IceCat as default browser in Trisquel

[Rubén Rodríguez]

I've been working to include IceCat as the default browser for Trisquel
5.0 and up, and I had to make several modifications that I'd like to
discuss. You can read the current compilation helper file here:

http://bzr.trisquel.info/package-helpers/helpers/natty/make-icecat

First of all, the script removes a compilation flag that disables the
accessibility support. Is there a reason for that flag to be there?

The next change is adding some transitional packages to make it replace
abrowser or firefox on updates, that's an internal Trisquel change.

After that, xul-ext-ubufox is added to the dependency list, and we drop
the reference to flash in the description (which I think is pointless).

Then we remove the cookie watcher method in the privacy extension, since
it is annoying and third party cookies are disabled via config settings
anyway. Is there documentation on what the privacy does exactly?

Next we add a postint script that manages profile migrations, so
after updating from abrowser/firefox all user data is in place. You
should add that files to the default release. The script (along with a
prerm one) also adds IceCat to the alternatives list, to make it
provide x-www-browser and gnome-www-browser.

After that we put a file on gnome-control-center/default-apps/ to make
it work along with the default applications selector in GNOME.

Then we add a bunch of settings to browser/app/profile/firefox.js:

* Change plugin find service url to our own one
** E.g: http://trisquel.info/sites/pfs.php?mime=flash
* Change default search engine to DDG
* Disable "missing plugin" info bar
* Enable http pipelining and other performance hacks
* Disable third party cookies
* Enable extensions updating
* Set custom vendor chains
* Redirect addons web site to our own: http://trisquel.info/en/browser
* Change help and dictionaries download URLs

Some of those settings may now be redundant, they were inherited from
abrowser. The last changes we make after that are to set a custom
default layout and bookmarks.

Note that one of the listed changes is to make xul-ext-ubufox a
dependency. That installs our own modified version of ubufox, which
handles some integration with the system like enabling the plugin
search to work with our finder service (which provides apt hints to
install gnash, icedtea or totem/vlc plugins). This extension is still
work in progress.

One other change I'm studying is removing https-everywhere:
http://www.mail-archive.com/address@hidden/msg03955.html
The privacy extension seems to cause some problems too:
https://trisquel.info/en/forum/icecat-javascript-and-google

Wow, that was long. I hope it was useful too! :)