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Bromite author here (https://www.bromite.org https://www.bromite.org ); I was contacted some time ago about the possibility to maintain a modified version of Br

Bromite author here (https://www.bromite.org https://www.bromite.org ); I was contacted some time ago about the possibility to maintain a modified version of Bromite with a customised /e/ home page and list of search engines. Nothing particularly murky there, but after some Q/A I did not want to proceed with this type of cross-branding because fundamentally I do not want Bromite to be using or be affiliated with any cloud service and I concluded that /e/ invites users to swap Google for /e/ as a cloud services provider. Now to the reason why I am commenting here: there is no GPL violation for the patches used in their /e/ browser but I find it a bit disappointing that nowhere it is mentioned that the browser is a complete Bromite build, minus the logo and renamed to '/e/ Browser'. Most users are assuming that it is a Chromium fork developed by /e/ and will never reach the Bromite open source project, which is basically the way the project is kept alive.

hayksaakian 7y ago
Update: Fixed -- Note -- HN included the ) and ; in your link, so clicking it doesn't work properly. I appreciate your cause and it'd help if it was easier to check it out
- csagan5 7y ago
  Thanks, fixed that by adding a space.
RosanaAnaDana 7y ago
I use your browser as my daily driver and I just want to say thank you for your hard work.
- csagan5 7y ago
  You're welcome :)
  - RosanaAnaDana 7y ago
    Is there anything I could do to help support bromite as a project?
    - csagan5 7y ago
      See https://github.com/bromite/bromite/blob/master/README.md https://github.com/bromite/bromite/blob/master/README.md
jeroenhd 7y ago
I haven't looked into the compiled code but the source repository still shows the Bromite logo and name: https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/apps/browser https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/apps/browser The AUTHORS file also mentions being a fork of Bromite, but doesn't list any authors that aren't part of the project: https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/apps/browser/blob/master/AUTHORS https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/apps/browser/blob/master/AUTHO... It looks like your patches have been changed to renamed Bromite to Browser in user-facing code though. Have you already asked them to add a reference to Bromite somewhere in the about screen? Maybe create a pull request to make it easier for them to accept your request if the devs themselves are lazy. They obviously won't rename the browser shortcut, but adding a reference in the "About browser" section shouldn't be too much to ask for. Unrelated: I understand your position on cloud providers, but I think /e/ is different from MS or Google in that it's possible to swap out most of the integrations with your own servers (it's all a bunch of glued-together open source services, after all). Without cloud integration, I doubt /e/ would reach any sort of mainstream of non-technical cult status at all. You'd be left with an app store on top of a build of LineageOS. It's the services delivered with the system that a) distinguish the project from LineageOS without GApps and b) provide basic usability many normal users would miss otherwise.
- csagan5 7y ago
  Yes, I am aware of the repository. > Have you already asked them to add a reference to Bromite somewhere in the about screen? I have not; I was expecting it, given the amount of modifications from Bromite patches (which is zero, as far as I understood). > I think /e/ is different from MS or Google in that it's possible to swap out most of the integrations with your own servers (it's all a bunch of glued-together open source services, after all). It's that "most" that corrupts the intent. > Without cloud integration, I doubt /e/ would reach any sort of mainstream or non-technical cult status at all. Sorry, I will avoid discussing this, it has all the clues to become an endless and inconclusive talk :) In short: yes, I agree with you, and still do not care about "mainstream or non-technical cult status" at all.
  - jeroenhd 7y ago
    > I have not; I was expecting it, given the amount of modifications from Bromite patches (which is zero, as far as I understood). I won't lie, I would have expected the same if I were in your shoes. Thinking positively though, it's possible that the /e/ people don't care much about the attribution they themselves receive and don't realize what it means to others to be recognized for their personal hard work. Asking nicely might show them that other people in the open source community do care. The worst that can happen is that the people behind the project do indeed not care about you and are rude about it, but in that case nothing really changes anyway. Things can only improve from here, I'd say! Based on the changes I've seen, they basically replaced all instances of "Bromite" and "Chrome" in the source code with "Browser". I don't see much /e/-specific code in there at all, aside from a project description and some links in the documentation. They did add a reference to the original project to the AUTHORS file, so I'd like to believe in a variation of Hanlon's razor: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by laziness. > Sorry, I will avoid discussing this, it has all the clues to become an endless and inconclusive talk :) I completely agree :)
vsskanth 7y ago
Just logged in to say thank you for maintaining my favorite browser bromite. :)
sifar 7y ago
Genuine question, I have avoided chromium like a plague, why should I choose this over Firefox with equivalent plugins ?
sschueller 7y ago
I get an error in fdroid trying to add the repo. Error getting fdroid index file - > No mirrors available.
- csagan5 7y ago
  Yes, there have been some issues reliability with the host; they should be solved now, see also: https://github.com/bromite/bromite/issues/378 https://github.com/bromite/bromite/issues/378

