RIP Iceweasel, welcome Firefox.

jens · 03-10-2016, 03:10 PM

Quote:

This took longer than it should have, but a page is now officially turned. I uploaded Firefox and Firefox ESR to Debian unstable. They will have to go through the Debian NEW queue because they are new source packages, so won’t be immediately available, but they should arrive soon enough.

People using Iceweasel from Debian unstable will be upgraded to Firefox ESR.

Debian stable will receive Firefox ESR after Iceweasel/Firefox ESR38 is end-of-lifed, in about 3 months.

Thanks go to Sylvestre Ledru, Mike Connor (the same who filed bug 354622) and Stefano Zacchiroli.

https://glandium.org/blog/?p=3622

ilesterg · 03-11-2016, 08:22 AM

I was never impressed with Iceweasel, not even when I was using Ubuntu back in the days. I also haven't dared using it on my fresh Debian install. Looking forward to Ffox.

jens · 03-11-2016, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilesterg

I was never impressed with Iceweasel, not even when I was using Ubuntu back in the days. I also haven't dared using it on my fresh Debian install. Looking forward to Ffox.

The only difference is the name and icon.

ilesterg · 03-11-2016, 08:41 AM

Look and feel with Firefox from Windows looked really different back in Ubuntu 10.10 days, although I haven't checked Iceweasel recently.

jens · 03-11-2016, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilesterg

Look and feel with Firefox from Windows looked really different back in Ubuntu 10.10 days, although I haven't checked Iceweasel recently.

It's the exact same code as before and not to be confused with GNU's IceCat (used to be named Iceweasel as well).

Higgsboson · 03-11-2016, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jens

The only difference is the name and icon.

Also, Iceweasel cannot be automatically updated unlike FF.
I think a new FF version has to be scrutinised by Debian first before it becomes the new Iceweasel version.

Are you saying Iceweasel browser will be discontinued and Debian will use the Firefox name?
Or are you saying Iceweasel will be updated shortly?

jens · 03-11-2016, 04:26 PM

Yes.

See #815006 https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugr...cgi?bug=815006
Meaning #354622 is solved https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugr...cgi?bug=354622

Higgsboson · 03-11-2016, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jens

Yes.

See #815006 https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugr...cgi?bug=815006
Meaning #354622 is solved https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugr...cgi?bug=354622

Very interesting.
The first link says:

Code:

= About the Debian specific patches =

Mozilla recognizes that patches applied to Iceweasel/Firefox don't
impact the quality of the product.
Patches which should be reported upstream to improve the product always
have been forward upstream by the Debian packagers. Mozilla agrees about
specific patches to facilitate the support of Iceweasel on architecture
supported by Debian or Debian-specific patches.

More generally, Mozilla trusts the Debian packagers to use their best
judgment to achieve the same quality as the official Firefox binaries.

It seems to be saying Mozilla will accept 'Debian-specific' patches to Firefox and Mozilla 'trusts the Debian packagers'.
Mozilla is passing some control of Firefox to Debian in return for free security.
This is a win for Debian.

From another perspective, it seems some girly argument has finally been resolved (probably with someone from Mozilla leaving).

erik2282 · 03-16-2016, 01:59 PM

Cool. So should I do something special, or will this just change on its own with an update eventually?

Timothy Miller · 03-16-2016, 02:57 PM

It might eventually change automatically, but you can make the change now by

Code:

apt-get remove iceweasel && apt-get install firefox

.

38.x is in Jessie, 46b1 is in Stretch/Sid.

jens · 03-16-2016, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erik2282

Cool. So should I do something special, or will this just change on its own with an update eventually?

Jessie was already following the the ESR versions with Iceweasel.
The name and icon will auto-change in Firefox once Iceweasel(firefox)-ESR38 is EOL (in 2/3 months).

jim_p · 03-17-2016, 03:29 PM

Will icedove change to thunderbird as well?

erik2282 · 03-18-2016, 05:05 AM

I doubt it, as Mozilla is not developing Thunderbird anymore. Im happy with Icedove.

273 · 03-19-2016, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timothy Miller

It might eventually change automatically, but you can make the change now by

Code:

apt-get remove iceweasel && apt-get install firefox

.

38.x is in Jessie, 46b1 is in Stretch/Sid.

That's odd, I just installed Firefox today on this Sid machine and am posting using version 45.0.

Timothy Miller · 03-19-2016, 07:27 PM

Really? Because that's what I wanted, but when I had installed (the day before I posted), 46b1 was the only Firefox version available in both Stretch and SID. Guess they got the stable version in, maybe I'll downgrade.