Linux

48624 readers

1681 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

Rules

Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
No misinformation
No NSFW content
No hate speech, bigotry, etc

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

-44

What the heck is this trash shipping with firefox? about:compat (self.linux)

submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by mvirts to c/[email protected]

42 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Visit about:compat in your firefox. I find it insane that these exist.

Edit: I've learned that this is part of the webcompat system addon developed by Mozilla and other contributors. I see why this is beneficial default behavior, since FF has no chance of getting enough market share to matter more if things are broken.

However, this behavior is too intrusive for my taste. For example this injection: https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/file/8a4afb4d34f8/browser/extensions/webcompat/injections/js/bug1472075-bankofamerica.com-ua-change.js is basically just to silence annoying user reports.

Also, Every site FF pretends to be a different UA on is artificially reducing FF market share data.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[+] mvirts -17 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Just imagine slipping in a new compatibility fix for a banking website... Or maybe a crypto custodian...

No sneaky backdoor required, just change some data.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Any project can insert any code they want, that's how software works. The thing about open source projects like Firefox, is if they were to do such a thing, anyone could see it. You're complaining about Firefox when they haven't really done anything, and yet browsers like Brave have actually been caught inserting redirects into their links, which is harder to spot because Brave is not open source.

If you really agree this distrusting of Firefox, just don't use it, or build it yourself.

[–] mvirts 2 points 2 months ago

Agreed, and definitely not advocating using another browser I think FF is the best option. I may try removing the webcompat addon and see what happens.

[–] db2 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

And how do you know Chrome or any other browser you haven't personally audited the code of and compiled from that code doesn't do what you're saying?

[–] mvirts -2 points 2 months ago

I don't, and I'm sure this is just the tip of the band-aid iceberg. Not going to ditch Firefox over it but Im disappointed. Idgaf if tiktok is broken 😁