Most active commenters
  • jchw(4)
  • drewmol(3)

←back to thread

1318 points xvector | 33 comments | | HN request time: 1.4s | source | bottom
1. MrEldritch ◴[] No.19823726[source]
This is a goddamned disaster. I'm just thankful that I use an offline password manager, but even still ...

I like FF, don't get me wrong, but this is going to absolutely fucking destroy user trust in Mozilla. This kind of incompetence, on a browser scale, is breathtaking.

replies(7): >>19823747 #>>19823877 #>>19823883 #>>19823946 #>>19824062 #>>19824099 #>>19824204 #
2. dontbenebby ◴[] No.19823747[source]
>This is a goddamned disaster. I'm just thankful that I use an offline password manager

I'm not sure this cert is used with the PW manager?

replies(2): >>19823793 #>>19823844 #
3. chimeracoder ◴[] No.19823793[source]
> I'm not sure this cert is used with the PW manager?

Firefox password storage isn't even encrypted by default, last I checked.

replies(1): >>19823824 #
4. ◴[] No.19823824{3}[source]
5. vatueil ◴[] No.19823844[source]
I think MrEldritch is referring not to Firefox's built-in password manager, but third-party password managers such as Bitwarden, KeePass, and LastPass. Those rely on add-ons for browser integration.
replies(1): >>19823916 #
6. sixothree ◴[] No.19823877[source]
Still beats using Chrome.
replies(1): >>19824326 #
7. SimeVidas ◴[] No.19823883[source]
I dunno. I’m a typical Firefox user, and I’d rather jump off a bridge than switch to a different browser because of a fuckup like this. People make mistakes, but Mozilla still stands for things that certain other browser vendors don’t, last time I checked.
replies(4): >>19824325 #>>19824381 #>>19824685 #>>19824762 #
8. MrEldritch ◴[] No.19823916{3}[source]
That's what I meant, yes. (I didn't even know that KeePass could be integrated with the browser, I've just been manually copy-pasting)
replies(2): >>19823925 #>>19824336 #
9. ◴[] No.19823925{4}[source]
10. someexgamedev ◴[] No.19823946[source]
I use firefox and am probably affected by this but don't even really notice atm. This doesn't even register on my user trust spectrum when the only other option is the browser that defines surveillance capitalism.

I think we'll all live. No need for the chicken little act.

replies(1): >>19824028 #
11. livueta ◴[] No.19824028[source]
I'm not sure the GP is overstating things. For technical folks with technical reasons to be using Firefox: yeah, a mass exodus is unlikely purely because there aren't any good alternatives. What are you going to jump to? Chrome, and knuckle under to the Goog? Unbranded FF forks and be weeks behind on patches? Doubtful.

My concern is around non-technical users (the group, mind you, that Firefox has been spending marketing dosh on courting recently with Quantum and all) who don't have as compelling reasons for not just switching back to Chrome. In the last hour, I've gotten several phone calls from family members asking me why the browser I convinced them to use is broken. I don't have a good answer, because platitudes about surveillance and muh freedoms don't count for shit when your grandma just wants to get rid of the ads on the local newspaper site.

I'm personally going nowhere and deeply appreciate Mozilla for all the work on FF and friends, occasional fuckups aside, but I don't think this is going to be a non-event for a browser that's been desperately fighting to regain market/mind-share.

replies(2): >>19824360 #>>19825136 #
12. yourpaltod ◴[] No.19824062[source]
Yes, this is truly a gut-punch for everyone who has spent a bunch of time and effort getting their family and friends on a decent, cross-platform password manager (like LastPass, 1Password, or Dashlane).
13. unreal37 ◴[] No.19824099[source]
Seems like an over-reaction. "Destroy user trust in Mozilla?" Really? Because your extensions got disabled for a day?
replies(2): >>19824247 #>>19824485 #
14. jammygit ◴[] No.19824204[source]
On Linux, Dashlane only has a browser extension. Luckily, Bitwarden has both desktop and browser versions on Linux.
15. yifanl ◴[] No.19824247[source]
Users will drop a product for the slightest reason. For instance, one of our users recently left a negative review. Paraphrasing, "Logging in is difficult".

We check our warning system (set up to detect suspicious logins, incidentally also catches any users who've been locked out because they forgot their password), and his last login attempt took a total of two tries.

replies(1): >>19825099 #
16. ngold ◴[] No.19824325[source]
Once Palemoon went to crap Firefox is the last one that does what I want. Good luck mozilla, I'm sure you guys are losing your minds right now.
17. bifrost ◴[] No.19824326[source]
Absolutely. 100% true.
replies(1): >>19825010 #
18. vatueil ◴[] No.19824336{4}[source]
They don't have an official add-on, but they do list a few unofficial browser extensions on their download page: https://keepass.info/download.html

Example: https://subdavis.com/Tusk/

replies(1): >>19824560 #
19. crehn ◴[] No.19824360{3}[source]
platitudes about surveillance and muh freedoms don't count for shit when your grandma just wants to get rid of the ads on the local newspaper site

Very much this. People are often too quick to forget who their customers are and what they really want.

20. mevile ◴[] No.19824381[source]
That's my thinking too. I went back to Firefox a few months ago and it is back to being a fantastic browser now, and it feels good to use something that is also a force for good. I'm hoping they resolve this quickly and that it all turns out ok.
replies(1): >>19824522 #
21. jchw ◴[] No.19824485[source]
(Big fat disclaimer: I work for Google. These are my opinions and not my employers. I don't work on browsers. I test my code in Firefox. Etc etc.)

