Outline-client: Provide macOS Image in Release Page

[sabersalv]

The macOS Outline App is not available in the Chinese App Store.

Can you provide outline.dmg image in Release Page?

[Azeril]

I just want a dmg file download link... sigh...

[KaminoDice]

macOS Image Release Require~

[thelonious89]

This is an obvious thing to provide. Did Jigsaw/Google forget that the Google Play store is blocked in some countries, like China? And that Mac Store and it’s App Store do not make VPN apps available on their China app stores?

For iOS there’s not a clear workaround unless Jigsaw provides a .app for iOS jailbroken phones.

But for Windows and Mac OS, a simple link to a dmg/exec would be useful. The next step of course is that the site hosting those files would be blocked.... so then Jigsaw needs a strategy to change both the DNS and domains for sites hosting those files....

[rankun203]

Sorry for making another +1 comment.

For an app that set to fullfill the needs for "safer to break the news", this (not available in some app stores) doesn't make any sense.

So yes, I think some people might need a dmg / pkg downloadable app.

[thelonious89]

Outline can have the server generate and deliver OTA the config files to an iOS or MacOS device. That means then that the Outline app would not be unnecessary and instead the Apple network tools would natively support the connection just like they used to for PPTP or currently for L2TP and IKEv2. Is that possible?

[alalamav]

Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately, the Outline macOS client must be distributed through the Mac App Store, given that it requires NetworkExtension entitlements (see answer 8 on this thread).

[thelonious89]

It's sort of a circular loop to nowhere... if Google wants to make this a product that should be used as intended, this NetworkExtension entitlement on Apple OS makes it very very difficult. For example, I am doing some tests and sent some links to colleagues in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Chengdu in the past week and nobody can access the files to download and try to get online. It's ironic. But unfortunately with NetworkExtension entitlement requirement, it looks like there is no other alternative but wait and see if something can overcome this in the future...

[rankun203]

I actually did download the app with our US Apple ID and then packed it to a zip file, sent to my colleague. When they drag that Outline.app into their /Applications folder and opened it,

It just works.

I'm not sure if the App Store verison will contain anything I would not like to share publicly, so I won't upload it anywhere except my close friends and colleagues. Besides, anyone with an US Apple ID seems to be able to do that.

[ricardbejarano]

I do the same as @rankun203.

I'm not sure if the App Store verison will contain anything I would not like to share publicly, so I won't upload it anywhere except my close friends and colleagues. Besides, anyone with an US Apple ID seems to be able to do that.

It does contain at least an indicator of ownership, because whenever there is an update it requires the original user's Apple ID password.

[thelonious89]

Thanks to both of you. A super simple solution 👍

[ricardbejarano]

But unfortunately with NetworkExtension entitlement requirement, it looks like there is no other alternative but wait and see if something can overcome this in the future...

What about replacing NetworkExtension? Other VPN apps do not have said entitlement, so how difficult would it be to move to what (e.g.) Tunnelblick does?

[thelonious89]

I have been developing on Tunnelblick for many years (and donated cash to the project too). Great project, but not as graceful a solution as Outline (NetworkExtension aside).

[ricardbejarano]

Thanks for your contribution, I've been a Tunnelblick user for a while but I have to agree that Outline (and the ShadowSocks protocol, compared to OpenVPN) IMO, are much easier to deploy, use and maintain.

What other solutions do we have. @rankun203 said it right:

For an app that set to fullfill the needs for "safer to break the news", this (not available in some app stores) doesn't make any sense.

We cannot afford to have people who require extreme caution on every step they take, go ahead and create an Apple account and download apps from the Mac App Store.

[thelonious89]

I've been telling anyone who would listen for many years that once Google got into the VPN game, it would be a great solution. Opera came close with their acquisition of a Canadian firm, but then the Chinese Qihoo bought Opera and severed ownership of the VPN assets.

So I am willing to let Google learn a bit and understand what's going on. Their hands are a bit tied using Mac's ecosystem.

I work with lots of journos who require extreme caution, but still make lots of ignorant mistakes. So I don't trust even the most cautious non-techical person to do half the work it takes to do the "right" thing. Outline is moving to a dummy-proof product. But it needs to move faster ;-)

[ricardbejarano]

I understand.

[daniel-fuelx]

So is there a direct dmg file for mac ???

[16g]

any news?