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IceCat 60.2.0 Pre-release

Item posted by Ruben Rodriguez <rubenquidam> on Fri 14 Sep 2018 01:55:29 AM UTC.

GNUzilla is the GNU version of the Mozilla suite, and GNU IceCat is the GNU version of the Firefox browser. Its main advantage is an ethical one: it is entirely free software. While the Firefox source code from the Mozilla project is free software, they distribute and recommend non-free software as plug-ins and addons. Also their trademark license restricts distribution in ways that hinder freedom 0.

GNU IceCat has multiple practical advantages as well, such as better privacy and security settings, extensive blocking of sites that may track the user's browsing habits, or the inclusion of LibreJS and other extensions that help browse without running non-free javascript.

https://www.gnu.org/software/gnuzilla/

GPG key ID:D7E04784 GNU IceCat releases
Fingerprint: A573 69A8 BABC 2542 B5A0 368C 3C76 EED7 D7E0 4784
https://savannah.gnu.org/project/memberlist-gpgkeys.php?group=gnuzilla

======

This is a pre-release for version 60.2.0 of GNU IceCat, available at http://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/gnuzilla/60.2.0/

This release contains substantial design and usability changes from the previous major version (v52.x ESR) so I'm publishing it at alpha.gnu.org to request testing and comments before moving it to ftp.gnu.org. Source Code plus binaries for GNU/Linux x86 and x86_64 are available.

The main differences (other than those provided from upstream changes from v52.x to v60.x) are:

LibreJS 7.x, now based in the WebExtensions API. It currently provides a very similar set of features compared with the version shipped with IceCat 52.x but testing, comments and advice are welcome.

A set of companion extensions for LibreJS by Nathan Nichols (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/user/NateN1222/) are pre-installed, and provide workarounds to use some services at USPS, RSF.org, SumOfUs.org, pay.gov, McDonald's, goteo.org and Google Docs without using nonfree JavaScript.

A series of configuration changes and tweaks were applied to ensure that IceCat does not initiate network connections that the user has not explicitly requested. This implies not downloading feeds, updates, blacklists or any other similar data needed during startup.

A new homepage shows the most important privacy and freedom options available, with explanations for the user to tune IceCat's behavior to their specific needs.

We no longer include SpyBlock, which was IceCat's fork of AdBlockPlus that allowed to block all third-party requests during "Private Browsing" mode. Now, we include an extension that blocks all third party requests by default, and provides a simple interface that allows to whitelist specific third-party resources on a per-site basis. This change is the most significant usability change from IceCat 52.x and I'd like to get testers to provide an opinion on it. One of the reasons for its inclusion is that unlike other blockers it doesn't need to download any files to do its job, thus avoiding the previously mentioned unrequested network connections.

Thanks to Giorgio Maone, Nathan Nichols, Nyk Nyby and Zach Wick for their contribution to LibreJS and IceCat, and happy testing!