Difference between revisions of "Gnuzilla"

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m (version 38.4.0)
(Undo revision 90187 by David Hedlund (talk))
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{{Entry
 
{{Entry
−
|Name=GNUzilla/IceCat
+
|Name=GNU IceCat
−
|Short description=GNUzilla is the GNU version of the Mozilla Application Suite, and GNU IceCat is the GNU version of the Firefox browser.
+
|Short description=GNU IceCat is the GNU version of the Firefox browser.
−
|Full description='''GNU IceCat''' (originally '''GNU IceWeasel''') is part of '''GNUzilla'''. [https://www.gnu.org/software/gnuzilla/ GNUzilla] is the GNU version of the Mozilla Application Suite (originally known as Mozilla), and GNU IceCat is the GNU version of the [https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/latest-esr/source/ latest Firefox ESR] (Extended Stable Release) release.
+
|Full description={{AttentionBox
 +
|title=Outdated official binary release
 +
|color=red
 +
|icon=<span style="font-size: 250%;">&#9888;</span>
 +
|message=Since 2019, IceCat is maintained only as source code. The last IceCat binary release was version 60.7.0, and is no longer supported. Guix and Parabola have up-to-date IceCat binaries. Please ask your distro to package IceCat.
 +
|Homepage URL=https://www.gnu.org/software/gnuzilla/
 +
|Version identifier=60.7.0
 +
|Version date=2019/06/02
 +
|Version status=stable
 +
|Version download=https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuzilla/60.7.0/icecat-60.7.0-gnu1.tar.bz2
 +
}}'''GNU IceCat''' (originally '''GNU IceWeasel''') is part of '''GNUzilla''' (the GNU version of the Mozilla Application Suite). GNU IceCat is based on the the current Firefox Extended Support Release (ESR), with removal of trademarked name, trademarked artwork, and proprietary components, and enhanced privacy settings.  
  
−
The full GNUzilla is not actively updated. The last release of full GNUzilla was 24.0, on October 16, 2013. "The current focus is on GNU IceCat, our browser derived from Mozilla Firefox." IceCat is not a straight fork of Firefox ESR; instead, it is a parallel effort that works closely with and re-bases in synchronization on the latest Firefox ESR as the upstream supplier, with patches merged upstream whenever possible.
+
However, IceCat is not a straight fork of Firefox ESR; instead, it is a parallel effort that works closely with and re-bases in synchronization on the latest Firefox ESR as the upstream supplier, with patches merged upstream whenever possible; although it should be noted that additional security updates are customized to IceCat occasionally.
  
−
In addition, IceCat removes Firefox trademarked artwork, and recommends only free software add-ons. With a focus on freedom and privacy, IceCat is designed to make it easy for the user to: block execution of non-free JavaScript with [[GNU LibreJS]] or disable all JS, block privacy trackers with SpyBlock ([[Adblock Plus]] fork), get redirected to HTTPS when possible with [[HTTPS Everywhere]], and more!
+
==Differences between IceCat and Firefox ESR==
 +
Important differences between Mozilla's Firefox and GNU IceCat is that  IceCat has  a focus on freedom and privacy (see [https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/gnuzilla.git/tree/data/settings.js settings.js] for details).
  
−
See also
+
* Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) is not implemented: Whereas Firefox are being created such that they support Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) systems through their implementation of the Encrypted Media Extension (EME), GNU IceCat doesn't include an EME implementation as it opposes efforts to popularize and ease the dissemination of DRM technology.
−
* [[Free_Software_Directory:IceCat_add-on_third-party_repositories|FSD:IceCat add-on third-party repositories]]
+
** ''Widevine Content Decryption Module provided by Google Inc.'' is not installed in about:addons > Plugins
−
* [[Free_Software_Directory:IceCat_plugins|FSD:IceCat plugins]]
+
** The ''Play DRM-controlled content'' option (used to download and enable ''Widevine Content Decryption Module provided by Google Inc.'') has been removed from about:preferences > Content
−
* [http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuzilla/ Language packs] for interface of IceCat. Click on your version (also look in newer version of your release), then go to the ''langpacks'' directory.
+
* "Accept third-party cookies: Never"
−
|Homepage URL=https://www.gnu.org/software/gnuzilla/
+
* WebRTC is enabled like in Firefox but prevent leaking the LAN ip. ([https://test.webrtc.org/ Test WebRTC])
 +
* The proprietary web chat IRC client Mibbit has been removed.
 +
* Telemetry is disabled.
 +
* DuckDuckGo is the default search engine, which means that you can run "!Bangs" keywords in the location bar to use any search engine.
 +
 
