FS#8384 - Firefox could report it's running in Arch Linux

Attached to Project: Arch Linux
Opened by Alberto Gonzalez (Luis) - Tuesday, 23 October 2007, 15:30 GMT
Last edited by Alexander Baldeck (kth5) - Saturday, 22 December 2007, 16:25 GMT
Task Type Feature Request
Category Packages: Extra
Status Closed
Assigned To Alexander Baldeck (kth5)
Architecture All
Severity Very Low
Priority Low
Reported Version 2007.08-2
Due in Version Undecided
Due Date Undecided
Percent Complete 100%
Votes 0
Private No

Details

Description:
AWstats (a site statistics software widely used) can detect the OS and version that each visitor is running, and this includes Arch Linux. However, Firefox does not report other than "Linux i686", and therefor the usage statistics for Arch Linux are completely below reality (for an example, see distrowatch.com's statistics here: http://distrowatch.com/awstats/awstats.DistroWatch.com.osdetail.html

It would be nice to have Firefox reporting the OS more accurately. Looking at Ubuntu's Firefox, in about:config I see this line:

general.useragent.vendor default string Ubuntu

So we could have that same line but saying "ARCH" instead of Ubuntu (I believe that's the correct tag that AWStats looks for to know it's Arch Linux).

This same feature request would apply to every other web browser shipped by Arch.

Thanks.
This task depends upon

Closed by  Alexander Baldeck (kth5)
Saturday, 22 December 2007, 16:25 GMT
Reason for closing:  Won't implement
Comment by Roman Kyrylych (Romashka) - Tuesday, 23 October 2007, 17:37 GMT
Should we also patch Konqueror and Epiphany? How about Opera - it's binary?
Arch tries to provide as vanilla packages as possible, with patches only for bug fixing, not for customization.
Comment by Dale Blount (dale) - Tuesday, 23 October 2007, 17:38 GMT
It may also be a privacy issue.
Comment by Alberto Gonzalez (Luis) - Tuesday, 23 October 2007, 18:24 GMT
Well, a patch to include an "ARCH" tag isn't very intrusive, IMHO. The kernel is patched to include the Arch logo, for example.

The privacy issue again seems a bit exaggerated to me. Why isn't it a privacy issue to report that you're using Firefox and that you're using Linux but it _is_ a privacy issue to report you're using Arch Linux? Every other distribution includes their tag. And of course, those really concerned about it can just disable it.
Comment by Alexander Baldeck (kth5) - Wednesday, 24 October 2007, 13:52 GMT
It is definetly no privace issue as -ARCH on a Linux system already implies we're running arch and anybody who can crack an archbox, knows that. Then again, it seems to me more work than actual use. If ever a patch comes around before the next build I'll have a look at it.
Comment by Aaron Griffin (phrakture) - Wednesday, 24 October 2007, 20:49 GMT
@Roman: We also provide LOTS of custom splash screens for apps like OOo and GNOME/KDE Desktops.
Comment by Aaron Griffin (phrakture) - Wednesday, 24 October 2007, 20:50 GMT
@Alex: According to the forum thread, Ubuntu uses the setting "general.useragent.vendor" set to Ubuntu by default. Could we possibly do the same?
Comment by Roman Kyrylych (Romashka) - Thursday, 25 October 2007, 10:32 GMT
@Aaron - not for Gnome.
See http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/5911 (I remember other proposals/discussions on forums/MLs/IRC too).
I don't mind inclusion of customized artwork in Arch. In fact, I like that.
BUT we should do this a unified way!
Right now KDE and Openoffice include Arch artwork, Xfce includes it too, but it's optional, Gnome doesn't include Arch artwork at all.
(Oh, and remember those duplicated discussions about Arch menus as a required dependency?)
Either we do this, or we don't.
Let's discuss it on dev ML and put the end to this situation (probably even write a policy for this).
Comment by Roman Kyrylych (Romashka) - Thursday, 01 November 2007, 10:22 GMT
here's an interesting link: http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20071029#sitenews
Comment by Alberto Gonzalez (Luis) - Saturday, 03 November 2007, 10:45 GMT
In case this request is accepted, I attach the needed file (vendor.js). I guess it can be included with this line in the PKGBUILD:

install -m644 ${startdir}/src/vendor.js ${startdir}/pkg/opt/mozilla/lib/firefox/defaults/pref/
   vendor.js (0 KiB)
Comment by Aaron Griffin (phrakture) - Wednesday, 07 November 2007, 06:58 GMT
Great. Thanks for tracking this down - Alex, what do you think? It seems fairly simple

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