I posted a little over a month ago about Tor Browser Launcher, a project I've been working on to make it easier for GNU/Linux users to securely download, install, keep updated, and launch TBB:
https://github.com/micahflee/torbrowser-launcher
I think it's about ready for a first release! I wrote a blog post all about it (including screenshots), where I ask for help testing it:
https://micahflee.com/2013/04/sudo-apt-get-install-torbrowser/
Please give me feedback, and post any bugs you find on the GitHub issue tracker.
Also, at Tom's suggestion I posted this ticket to get Tor Browser Launcher in deb.torproject.org: https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/8648
Can someone respond to get the ball rolling? Thanks!
Hi,
I've tested it... Building works like a charm.
Well, if this is a request for testing, it should perhaps be posted to tor-talk?
It downloads the Tor Browser Alpha Bundle. Is that a decision which has been made for all users of this download method?
I really can't follow that logic. The Tor Blog always announces Alpha Bundles (which are a few versions ahead) and bundles, which are not called Alpha. The Tor Homepage doesn't recommend downloading the Alpha version as default download. If the Alpha is the new default for everyone, why still produce the other builds, which are not called alpha?
The overall look and feel is very good.
Cheers, adrelanos
On Wed, 10 Apr 2013 02:00:34 +0000 adrelanos adrelanos@riseup.net wrote:
Hi,
I've tested it... Building works like a charm.
Well, if this is a request for testing, it should perhaps be posted to tor-talk?
Good idea. I'll email tor-talk too.
It downloads the Tor Browser Alpha Bundle. Is that a decision which has been made for all users of this download method?
I really can't follow that logic. The Tor Blog always announces Alpha Bundles (which are a few versions ahead) and bundles, which are not called Alpha. The Tor Homepage doesn't recommend downloading the Alpha version as default download. If the Alpha is the new default for everyone, why still produce the other builds, which are not called alpha?
It gets the current recommended version of TBB to install from: https://check.torproject.org/RecommendedTBBVersions
I've noticed that sometimes these are alphas, but sometimes they aren't. I'm not sure who updates that document, or how they choose what versions to recommend. But I believe that's also what TorButton uses to check for updates.
Before finding out about that URL, I was considering downloading https://www.torproject.org/dist/torbrowser/linux/ and programatically guessing what version to pick, but RecommendedTBBVersions is a much saner approach.
Micah Lee:
It gets the current recommended version of TBB to install from: https://check.torproject.org/RecommendedTBBVersions
Good.
I've noticed that sometimes these are alphas, but sometimes they aren't.
I'm not sure who updates that document, or how they choose what versions to recommend.
I haven't found out that either until now.
But I believe that's also what TorButton uses to check for updates.
Yes, however, Tor Button will never (at least never happened to me) advise an alpha version, when you are using the non-alpha.
Before finding out about that URL, I was considering downloading https://www.torproject.org/dist/torbrowser/linux/ and programatically guessing what version to pick,
but RecommendedTBBVersions is a much saner approach.
Yes.
Assuming it will be always:
[ "2.3.25-6-MacOS", "2.3.25-6-Windows", "2.3.25-6-Linux", "2.4.11-alpha-2-MacOS", "2.4.11-alpha-2-Windows", "2.4.11-alpha-2-Linux" ]
Or.
[ "2.4.11-alpha-2-MacOS", "2.4.11-alpha-2-Windows", "2.4.11-alpha-2-Linux" "2.3.25-6-MacOS", "2.3.25-6-Windows", "2.3.25-6-Linux", ]
(If the decision is to make non-alpha default for all users....)
Speaking /bin/bash...
Just grep for "alpha" and ignore those line. (Unless you're adding an option to prefer the alpha version.)
Ignore "Windows" and "MacOS" as well.
What's left is "2.3.25-6-Linux", remove the ", using sed, remove the other " using sed.
Whats left is "2.3.25-6-Linux", remove the "-Linux" with sed and you're done, ending up with "2.3.25-6".
Works well for Whonix. Implementation: https://github.com/adrelanos/Whonix/blob/development/whonix_shared/usr/local...
There is most likely a more elegant/clever way in bash / java script (didn't check how Tor Button phrases it) / python.
On Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:32:40 +0000 adrelanos adrelanos@riseup.net wrote:
(If the decision is to make non-alpha default for all users....)
Speaking /bin/bash...
Just grep for "alpha" and ignore those line. (Unless you're adding an option to prefer the alpha version.)
You know, I honestly didn't notice that https://check.torproject.org/RecommendedTBBVersions contained both stable and alpha versions. I must have just glazed over.
I just opened an issue about making it default to stable instead of alpha: https://github.com/micahflee/torbrowser-launcher/issues/28
I also opened an issue about making this optional, so people can choose to use alpha versions if they want: https://github.com/micahflee/torbrowser-launcher/issues/29
If anyone here wants to try to tackle any of these issues, I'd be more than happy to accept pull requests. Some are bite-sized. https://github.com/micahflee/torbrowser-launcher/issues?state=open
-
adrelanos -
Micah Lee