 +
===Philosophy===
 +
"We will always make IceCat block non-free JavaScript by default. If you want to permit nonfree software to run, you can easily disable LibreJS." - Richard Stallman
 +
 
 +
===Customized add-ons===
 +
* SpyBlock (Adblock Plus fork) to block privacy trackers.
 +
 
 +
==History==
 +
GNU IceCat was formerly known as GNU IceWeasel but changed its name in 2008  to avoid confusion with Debian IceWeasel (who was rebranded back to Firefox in 2017 after Debian was being granted special permission from Mozilla [https://lwn.net/Articles/676799/ ref]).
 +
 
 +
The GNU IceCat developers dropped support for IceCatMobile on Replicant after version [https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuzilla/38.6.0/ 38.6.0] because these builds are already provided by F-Droid. See [[Collection:Replicant]] for more information about IceCatMobile in the F-Droid repository.
 +
 
 +
GNU IceCat developers dropped support for macOS, and Windows, after version [https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuzilla/38.8.0/ 38.8.0] in 2016: "Note that building binary packages for Windows and macOS currently requires non-free software, so we no longer distribute binary releases for those platforms."
 +
 
 +
==See also==
 +
* [[Collection:IceCat_WebExtensions_(proposed)|IceCat WebExtensions (proposed)]]
 +
** [[Collection:3rd-party_data_for_IceCat_add-ons|3rd-party data for IceCat add-ons]]
 +
* [[Collection:IceCat_plugins|IceCat plugins]]
 +
* [[Collection:Search engines|Search Engines]]
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
{{EntryDetails
 +
|Screenshot 1=IceCat.png
 +
|Screenshot 2=IceCat-Screenshot 2.png
 +
|Screenshot 3=IceCat-Screenshot 3.png
 +
|Is High Priority Project=Yes
 +
|VCS checkout command=git clone git://git.savannah.gnu.org/gnuzilla.git
 +
|Computer languages=CSS,XBL
 +
|Documentation note=Why not recommend Firefox? As explained in our [https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html Free Software Definition], all four freedoms must be available on both a commercial and non-commercial basis. Mozilla's trademark policy serves to limit Freedom 2 to gratis distribution only, making the software nonfree.
 +
|Decommissioned or Obsolete=No
 +
|Donate=https://my.fsf.org/donate/
 +
|IRC general=irc://irc.libera.chat/#icecat
 +
|Related projects=gnustandards,librejs, Tor Browser
 +
|Keywords=mozilla, gnuzilla, icecat, iceweasel
 +
|Last review by=Bendikker
 +
|Last review date=2019/01/19
 +
|Submitted by=Jgay
 +
|Submitted date=2012/10/01
 
|User level=beginner
 
|User level=beginner
−
|VCS checkout command=git clone git://git.savannah.gnu.org/gnuzilla.git
+
|Paid support=https://www.fsf.org/resources/service/
−
|Computer languages=C++, JavaScript
+
|Accepts cryptocurrency donations=Yes
−
|IRC general=irc://chat.freenode.net/icecat
+
|OpenPGP signature=https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuzilla/60.7.0/icecat-60.7.0-gnu1.tar.bz2.sig
−
|Related projects=Tor Browser
+
|Test entry=No
−
|Keywords=mozilla, firefox, gnuzilla, icecat, iceweasel
 
−
|Version identifier=38.4.0
 
−
|Version date=2015/11/28
 
−
|Version status=mature
 
−
|Version download=https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuzilla/38.4.0/
 
