7 ms·

My two favorite features: - Tabs are actually usable. - With Sync, you can walk away from your desktop and have your tabs (and history/bookmarks/passwords) on

My two favorite features: - Tabs are actually usable. - With Sync, you can walk away from your desktop and have your tabs (and history/bookmarks/passwords) on your phone. (Disclaimer: I work at Mozilla, but have nothing to do with mobile.)

windsurfer 16y ago
I want to use Sync, but I'm really concerned with the security of it. How do I know my data is safe? Can I install a sync server on my own domain?
- arthurk 16y ago
  You can. Source code: http://hg.mozilla.org/services/sync-server http://hg.mozilla.org/services/sync-server Instructions: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Labs/Weave/Sync/1.1/Setup https://wiki.mozilla.org/Labs/Weave/Sync/1.1/Setup
  - windsurfer 16y ago
    Wow, thanks. That looks a little too complicated for me, though. Edit: Also the link seems to be outdated.
    - mbrubeck 16y ago
      That page is reasonably up to date. Also, there's an alternate server in PHP which is easier to set up: http://tobyelliott.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/updating-and-deprecating-the-weave-minimal-server/ http://tobyelliott.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/updating-and-dep... The PHP "minimal" server is going away in the future, as the Python server becomes better-supported and easier to set up. For now, however, the minimal server is usable and current; the latest version was released just last week.
    - ianb 16y ago
      That's not what you should use (though it's what is currently used in production at Mozilla). There's a reimplementation in Python; the README: http://hg.mozilla.org/services/server-full/file/db2d0dbc0a79/README http://hg.mozilla.org/services/server-full/file/db2d0dbc0a79... (The Python implementation will eventually replace the PHP implementation in production as well.)
- sp332 16y ago
  Data is encrypted client-side, so even Mozilla can't read it. If someone hacks Mozilla, they could get your encrypted data, but without your passphrase, they won't be able to read it. On the downside, if you forget your passphrase, you won't be able to read your data either (you have to wipe your account and start over).
  - windsurfer 16y ago
    Are you sure? According to this: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Labs/Weave/Sync/1.1/Setup https://wiki.mozilla.org/Labs/Weave/Sync/1.1/Setup it says the passphrase you use is sent in the clear (over HTTPS) to mozilla every time you get the data. That implies that while the data may be stored encrypted client-side, it's decrypted or at least verified server-side.
    - gkoberger 16y ago
      That is an old page, back when it was a labs project called Weave. Try this: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/what-firefox-sync#w_what-is-a-sync-key-and-why-do-i-need-one http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/what-firefox-sync#w_what... There is absolutely no way for Mozilla to get your data, even if subpoenaed. And, if for some reason you still don't trust it, you can easily set it up on your own server.
      - windsurfer 16y ago
        Okay, how do I set it up on my own server? If that link is old, where's the updated one?
      - ww 16y ago
        >>There is absolutely no way for Mozilla to get your data, even if subpoenaed There needs to be more assurances like this in the world.
    - mbrubeck 16y ago
      The encryption key and the password are two separate tokens. The password is supplied by the user, while the encryption key is a randomly-generated 26-character string. (In some earlier versions of Firefox Sync, the key was also supplied by the user and was called a "secret phrase.") The password is sent to the server, but the encryption key is not. For more info, see: https://support.mozilla.com/kb/where-can-i-find-my-firefox-sync-key https://support.mozilla.com/kb/where-can-i-find-my-firefox-s...
drivebyacct2 16y ago
>- Tabs are actually usable. What does that mean exactly?
- scotth 16y ago
  That tabs generally aren't on smart phones?
  - drivebyacct2 16y ago
    Are you trying to be difficult or have a laugh at my expense or does anyone actually have any real complaints about how tabs are handled in the stock Android browser or say by one of the very popular Dolphin variants? I don't understand why these tabs are better than the tabs in the normal browser. Let me guess, everyone thinks you have to scroll up to get to see the tabs? Too bad.
    - rhizome 16y ago
      I do. It takes too many clicks to get at the other windows with the (my?) default Android browser, and at any rate I can only have, what, 7 "tabs" open at a time? As often as not I get errors when clicking on links in email/rss that I have the maximum number of windows open, which is a drag. I've been trying Opera over the past week or two, but that doesn't have any controls for modal popups (among other issues).
      - Andys 16y ago
        Try Dolphin Mini
- mbrubeck 16y ago
  Mobile Firefox lets you switch between tabs by pulling out a sidebar on the left side of the screen, so you can access them quickly, and you can see the current page and the tab list at the same time: http://support.mozilla.com/kb/how-do-i-use-tabs-mobile http://support.mozilla.com/kb/how-do-i-use-tabs-mobile

windsurfer 16y ago

I want to use Sync, but I'm really concerned with the security of it. How do I know my data is safe? Can I install a sync server on my own domain?