hayksaakian 7y ago

Update: Fixed -- Note -- HN included the ) and ; in your link, so clicking it doesn't work properly. I appreciate your cause and it'd help if it was easier to check it out

csagan5 7y ago
Thanks, fixed that by adding a space.

RosanaAnaDana 7y ago

I use your browser as my daily driver and I just want to say thank you for your hard work.

csagan5 7y ago
You're welcome :)
- RosanaAnaDana 7y ago
  Is there anything I could do to help support bromite as a project?
  - csagan5 7y ago
    See https://github.com/bromite/bromite/blob/master/README.md https://github.com/bromite/bromite/blob/master/README.md

jeroenhd 7y ago

I haven't looked into the compiled code but the source repository still shows the Bromite logo and name: https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/apps/browser https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/apps/browser The AUTHORS file also mentions being a fork of Bromite, but doesn't list any authors that aren't part of the project: https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/apps/browser/blob/master/AUTHORS https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/apps/browser/blob/master/AUTHO... It looks like your patches have been changed to renamed Bromite to Browser in user-facing code though. Have you already asked them to add a reference to Bromite somewhere in the about screen? Maybe create a pull request to make it easier for them to accept your request if the devs themselves are lazy. They obviously won't rename the browser shortcut, but adding a reference in the "About browser" section shouldn't be too much to ask for. Unrelated: I understand your position on cloud providers, but I think /e/ is different from MS or Google in that it's possible to swap out most of the integrations with your own servers (it's all a bunch of glued-together open source services, after all). Without cloud integration, I doubt /e/ would reach any sort of mainstream of non-technical cult status at all. You'd be left with an app store on top of a build of LineageOS. It's the services delivered with the system that a) distinguish the project from LineageOS without GApps and b) provide basic usability many normal users would miss otherwise.

csagan5 7y ago
Yes, I am aware of the repository. > Have you already asked them to add a reference to Bromite somewhere in the about screen? I have not; I was expecting it, given the amount of modifications from Bromite patches (which is zero, as far as I understood). > I think /e/ is different from MS or Google in that it's possible to swap out most of the integrations with your own servers (it's all a bunch of glued-together open source services, after all). It's that "most" that corrupts the intent. > Without cloud integration, I doubt /e/ would reach any sort of mainstream or non-technical cult status at all. Sorry, I will avoid discussing this, it has all the clues to become an endless and inconclusive talk :) In short: yes, I agree with you, and still do not care about "mainstream or non-technical cult status" at all.
- jeroenhd 7y ago
  > I have not; I was expecting it, given the amount of modifications from Bromite patches (which is zero, as far as I understood). I won't lie, I would have expected the same if I were in your shoes. Thinking positively though, it's possible that the /e/ people don't care much about the attribution they themselves receive and don't realize what it means to others to be recognized for their personal hard work. Asking nicely might show them that other people in the open source community do care. The worst that can happen is that the people behind the project do indeed not care about you and are rude about it, but in that case nothing really changes anyway. Things can only improve from here, I'd say! Based on the changes I've seen, they basically replaced all instances of "Bromite" and "Chrome" in the source code with "Browser". I don't see much /e/-specific code in there at all, aside from a project description and some links in the documentation. They did add a reference to the original project to the AUTHORS file, so I'd like to believe in a variation of Hanlon's razor: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by laziness. > Sorry, I will avoid discussing this, it has all the clues to become an endless and inconclusive talk :) I completely agree :)

vsskanth 7y ago

Just logged in to say thank you for maintaining my favorite browser bromite. :)

sifar 7y ago

Genuine question, I have avoided chromium like a plague, why should I choose this over Firefox with equivalent plugins ?

sschueller 7y ago

I get an error in fdroid trying to add the repo. Error getting fdroid index file - > No mirrors available.

csagan5 7y ago
Yes, there have been some issues reliability with the host; they should be solved now, see also: https://github.com/bromite/bromite/issues/378 https://github.com/bromite/bromite/issues/378