−
|Last review by=Genium
 
−
|Last review date=2015/12/01
 
−
|Submitted by=Database conversion
 
−
|Submitted date=2011-04-01
 
−
|Status=
 
 
|Is GNU=Yes
 
|Is GNU=Yes
 
|GNU package identifier=gnuzilla
 
|GNU package identifier=gnuzilla
Line 37: Line 79:
 
|License verified by=David Hedlund
 
|License verified by=David Hedlund
 
|License verified date=2015/07/12
 
|License verified date=2015/07/12
−
|License note="Because we hope and want our privacy enhancements to be picked up by Mozilla itself, we are keeping the same tri-licensing scheme for Gnuzilla/IceCat as GNU uses: MPL/GPL/LGPL." - icecat-<version>/README.IceCat
+
|License note="Because we hope and want our privacy enhancements to be picked up by Mozilla itself, we are keeping the same tri-licensing scheme for Gnuzilla/IceCat as GNU uses: MPL/GPL/LGPL." - README.IceCat
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Project license
 
{{Project license
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|License verified by=David Hedlund
 
|License verified by=David Hedlund
 
|License verified date=2015/07/12
 
|License verified date=2015/07/12
−
|License note="Because we hope and want our privacy enhancements to be picked up by Mozilla itself, we are keeping the same tri-licensing scheme for Gnuzilla/IceCat as GNU uses: MPL/GPL/LGPL." - icecat-<version>/README.IceCat
+
|License note="Because we hope and want our privacy enhancements to be picked up by Mozilla itself, we are keeping the same tri-licensing scheme for Gnuzilla/IceCat as GNU uses: MPL/GPL/LGPL." - README.IceCat
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Project license
 
{{Project license
Line 53: Line 95:
 
|License verified by=David Hedlund
 
|License verified by=David Hedlund
 
|License verified date=2015/08/15
 
|License verified date=2015/08/15
−
|License note="Because we hope and want our privacy enhancements to be picked up by Mozilla itself, we are keeping the same tri-licensing scheme for Gnuzilla/IceCat as GNU uses: MPL/GPL/LGPL." - icecat-<version>/README.IceCat
+
|License note="Because we hope and want our privacy enhancements to be picked up by Mozilla itself, we are keeping the same tri-licensing scheme for Gnuzilla/IceCat as GNU uses: MPL/GPL/LGPL." - README.IceCat
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Project license
 
{{Project license
Line 60: Line 102:
 
Copyright (C) 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
Copyright (C) 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
|License verified by=David Hedlund
 
|License verified by=David Hedlund
−
|License verified date=2015/08/23
+
|License verified date=2016/10/05
−
|License note="Binaries of this product have been made available to you by the Trisquel Project under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 (MPL)." - Help -> About IceCat
+
|License note="Binaries of this product have been made available to you by the GNU Project under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 (MPL)." - Help -> About IceCat
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Person
 
{{Person
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|Role=Maintainer
 
|Role=Maintainer
 
|Email=ruben@gnu.org
 
|Email=ruben@gnu.org
−
|Resource URL=
+
|Username=quidam
 +
}}
 +
{{Resource
 +
|Resource audience=Debian (Ref) (R)
 +
|Resource URL=https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/iceweasel
 +
}}
 +
{{Resource
 +
|Resource audience=Savannah (Ref)
 +
|Resource URL=https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gnuzilla/
 +
}}
 +
{{Resource
 +
|Resource kind=VCS Repository Webview
 +
|Resource URL=https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/gnuzilla.git/
 +
}}
 +
{{Resource
 +
|Resource kind=Mailing List
 +
|Resource URL=https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-gnuzilla/
 +
}}
 +
{{Resource
 +
|Resource kind=Mailing List
 +
|Resource URL=https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnuzilla-dev/
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Resource
 
{{Resource
−
|Resource audience=bug-gnuzilla -- GNUzilla discussion and bug reports.
 
 
|Resource kind=Mailing List
 
|Resource kind=Mailing List
−
|Resource URL=http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-gnuzilla
+
|Resource URL=https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-system-discuss/
 +
}}
 +
{{Resource
 +
|Resource kind=Download
 +
|Resource URL=https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuzilla/
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Resource
 
{{Resource
−
|Resource audience=bug-gnuzilla -- GNUzilla discussion and bug reports.
+
|Resource kind=Download
−
|Resource kind=Bug Tracking
+
|Resource URL=https://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/gnuzilla/
−
|Resource URL=http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-gnuzilla
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Resource
 
{{Resource
−
|Resource audience=bug-gnuzilla -- GNUzilla discussion and bug reports.
+
|Resource kind=Download
−
|Resource kind=Support
+
|Resource URL=https://f-droid.org/packages/org.gnu.icecat/
−
|Resource URL=bug-gnuzilla@gnu.org
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Resource
 