Sadly, I have to agree that this feels like a big blow to user trust.

User trust is not really just about respect or values; it definitely also includes things like performance and reliability. The average user, right now feeling powerless, might even feel anger towards Mozilla for this - after all, they already downloaded the extension, why would they all just stop working behind their backs? They don't understand what CAs are or why certificates expire. People don't frankly care what place your heart is in when they are angry about something. Perhaps people are being dramatic, but that's normal. People are pretty darn dramatic about Chrome, too.

Meanwhile... I use Firefox everywhere, and I've lost my password manager, adblocking, security-related extensions, etc. all in one go, and the only solutions I'm aware of involve disabling extension signing. Gotta admit, even though I will probably continue using Firefox after this, that it certainly is a bummer.

replies(2): >>19824526 #>>19824547 #
22. drewmol ◴[] No.19824522{3}[source]
>and that it all turns out ok.

While I agree with you two assuming the bridge is over water and not too high, there are real consequences that cannot be reversed. I cannot unsee the ads I saw in the past few minutes before switching to nightly.

23. sjwright ◴[] No.19824526{3}[source]
> this feels like a big blow to user trust.

And yet every other major browser vendor has punched their users with far worse catastrophes of privacy, security, ripping away features, breaking features, and general shitheaddedness.

Switching browsers because of this incident is like ordering a burger at your favourite restaurant and one time it comes out without the meat patty, so in protest you switch to a crappy alternative restaurant that has had a long history of health code violations.

replies(1): >>19824565 #
24. drewmol ◴[] No.19824547{3}[source]
I know the typical user my have struggles but FWIW, I installed nightly, toggled xpinstall.signatures.required to False installed ublock umatrix and will live with my pw manager's native application for a day or two and it took about 5 minutes.
replies(1): >>19824561 #
25. drewmol ◴[] No.19824560{5}[source]
One you have targets mapped correctly keepass2android is great and I now that I've gotten used to it, I prefer the system ui password filling for everything including the browser. Also installing the keyboard extension is great and makes for an easy way to quickly access logins.
26. jchw ◴[] No.19824561{4}[source]
In fairness: I don't really want to disable signature checking. I value these security features and I'm hoping that by tomorrow morning Mozilla has a better solution.
27. jchw ◴[] No.19824565{4}[source]
I'm going to skip the analogies and just say this: If tomorrow this is still broken and I have a choice between installing Chromium, and installing Nightly + disabling security features, It's going to be a tough dilemma for me personally.

I'm glad you have software/vendors you feel you can trust. I definitely don't feel that way about most software anymore. I do think you are being a bit hyperbolic regarding other browser vendors, but to each their own, I don't know what trying to argue about that would solve for anyone.

replies(1): >>19825162 #
28. Karunamon ◴[] No.19824685[source]
Sadly, what they "stand for" and what they actually do are two different things. This is exactly the kind of centralization that a company supporting a "free and open internet" (to use their words) should be against on principle, let alone pushing in their only product of note.

This should not be possible.

Worse, had they not taken the paternalistic, nanny-like stance that you can't even disable the signing checks, I could roll out a script that would make this a non-issue for my users. But no, thanks Mozilla for ruining my Monday.

Might not be the most substantive comment I could possibly make in the circumstances, but I'm pissed. The only appropriate response feels like a string of infuriated profanity directed at their incompetence and decision-making.

29. shstalwart ◴[] No.19824762[source]
True. But they also increasingly stand for things I completely disagree with. Namely, deciding which software is approved for me to run on my computer. The way I see it, extensions shouldn't need to be "approved" anyway.

Luckily, I can still type "make install" without debian informing me that "random_dangerous_untrusted_code_from_interwebs" is not approved.

30. omnimus ◴[] No.19825099{3}[source]
Honestly then he is just an idiot and he will come back when he realizes he has to login to other services too.
31. BuckRogers ◴[] No.19825136{3}[source]
I'm using the Chromium-based Edge at work, and it's going to be a great browser. It's the one that most people should switch to if they want to leave Firefox. I've been using Firefox since 2002 and never left, but native browsers like Safari/Edge are appealing for many reasons, including deep integration for the best battery use. I tend to recommend people use native browsers or Firefox but never anything else.
32. omnimus ◴[] No.19825162{5}[source]
Well when you are google employee and you are testing code in firefox... you already have chrome and chromium installed.

I think what is a real tough dillema is being sad about nonfunctioning adblocker while working for the biggest internet ads company.

So are you working in chrome marketing department?

replies(1): >>19825270 #
33. jchw ◴[] No.19825270{6}[source]
>Well when you are google employee and you are testing code in firefox... you already have chrome and chromium installed.

I have computers other than my work computer(s.) I, indeed, do not have Chrome or Chromium installed on my home boxes running NixOS. I do not use my work devices for personal web browsing. I'm currently posting this message with Firefox 66.0.3 on NixOS 19.03.

>I think what is a real tough dillema is being sad about nonfunctioning adblocker while working for the biggest internet ads company. > >So are you working in chrome marketing department?

I'm a software engineer. I'm also over at Github:

https://github.com/jchv

I work at Google because it's an excellent place to work. I'm far from elite; I didn't finish college (couldn't afford) and I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit, so being able to work at any large SV company is something I don't take for granted. I don't think any single employee can claim to love 100% of the things Google does, and that's fine. Nobody is required to.

As for why I would use an adblocker, practically speaking it's both for reducing annoyances and increasing security. Malware (and 0days!) delivered via ads is not unheard of, sadly.