Signal-desktop: Please port Signal Desktop to Firefox

[yookoala]

• [x] I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates

---

Firefox already support extensions with WebExtension API. Basically it is the same API as Chrome's extensions. In fact starting from Firefox 57+, all Legacy extension will be out of support. The only kind of extension in Firefox would be that of WebExtension API.

If all the API used by Signal-Desktop are supported by Firefox, it is simply a matter of packaging to support Firefox. Please consider to package it for Firefox.

[yookoala]

Related to #415, #423, #427 and #463. But they are locked or out-of-date.

[h0jeZvgoxFepBQ2C]

+1

[kpuljek]

I'd much rather we have a fully standalone Signal client than anything browser or electron related

[yookoala]

@kpuljek: I'd agree. But I don't think there is such thing in the making.

Meanwhile, porting could be straightforward.

[kpuljek]

How is having Signal tied-in with your browser a better solution than having a standalone app? Electron is not ideal, but far better than having to install separate browsers just to have access to Signal (like I had to do with Chromium).

[yookoala]

I have NEVER stated that "a Firefox port is a better solution than a standalone app".

My point is that it has already been done on Chrome. I just don't see any reason why it cannot be ported to Firefox as well. Especially given the Firefox extension API change, a port could be fast and straightforward. Having a Firefox port of something already exists is NOT an obstruction to a standalone app.

[kpuljek]

Well, it's an additional thing to develop, debug and maintain which will take manpower from other. Keeping the Chrome version around has some sense because there are people using Chromebooks that don't allow installing any external applications. If you can run Firefox, you can run Signal standalone.

[yookoala]

As I stated over and over. Firefox is making itself compatible with Chrome's extension API. Chance are you can run the Chrome extension unchanged on Firefox. And if it doesn't, I think we can just throw in some bug report and wait for Firefox catch up with Chrome.

Since the work is minimal (and quite different kind of skill set than a standalone desktop non-electron app), I don't think it pos any meaningful obstruction to the Signal standalone app @kpuljek is proposing.

[kpuljek]

I am not _proposing_ a standalone app, it's being worked on and I'm using it for a month now.

[yookoala]

Sorry. I have been looking for that Where can I download the standalone app? From the Signal website, the only available option I found is the Chrome extension.

If I found that, I would have never create this issue in the first place.

[kpuljek]

There are no links anywhere because it's still in alpha testing and not yet released. Patience!

[yookoala]

Thanks. I'll wait then.

[victort]

as long as the stand-alone app also works on all OSes. I'm a heavy linux desktop user, and would appreciate a properly crossplatform app. As Chromium is cross platform, I can use the existing signal desktop, though I literally don't use chromium for anything else. I'd appreciate a firefox extension version, or a stand alone app that'll work across all desktops.

US$0.02++

[kpuljek]

Of course it works on Linux, using it right now!

[johannesrave]

Can't install anything where I am now and would also appreciate a firefox-based possibility. Standalone is nice but doesn't help me one bit.

[yookoala]

@cutmeat: What OS are you using?

[johannesrave]

It's Windows 7 here at work.

Koala Yeung [e-mail] schrieb am Do., 22. März 2018, 14:22:

@cutmeat https://github.com/cutmeat: What OS are you using?

—
You are receiving this because you were mentioned.
Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub
https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Desktop/issues/1521#issuecomment-375303420,
or mute the thread
https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AeAohV8MdSAsCev40k7ZNy7Aa0WOpeTwks5tg6V3gaJpZM4PoIuH
.

[johannesrave]

It's Windows 7 here at work.

[yookoala]

@cutmeat: I think Signal Desktop is available for Windows 7 64-bit. Or else you could install Google Chrome and use the Signal extension. Is there any difficulty for you to do either of them?

[johannesrave]

Thank you for getting back to me on this. Unfortunately, like I said, I
cannot install software here. It'd need to be a Firefox extension, as that
comes preinstalled with our images.

Koala Yeung [e-mail] schrieb am Do., 22. März 2018, 14:57:

@cutmeat https://github.com/cutmeat: I think Signal Desktop
https://signal.org/download/ is available for Windows 7 64-bit. Or else
you could install Google Chrome https://www.google.com/chrome/ and use
the Signal extension
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/signal-private-messenger/bikioccmkafdpakkkcpdbppfkghcmihk.
Is there any difficulty for you to do either of them?

—
You are receiving this because you were mentioned.
Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub
https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Desktop/issues/1521#issuecomment-375314974,
or mute the thread
https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AeAohVhYLd1BF-1ObVAn9aA_Ku4rr-dHks5tg63BgaJpZM4PoIuH
.

[ExTechOp]

Having add-on available on Firefox would be good, as the desktop version is only supported for Linux distributions supporting APT, like Ubuntu or Debian. Distributions using rpm are left out in the cold, at least for now.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

@ExTechOp I encourage you to seek out some of the alternate install mechanisms currently maintained by third parties. In the future we do plan to have a wider support matrix. You can help by letting your people know that we're hiring! https://signal.org/workworkwork/