{{Resource
−
|Resource audience=Developer
+
|Resource kind=Bug Tracking
−
|Resource kind=VCS Repository Webview
+
|Resource URL=https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/known-vulnerabilities/firefox-esr/
−
|Resource URL=http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/gnuzilla.git
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Resource
 
{{Resource
−
|Resource audience=User manual pages
+
|Resource kind=General
−
|Resource kind=Forum
+
|Resource URL=https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:IceCat/
−
|Resource URL=http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:IceCat/
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Resource
 
{{Resource
−
|Resource audience=Software development management system
+
|Resource kind=General
−
|Resource kind=Developer
+
|Resource URL=https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/firefox-esr
−
|Resource URL=https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gnuzilla
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Resource
 
{{Resource
−
|Resource audience=General users
 
 
|Resource kind=General
 
|Resource kind=General
−
|Resource URL=https://gnuzilla.gnu.org
+
|Resource URL=https://savannah.gnu.org/people/
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Software category
 
{{Software category
 +
|Html-editor=text-based
 
|Interface=x-window-system
 
|Interface=x-window-system
 
|Internet-application=privacy, security, web-browser
 
|Internet-application=privacy, security, web-browser
−
|Programming-language=C++, javascript
+
|Programming-language=C, C++, javascript, rust
−
|Runs-on=Windows, OS X, Android, GNU/Linux
+
|Runs-on=Windows, BSD, OS X, Android, GNU/Linux
 
|Use=internet-application
 
|Use=internet-application
 
|Uitoolkit=xul
 
|Uitoolkit=xul
 
|Works-with=html, images
 
|Works-with=html, images
−
|Works-with-format=pdf
+
|Works-with-format=mp3, ogg-vorbis, FLAC, ogg-theora, opus, webm, pdf, rdf
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Featured}}
 
{{Featured}}
 +
{{Project notification
 +
|Notification=Update needed!
 +
}}

Latest revision as of 07:01, 25 September 2023


[edit]

GNU IceCat

GNU IceCat is the GNU version of the Firefox browser.

IceCat.png IceCat-Screenshot 2.png IceCat-Screenshot 3.png

⚠ Outdated official binary release

Since 2019, IceCat is maintained only as source code. The last IceCat binary release was version 60.7.0, and is no longer supported. Guix and Parabola have up-to-date IceCat binaries. Please ask your distro to package IceCat.
GNU IceCat (originally GNU IceWeasel) is part of GNUzilla (the GNU version of the Mozilla Application Suite). GNU IceCat is based on the the current Firefox Extended Support Release (ESR), with removal of trademarked name, trademarked artwork, and proprietary components, and enhanced privacy settings.

However, IceCat is not a straight fork of Firefox ESR; instead, it is a parallel effort that works closely with and re-bases in synchronization on the latest Firefox ESR as the upstream supplier, with patches merged upstream whenever possible; although it should be noted that additional security updates are customized to IceCat occasionally.

Differences between IceCat and Firefox ESR

Important differences between Mozilla's Firefox and GNU IceCat is that IceCat has a focus on freedom and privacy (see settings.js for details).

  • Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) is not implemented: Whereas Firefox are being created such that they support Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) systems through their implementation of the Encrypted Media Extension (EME), GNU IceCat doesn't include an EME implementation as it opposes efforts to popularize and ease the dissemination of DRM technology.
    • Widevine Content Decryption Module provided by Google Inc. is not installed in about:addons > Plugins
    • The Play DRM-controlled content option (used to download and enable Widevine Content Decryption Module provided by Google Inc.) has been removed from about:preferences > Content
  • "Accept third-party cookies: Never"
  • WebRTC is enabled like in Firefox but prevent leaking the LAN ip. (Test WebRTC)
  • The proprietary web chat IRC client Mibbit has been removed.
  • Telemetry is disabled.
  • DuckDuckGo is the default search engine, which means that you can run "!Bangs" keywords in the location bar to use any search engine.

Philosophy

"We will always make IceCat block non-free JavaScript by default. If you want to permit nonfree software to run, you can easily disable LibreJS." - Richard Stallman

Customized add-ons

  • SpyBlock (Adblock Plus fork) to block privacy trackers.

