EpiphanyDefaultBrowser

Revision 62 as of 2006-04-19 14:18:09

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Summary

This spec is intended to track wheter or not it is worth changing the default Ubuntu browser from Firefox to Epiphany and, if yes, what must be improved and/or changed in Epiphany.

Rationale

As we ship GNOME, it seems logical, in order to have a more consistent environement, to ship GNOME browser, namely Epiphany.

Having the default GNOME browser would simplify a lot of things in the long run : security, support, translation, desktop integration, artwork. Also, Epiphany is more or less independant of the backend engine. If, in a not so distant future, anyone release another html engine, Epiphany could be ported in order to use it.

Given that now Epiphany can be compiled against XUL-runner and that Edgy is all about taking some risks, it's *the* release to test Epiphany as the default browser. If it's a disaster, we could always back to firefox on Edgy+1

Use cases

  • Arthur is new to computer. His friend installed Ubuntu and he want to "surf the web" like everyone is saying. He look for something named "surf the web". He expect it to be simple to learn and to use.
  • Zaphod has little Windows experience. He knows that internet is the little blue icon named explorer. His friend, who installed Ubuntu, told him that, in Ubuntu, it's called "browser". Zaphod want his browser as simple and easy as the old explorer.
  • Trillian is an advanced user. She like to install Firefox on a new Windows. She want to install Firefox on her whole new Ubuntu but she want to do it herself because "Firefox is only for supreme power users like me and I like the feeling of installing it where average users don't even know about it !". This is also a good thing to learn how to install softwares on Ubuntu.
  • Marvin is a non-technical user but he likes to surf the web. He doesn't want to learn technical thing but he heard about "extensions to block popups", "extensions to blocks ads", "rss syndication". He want to use that but without learning more than "where must I check the corresponding box ?".

Scope

This spec is only for Ubuntu and all Gnome Ubuntu derivatives.

Design

Implementation

Code

Data preservation and migration

  • If you are using Firefox in Dapper and you are upgrading to Edgy, will you be forced to use Epiphany unless you explicitely say it otherwise ? Or, a contrario, only fresh install of Edgy will show the difference.
  • There must be a simple way (druid ?) to import cookies, history, bookmarks, passwords from Firefox to Epiphany.

Outstanding issues

  • Firefox has his own RSS managment. In epiphany we have two possibilities :
    • 1) not enable RSS plugin by default 2) Enable RSS plugin and install an compatible RSS reader by default (liferea)

BoF agenda and discussion

A lot of discussions is available here : https://wiki.ubuntu.com/EphiphanyDefaultBrowserThoughts


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