[tbb-dev] proposal for #28044 (Integrate Tor Launcher into tor-browser)

[Mark Smith]

On 2/8/19 10:39 AM, intrigeri wrote:
> Hi,
> 
>> Filename: NNN-integrate-tor-launcher-into-tor-browser.txt
>> Title: Integration of Tor Launcher into Tor Browser Core
>> Author: Mark Smith and Kathleen Brade
>> Created: 22-Jan-2019
>> Updated: 7-Feb-2019
>> Status: Draft
>> Ticket: #28044
> 
> Sorry for the delay: we were busy with preparing our major 3.12
> release when this proposal came up, and I've just come back
> from holiday.

No worries; thank you for your input.

>>  R5. Continue to maintain a separate git repository for Tor Launcher. This
>>      will allow development of Tor Launcher to proceed outside of core
>>      browser development and will also facilitate continued use of Tor
>>      Launcher as a XUL/XPCOM extension by those projects that have that
>>      requirement, e.g., TorBirdy.
> 
> OK. I understand this will allow Tails to:
> 
>  - Build and ship a Tor Launcher extension (disabled in our main Tor
>    Browser profile, as per R3).
> 
>  - Run Tor Launcher just like we currently do, until we switch to
>    68esr in October. Once we're based on 68esr, we won't be able to
>    run Tor Launcher as a XUL/XPCOM extension anymore, and we'll need
>    to replace it with another tool.

Tails uses -app today, correct? Has that been removed from Firefox now?

>> 4.1 TL_LOGO and pkg-prepare
> 
>> Tails uses Tor Launcher for their Tor network configuration UI. To avoid
>> confusion, they include the Tails logo in their copy of Tor Launcher,
>> replacing the Tor Browser logo. This replacement is handled by the
>> pkg-prepare Makefile target. We will need to find a different way to
>> handle the logo override.
> 
> Tails sets TOR_HIDE_BROWSER_LOGO=1 (#14122). It would be nice to keep
> it. Since it's a runtime setting, and not a build-time thing, I assume
> it's not too much trouble to keep support for it? If it's too much
> trouble, drop it. This would cause a minor usability regression in
> Tails but given the timeline, I'd rather use your "being nice to
> Tails" time on longer-term issues such as #27466 and #10760, rather
> than on a tool that we'll need to drop in 8 months anyway.

We do not plan to remove support for TOR_HIDE_BROWSER_LOGO=1. Honestly,
I forgot it was there... but our goal is to not break anything unless we
need to do so due to Firefox changes, etc.

> However, we do *not* replace it with a custom logo (#12451) and have
> never done so. I think there's some confusion because of the way
> proper introduced themselves "as a user of Tails and a maintainer of
> Whonix" on these tickets. By the way, IIRC Whonix has replaced Tor
> Launcher with their own thing a while ago, so perhaps they don't need
> any of this anymore and TL_LOGO could go away?

Yes, that was Tails vs. Whonix confusion on our part. And I think you
are correct: we can just drop the TL_LOGO build-time option.

>> 4.3 UI For Access To The Tor Network Settings
> 
>> Currently, the Torbutton toolbar menu contains a "Tor Network Settings"
>> menu item which causes Tor Launcher to open its Network Settings
>> dialog. As plans for incorporating the Torbutton functionality into
>> the core browser proceed, we may need to provide a new method for users
>> to access the network settings. Tentatively, we plan to eliminate the
>> Torbutton toolbar item and its associated menu, which means new UI will
>> need to be added to provide access to Tor Launcher's Network Settings
>> dialog.
> 
> I think Tails will need some way to hide this new UI (otherwise user
> experience will be poor as Tor Browser in Tails is not actually
> allowed to change such settings). If we can do this in our profile
> config, with something like userChrome.css, that would be good enough
> considering we'll need to replace Tor Launcher in October.

We will keep this requirement in mind as we move forward. Thanks for
bringing it to our attention.

-- 
Mark Smith
Pearl Crescent
http://pearlcrescent.com/

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 488 bytes
Desc: OpenPGP digital signature
URL: <http://lists.torproject.org/pipermail/tbb-dev/attachments/20190208/e05504ec/attachment.sig>