History

GNU IceCat was formerly known as GNU IceWeasel but changed its name in 2008 to avoid confusion with Debian IceWeasel (who was rebranded back to Firefox in 2017 after Debian was being granted special permission from Mozilla ref).

The GNU IceCat developers dropped support for IceCatMobile on Replicant after version 38.6.0 because these builds are already provided by F-Droid. See Collection:Replicant for more information about IceCatMobile in the F-Droid repository.

GNU IceCat developers dropped support for macOS, and Windows, after version 38.8.0 in 2016: "Note that building binary packages for Windows and macOS currently requires non-free software, so we no longer distribute binary releases for those platforms."

See also

Documentation

Why not recommend Firefox? As explained in our Free Software Definition, all four freedoms must be available on both a commercial and non-commercial basis. Mozilla's trademark policy serves to limit Freedom 2 to gratis distribution only, making the software nonfree.

"IRC general" IRC general channel
irc://irc.libera.chat/#icecat



Download



OpenPGP signature URL: https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuzilla/60.7.0/icecat-60.7.0-gnu1.tar.bz2.sig

User level

Beginner

https://my.fsf.org/donate/

Accepts cryptocurrency donations.

https://www.fsf.org/resources/service/

VCS Checkout

Categories

Related Projects





Licensing

License

Verified by

Verified on

Notes

License

LGPL

Verified by

David Hedlund

Verified on

12 July 2015

Notes

"Because we hope and want our privacy enhancements to be picked up by Mozilla itself, we are keeping the same tri-licensing scheme for Gnuzilla/IceCat as GNU uses: MPL/GPL/LGPL." - README.IceCat

License

MPLv2.0

Verified by

David Hedlund

Verified on

5 October 2016

Notes

"Binaries of this product have been made available to you by the GNU Project under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 (MPL)." - Help -> About IceCat

License

MPL

Verified by

David Hedlund

Verified on

15 August 2015

Notes

"Because we hope and want our privacy enhancements to be picked up by Mozilla itself, we are keeping the same tri-licensing scheme for Gnuzilla/IceCat as GNU uses: MPL/GPL/LGPL." - README.IceCat

License

GPL

Verified by

David Hedlund

Verified on

12 July 2015

Notes

"Because we hope and want our privacy enhancements to be picked up by Mozilla itself, we are keeping the same tri-licensing scheme for Gnuzilla/IceCat as GNU uses: MPL/GPL/LGPL." - README.IceCat




Leaders and contributors

Contact(s)Role
Rubén Rodríguez (Quidam)Maintainer


Resources and communication

AudienceResource typeURI
Downloadhttps://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/gnuzilla/
Generalhttps://savannah.gnu.org/people/
Downloadhttps://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuzilla/
Mailing Listhttps://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-system-discuss/
Generalhttps://tracker.debian.org/pkg/firefox-esr
Mailing Listhttps://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnuzilla-dev/
Mailing Listhttps://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-gnuzilla/
Savannah (Ref)https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gnuzilla/
VCS Repository Webviewhttps://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/gnuzilla.git/
Downloadhttps://f-droid.org/packages/org.gnu.icecat/
Generalhttps://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:IceCat/
Bug Trackinghttps://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/known-vulnerabilities/firefox-esr/
Debian (Ref) (R)https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/iceweasel


Software prerequisites

This entry (in part or in whole) was last reviewed on 19 January 2019.




Entry






















"MPLv2.0" is not in the list (ACEL, AFL-3.0, AGPL-1.0, AGPL-1.0-or-later, AGPL-3.0, AGPL-3.0-or-later, AGPL-3.0-or-later-with-exception, AGPL-3.0-with-exception, AGPLv1orlater, AGPLv3, ...) of allowed values for the "License" property.






"Debian (Ref) (R)" is not in the list (General, Help, Bug Tracking, Support, Developer) of allowed values for the "Resource audience" property.


"Savannah (Ref)" is not in the list (General, Help, Bug Tracking, Support, Developer) of allowed values for the "Resource audience" property.

































⚠ Attention!
Sample text.

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the page “GNU Free Documentation License”.

The copyright and license notices on this page only apply to the text on this page. Any software or copyright-licenses or other similar notices described in this text has its own copyright notice and license, which can usually be found in the distribution or license text itself.

Retrieved from "https://directory.fsf.org/wiki?title=Gnuzilla&oldid=90188"