5 ms·

Ferro: A keyboard interface to Chrome

62 points by wamatt 13y ago

chimeracoder 13y ago
This looks pretty neat. I've been a happy Vimium[0] user for a few years now - it's an extension that adds Vim keybindings to Chrome (just like Vimperator for Firefox). My main gripe with it, though, is that it doesn't work on many Google properties, like Google Groups. Because Google Groups insists on supplying its own keybindings (which, for the life of me, I can't figure out how to turn off), I always end up accidentally collapsing a thread every time I want to go back to the previous page ("H"). Disabling Javascript doesn't help, because Google Groups refuses to load without Javascript enabled. I wonder if Ferro suffers from this same problem - I imagine it must, because I believe this has to do with the way that Chrome separates (or doesn't separate) the scripts run by extensions and the scripts run by the website. [0] https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/vimium/dbepggeogbaibhgnhhndojpepiihcmeb?hl=en https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/vimium/dbepggeogba...
- middleclick 13y ago
  Another feature I would want and I really feel handicapped about in vimium is that I cannot use the vim bindings when typing stuff in a textbox like this one.
  - _delirium 13y ago
    Vimperator has a limited normal mode for textboxes, called "textarea mode". Press ctrl+t when in a textbox, and you can then use the usual vim movement/editing commands on the text. However it's far from a full implementation of vim editing, and is a bit buggy. edit: It looks like the maintainer has sort of abandoned that feature, though, at least as of 2010, http://www.mozdev.org/pipermail/vimperator/2010-May/005475.html http://www.mozdev.org/pipermail/vimperator/2010-May/005475.h...
    - ZeroGravitas 13y ago
      ctrl-I should open the text box in a proper editor.
      - oftenwrong 13y ago
        You can set the editor with :set editor For more details see :help editor
  - johncoltrane 13y ago
    Did you try the wasavi extension?
- theflork 13y ago
  check vimium options - google.com subdomains come preinstalled as excluded URL's. I've removed them and happily use Vimium on google apps.
- oftenwrong 13y ago
  >just like Vimperator for Firefox Vimperator is far more full-featured.
  - fest 13y ago
    Exactly the reason why I switched from Chrome to Firefox. Chrome just does not allow extensions do certain things (like running in browser's special pages).
- lorendsr 13y ago
  Vimium is mainly for in-page keyboard interactions (like opening a link or scrolling down). Ferro is for interacting with Chrome itself, for instance pinning a tab, saving/opening sessions, extension management, deleting bookmarks, etc. Ferro does not suffer from the same keyboard shortcut problem as Vimium. Vimium injects code into every tab you have open (called "content scripts" in Chrome extensions) and uses javascript key listeners. Ferro uses the recently-introduced Chrome keyboard shortcut API. To manage your keyboard shortcuts for all extensions that use the API, go to "chrome://extensions" and click the "Keyboard shortcuts" link on the bottom-right.
vespakoen 13y ago
Upon installing I get this creepy message: http://i.imgur.com/6MYin5b.png http://i.imgur.com/6MYin5b.png Are they really going to spy on my coinbase and stripe activities!?
- taspeotis 13y ago
  I wonder what sort of success you'd have by doing social engineering like this: Show HN: Something something Chrome extension Except it's actually malware.
- middleclick 13y ago
  I don't know about Ferro, but even vimium asks for this many permissions. I guess this due to the way it will handle shortcuts and bindings. I was hesitant to install vimium because of this but it is open source and the author seems to be someone famous so I can trust them. Related vimium ticket: https://github.com/philc/vimium/issues/366 https://github.com/philc/vimium/issues/366 TL;DR: not very unexpected perhaps?
  - goldenkey 13y ago
    > to be someone famous so I can trust them Do you use the same logic for political leaders?
  - lorendsr 13y ago
    Interestingly, Vimium's "Access your data on all websites" permissions can be less alarming than a similar notice only mentioning certain domains you care about, like stripe and coinbase.
- lake99 13y ago
  Disclaimer: I do not have much of an expertise in web technologies, and I do not have bitcoins. But when I look at http://www.getferro.com/#security http://www.getferro.com/#security, I see: Ferro does not transmit your personal information to nor store it on our servers. That includes, for instance, your browsing history, bookmarks, and saved sessions. The only personal information stored is your saved sessions, and that is either stored on your computer, or if you are signed into Chrome, on Chrome's sync servers, which are secured by Google. The only dynamic content that is displayed to you and did not originate from you is the list of recent donations on the options page, and that data is escaped. To those in the know, would they need access to your data to be able to send info from coinbase and stripe to you, or for donations?
jey 13y ago
A vimium that doesn't suck would be more useful than this. :-/
- illicium 13y ago
  >A vimium that doesn't suck ...is called Pentadactyl :)
  - jey 13y ago
    I meant for Chrome-based browsers. I already use {pentadactyl, vimperator} as my primary browser. :)
- kstock 13y ago
  I've found vrome to be a more feature rich alternative to vimium, it still can't compare to Pentadactyl though. https://github.com/jinzhu/vrome https://github.com/jinzhu/vrome
Shank 13y ago
After trying it, the worst part has to be the fact that it lives in an extension. It takes 1-2 seconds to render the command box, which is a huge perceptible difference for any Alfred/Launchy/Quicksilver user (all of which respond in milliseconds). I like the unique concept, though.
prockrammer 13y ago
Wow, this is really cool. 1. Can they copy extension to Opera Extensions? 2. If they add PayPal, I will donate. I don't trust other payment systems :)
- infinita740 13y ago
  They don't need to copy this on opera extensions. You just have to install this addon https://addons.opera.com/fr/extensions/details/download-chrome-extension-9/?display=en https://addons.opera.com/fr/extensions/details/download-chro... to opera. It allows to install any chrome extension directly from the chrome webstore.
bengotow 13y ago
This looks cool, but I have a really hard time reading Frutiger at that font size. Don't want to be snarky, just sayin! Looks awesome.
Adrock 13y ago
If this appeals to you, I recommend checking out Conkeror: http://conkeror.org/ http://conkeror.org/ It's nice having a browser that was designed from the ground up to be used with only a keyboard.
misuba 13y ago
I miss Ubiquity.

