1647160 - Add warning when opening about:config on Fenix

Status: NEW

(Firefox for Android :: General, enhancement, P5)

Description

[Filip Štamcar]

Currently, Firefox Preview (Fenix) only enables about:config on nightly and beta version, but not in stable release. There is already an issue on Fenix GitHub repository to open it on all versions.

The reason why it is not currently enabled everywhere is probably because changing some preferences without knowledge could result in problems or non-working browser. Because of this it is probably only enabled on beta and nightly which are supposed to be "development/debugging builds for users who know what are they doing." But not all preferenses are for "debugging purposes." There are a lot of other useful things that can depend on about:config. For example, changing some more advanced settings, enabling/disabling some APIs (could be also used for security/privacy reasons), as well as other things. That's why it would be good to enable it on all versions.

However, unlike on desktop which has about:config on all versions, there is no warning for unexperienced users that changing preferences can break things. Because of this, I suggest implementing warning, similar to desktop one, which warns users that changing some preferences may be dangerous. Then Fenix could probably enable about:config on all versions without too much danger for unexperienced users, but that's another issue.

Displaying warning should probably be configured by GeckoView's runtime settings. For example, stable Fenix releases could have enabled warning, while beta, nightly or other third-party browsers may not have it. Additionally, users should be able to dismiss the warning forever, like they can on desktop.

Comment 1

[Hiroyuki Ikezoe (:hiro)]

(In reply to Filip Š from comment #0)

Displaying warning should probably be configured by GeckoView's runtime settings.

What about adding a new runtime setting to enable/disable about:config and exposing the setting in Fenix setting menus? And even if it enabled once, once after the setting was reset to "disable", all preference values which have been changed in about:config will be reset to default values.

Comment 2

[Filip Štamcar]

Isn't there already setting which enables/disables about:config but it is not exposed in settings?

I now think that additional setting to configure warning should not even be needed, because if it is done in the same way as on desktop, warning can be configured with browser.aboutConfig.showWarning preference. Then Fenix can have it by default and warning will show, while Nightly or other browsers can set it to false by default and warning will not show.

Comment 3

[Filip Štamcar]

If configuring warning the same way as on desktop (with browser.aboutConfig.showWarning preference) is ok, I can submit implementation patch for it this week. I have already implemented it and manually tested it in GeckoView Example App (and it seems to work), but I still need to write some automated tests.

Comment 4

[Filip Štamcar]

Attachment: Bug 1647160 - Add warning when opening about:config in GeckoView r=snorp

Comment 5

[nemo]

So... the only solutions at present for bug workarounds or opting into fixing dubious default security configuration settings right now is installing beta?
I was kinda trying to avoid having a beta as my default browser. For one thing, it updates a lot.

I saw there was another issue for an about:config extension - would that be a decent compromise for a deliberate user opt-in?

Also, is the concern that I flip a switch that breaks everything? there's always clear local data, or some "refresh" option. But I thought that was always covered by the "at your own risk" part.

It's the paternalistic "no, you can't do this" part that's annoying - even if a lot of the UI options do belong to the desktop irefox.

Comment 6

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco]]

The bug assignee is inactive on Bugzilla, so the assignee is being reset.

Comment 7

[Chris Peterson [:cpeterson]]

Enhancements should have severity N/A.

Comment 8

[Marco]

Is this topic requesting the reintroduction of about:config also on the Firefox for Android stable?

I want request the same but I see no fix for now and this topic looks to be old. I stopped to use the Firefox stable for Android as has no more about:config and I don't like some "security" settings that in my opinion are missing and that I need to add editing the configuration. Example? The option to show punycode domain.

I hope to return to use the Firefox stable also for Android when about:config will be reintroduced or simply I have to use a different browser and this is sad for me :)

Comment 9

[Tom25519]

(In reply to Marco from comment #8)

Is this topic requesting the reintroduction of about:config also on the Firefox for Android stable?

I want request the same but I see no fix for now and this topic looks to be old. I stopped to use the Firefox stable for Android as has no more about:config and I don't like some "security" settings that in my opinion are missing and that I need to add editing the configuration. Example? The option to show punycode domain.

I hope to return to use the Firefox stable also for Android when about:config will be reintroduced or simply I have to use a different browser and this is sad for me :)

In fact, you can use Fennec F-droid instead as a workaround.

Comment 10

[Marco]

(In reply to Tom25519 from comment #9)

In fact, you can use Fennec F-droid instead as a workaround.

Thank you but I prefer to not install, on my Android phone, apps that are not in the playstore or app that are developed from source or developer i don't know well.

It's really sad see Firefox for Android removed the about:config.
On those days I also discovered Firefox has removed the option to see punycode domains that for me is a security feature, but... fortunately after reporting the issue this has been fixed. A decision to reintegrate the punycode option has been approved and the fix is already on the way for the stable versions but on Android still cannot have this in the stable Firefox release as there is no about:config.

i stopped to use Firefox stable for Android since long time and I'm still waiting to can have the stable Firefox support again the about:config and so allow me to see punycode domains. Until that I will use a different browser, developer version or completely different one.

Comment 11

[nemo]

FWIW, It is now possible to access about:config without using Fennec (I still use Fennec personally but..)
If you go to the url:
chrome://geckoview/content/config.xhtml
it loads about:config

This functions in Firefox Stable for Android, and does not appear to have any restrictions. You can bookmark it for easy access.

It's a rather convoluted way to do it, but, it does seem to work.

Given they've offered us a solution, and (maybe the convoluted and obscure part qualifies as "accessible-with-warning") maybe this issue can now be closed.

Comment 12

[Marco]

(In reply to nemo from comment #11)

FWIW, It is now possible to access about:config without using Fennec (I still use Fennec personally but..)
If you go to the url:
chrome://geckoview/content/config.xhtml
it loads about:config

This functions in Firefox Stable for Android, and does not appear to have any restrictions. You can bookmark it for easy access.

It's a rather convoluted way to do it, but, it does seem to work.

Given they've offered us a solution, and (maybe the convoluted and obscure part qualifies as "accessible-with-warning") maybe this issue can now be closed.

Thank you very much for this info, is the first time I read it.
IT works. Many thanks.