arthurk 16y ago
You can. Source code: http://hg.mozilla.org/services/sync-server http://hg.mozilla.org/services/sync-server Instructions: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Labs/Weave/Sync/1.1/Setup https://wiki.mozilla.org/Labs/Weave/Sync/1.1/Setup
- windsurfer 16y ago
  Wow, thanks. That looks a little too complicated for me, though. Edit: Also the link seems to be outdated.
  - mbrubeck 16y ago
    That page is reasonably up to date. Also, there's an alternate server in PHP which is easier to set up: http://tobyelliott.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/updating-and-deprecating-the-weave-minimal-server/ http://tobyelliott.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/updating-and-dep... The PHP "minimal" server is going away in the future, as the Python server becomes better-supported and easier to set up. For now, however, the minimal server is usable and current; the latest version was released just last week.
  - ianb 16y ago
    That's not what you should use (though it's what is currently used in production at Mozilla). There's a reimplementation in Python; the README: http://hg.mozilla.org/services/server-full/file/db2d0dbc0a79/README http://hg.mozilla.org/services/server-full/file/db2d0dbc0a79... (The Python implementation will eventually replace the PHP implementation in production as well.)
sp332 16y ago
Data is encrypted client-side, so even Mozilla can't read it. If someone hacks Mozilla, they could get your encrypted data, but without your passphrase, they won't be able to read it. On the downside, if you forget your passphrase, you won't be able to read your data either (you have to wipe your account and start over).
- windsurfer 16y ago
  Are you sure? According to this: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Labs/Weave/Sync/1.1/Setup https://wiki.mozilla.org/Labs/Weave/Sync/1.1/Setup it says the passphrase you use is sent in the clear (over HTTPS) to mozilla every time you get the data. That implies that while the data may be stored encrypted client-side, it's decrypted or at least verified server-side.
  - gkoberger 16y ago
    That is an old page, back when it was a labs project called Weave. Try this: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/what-firefox-sync#w_what-is-a-sync-key-and-why-do-i-need-one http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/what-firefox-sync#w_what... There is absolutely no way for Mozilla to get your data, even if subpoenaed. And, if for some reason you still don't trust it, you can easily set it up on your own server.
    - windsurfer 16y ago
      Okay, how do I set it up on my own server? If that link is old, where's the updated one?
    - ww 16y ago
      >>There is absolutely no way for Mozilla to get your data, even if subpoenaed There needs to be more assurances like this in the world.
  - mbrubeck 16y ago
    The encryption key and the password are two separate tokens. The password is supplied by the user, while the encryption key is a randomly-generated 26-character string. (In some earlier versions of Firefox Sync, the key was also supplied by the user and was called a "secret phrase.") The password is sent to the server, but the encryption key is not. For more info, see: https://support.mozilla.com/kb/where-can-i-find-my-firefox-sync-key https://support.mozilla.com/kb/where-can-i-find-my-firefox-s...

drivebyacct2 16y ago

>- Tabs are actually usable. What does that mean exactly?

scotth 16y ago
That tabs generally aren't on smart phones?
- drivebyacct2 16y ago
  Are you trying to be difficult or have a laugh at my expense or does anyone actually have any real complaints about how tabs are handled in the stock Android browser or say by one of the very popular Dolphin variants? I don't understand why these tabs are better than the tabs in the normal browser. Let me guess, everyone thinks you have to scroll up to get to see the tabs? Too bad.
  - rhizome 16y ago
    I do. It takes too many clicks to get at the other windows with the (my?) default Android browser, and at any rate I can only have, what, 7 "tabs" open at a time? As often as not I get errors when clicking on links in email/rss that I have the maximum number of windows open, which is a drag. I've been trying Opera over the past week or two, but that doesn't have any controls for modal popups (among other issues).
    - Andys 16y ago
      Try Dolphin Mini
mbrubeck 16y ago
Mobile Firefox lets you switch between tabs by pulling out a sidebar on the left side of the screen, so you can access them quickly, and you can see the current page and the tab list at the same time: http://support.mozilla.com/kb/how-do-i-use-tabs-mobile http://support.mozilla.com/kb/how-do-i-use-tabs-mobile