62 points by wamatt 13y ago

This looks pretty neat. I've been a happy Vimium[0] user for a few years now - it's an extension that adds Vim keybindings to Chrome (just like Vimperator for Firefox). My main gripe with it, though, is that it doesn't work on many Google properties, like Google Groups. Because Google Groups insists on supplying its own keybindings (which, for the life of me, I can't figure out how to turn off), I always end up accidentally collapsing a thread every time I want to go back to the previous page ("H"). Disabling Javascript doesn't help, because Google Groups refuses to load without Javascript enabled. I wonder if Ferro suffers from this same problem - I imagine it must, because I believe this has to do with the way that Chrome separates (or doesn't separate) the scripts run by extensions and the scripts run by the website. [0] https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/vimium/dbepggeogbaibhgnhhndojpepiihcmeb?hl=en https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/vimium/dbepggeogba...

middleclick 13y ago
Another feature I would want and I really feel handicapped about in vimium is that I cannot use the vim bindings when typing stuff in a textbox like this one.
- _delirium 13y ago
  Vimperator has a limited normal mode for textboxes, called "textarea mode". Press ctrl+t when in a textbox, and you can then use the usual vim movement/editing commands on the text. However it's far from a full implementation of vim editing, and is a bit buggy. edit: It looks like the maintainer has sort of abandoned that feature, though, at least as of 2010, http://www.mozdev.org/pipermail/vimperator/2010-May/005475.html http://www.mozdev.org/pipermail/vimperator/2010-May/005475.h...
  - ZeroGravitas 13y ago
    ctrl-I should open the text box in a proper editor.
    - oftenwrong 13y ago
      You can set the editor with :set editor For more details see :help editor
- johncoltrane 13y ago
  Did you try the wasavi extension?
theflork 13y ago
check vimium options - google.com subdomains come preinstalled as excluded URL's. I've removed them and happily use Vimium on google apps.
oftenwrong 13y ago
>just like Vimperator for Firefox Vimperator is far more full-featured.
- fest 13y ago
  Exactly the reason why I switched from Chrome to Firefox. Chrome just does not allow extensions do certain things (like running in browser's special pages).
lorendsr 13y ago
Vimium is mainly for in-page keyboard interactions (like opening a link or scrolling down). Ferro is for interacting with Chrome itself, for instance pinning a tab, saving/opening sessions, extension management, deleting bookmarks, etc. Ferro does not suffer from the same keyboard shortcut problem as Vimium. Vimium injects code into every tab you have open (called "content scripts" in Chrome extensions) and uses javascript key listeners. Ferro uses the recently-introduced Chrome keyboard shortcut API. To manage your keyboard shortcuts for all extensions that use the API, go to "chrome://extensions" and click the "Keyboard shortcuts" link on the bottom-right.

