ban from 2020 when I was accused of trolling, even though I had posted on their old forum a couple of years ago.
I'll stick with Firefox and Thunderbird for now. And hope for improvement from Mozilla. Are Brave's terms of use better?
And do we really want a Chromium monoculture?