vespakoen 13y ago

Upon installing I get this creepy message: http://i.imgur.com/6MYin5b.png http://i.imgur.com/6MYin5b.png Are they really going to spy on my coinbase and stripe activities!?

taspeotis 13y ago
I wonder what sort of success you'd have by doing social engineering like this: Show HN: Something something Chrome extension Except it's actually malware.
middleclick 13y ago
I don't know about Ferro, but even vimium asks for this many permissions. I guess this due to the way it will handle shortcuts and bindings. I was hesitant to install vimium because of this but it is open source and the author seems to be someone famous so I can trust them. Related vimium ticket: https://github.com/philc/vimium/issues/366 https://github.com/philc/vimium/issues/366 TL;DR: not very unexpected perhaps?
- goldenkey 13y ago
  > to be someone famous so I can trust them Do you use the same logic for political leaders?
- lorendsr 13y ago
  Interestingly, Vimium's "Access your data on all websites" permissions can be less alarming than a similar notice only mentioning certain domains you care about, like stripe and coinbase.
lake99 13y ago
Disclaimer: I do not have much of an expertise in web technologies, and I do not have bitcoins. But when I look at http://www.getferro.com/#security http://www.getferro.com/#security, I see: Ferro does not transmit your personal information to nor store it on our servers. That includes, for instance, your browsing history, bookmarks, and saved sessions. The only personal information stored is your saved sessions, and that is either stored on your computer, or if you are signed into Chrome, on Chrome's sync servers, which are secured by Google. The only dynamic content that is displayed to you and did not originate from you is the list of recent donations on the options page, and that data is escaped. To those in the know, would they need access to your data to be able to send info from coinbase and stripe to you, or for donations?

jey 13y ago

A vimium that doesn't suck would be more useful than this. :-/

illicium 13y ago
>A vimium that doesn't suck ...is called Pentadactyl :)
- jey 13y ago
  I meant for Chrome-based browsers. I already use {pentadactyl, vimperator} as my primary browser. :)
kstock 13y ago
I've found vrome to be a more feature rich alternative to vimium, it still can't compare to Pentadactyl though. https://github.com/jinzhu/vrome https://github.com/jinzhu/vrome

Shank 13y ago

After trying it, the worst part has to be the fact that it lives in an extension. It takes 1-2 seconds to render the command box, which is a huge perceptible difference for any Alfred/Launchy/Quicksilver user (all of which respond in milliseconds). I like the unique concept, though.

prockrammer 13y ago

Wow, this is really cool. 1. Can they copy extension to Opera Extensions? 2. If they add PayPal, I will donate. I don't trust other payment systems :)

infinita740 13y ago
They don't need to copy this on opera extensions. You just have to install this addon https://addons.opera.com/fr/extensions/details/download-chrome-extension-9/?display=en https://addons.opera.com/fr/extensions/details/download-chro... to opera. It allows to install any chrome extension directly from the chrome webstore.

bengotow 13y ago

This looks cool, but I have a really hard time reading Frutiger at that font size. Don't want to be snarky, just sayin! Looks awesome.

Adrock 13y ago

If this appeals to you, I recommend checking out Conkeror: http://conkeror.org/ http://conkeror.org/ It's nice having a browser that was designed from the ground up to be used with only a keyboard.

misuba 13y ago

I miss Ubiquity.