User.js: discussion: revamp 5000 (personal)

Created on 12 Feb 2018  路  12Comments  路  Source: arkenfox/user.js

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Simply naming it "5000: OPTIONAL" would be sufficient and about as clear-cut as you can get.
A short introductory paragraph (maximum of two or three sentences) making it clear that the following entries have no bearing on privacy or security and are included as a courtesy.

Additionally, every entry should have a brief but concise explanation of exactly what the user can expect from changing it. Finally, **eliminate all links and references from this section as well. They're extraneous and if any outside source is needed to inform the user about what their getting in to, that entry needs to either be part of the user.js proper or removed entirely.

**_opinion limited exclusively to section 5000 or whatever number this section may rest at_

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Not sure if it would be worth putting in an Appearance section (inactive by default), but two I have in my overrides file are:

user_pref("lightweightThemes.selectedThemeID", "[email protected]");
user_pref("devtools.theme", "dark");

to use the dark theme for the UI and the devtools, respectiely

Simply naming it "5000: OPTIONAL" would be sufficient and about as clear-cut as you can get.
A short introductory paragraph (maximum of two or three sentences) making it clear that the following entries have no bearing on privacy or security and are included as a courtesy.

Additionally, every entry should have a brief but concise explanation of exactly what the user can expect from changing it. Finally, **eliminate all links and references from this section as well. They're extraneous and if any outside source is needed to inform the user about what their getting in to, that entry needs to either be part of the user.js proper or removed entirely.

**_opinion limited exclusively to section 5000 or whatever number this section may rest at_

Not trying to sow hate but, is not everything in the file optional? _Miscellaneous_ sounds more accurate.

Not showing hate at all, not even a thought. Any collaboration depends on discussion, counterpoints, etc. Please expound your thoughts, I'm curious what's in there that you see as being mandatory to ensure security or privacy?

To be honest, MISCELLANEOUS would be just as suitable for the title.

Not showing hate at all, not even a thought. Any collaboration depends on discussion, counterpoints, etc.

Some part of me felt the need to make that clear. I expect the title of a section to be a trivial enough matter for some to think it doesn't deserve objections, counterarguments, etc. I'm too used to seeing internet trolls and wouldn't want to become one.

I'm curious what's in there that you see as being mandatory to ensure security or privacy?

Actually, my point is that whether any of the settings in this user.js is mandatory or not for a given individual depends entirely on that individual's needs, which means that everything in this user.js is technically optional.

Not trying to sow hate but, is not everything in the file optional? Miscellaneous sounds more accurate.

I agree

for starters ...

  • remove 5024 + 5025
  • browser.link.open_newwindow - move to 2204 + also add user_pref("browser.link.open_newwindow.override.external", 3);
  • remove browser.stopReloadAnimation.enabled because toolkit.cosmeticAnimations.enabled also disables the stop/reload animation
  • remove 5020 because the values we set are the default values in Mac + Windows. Linux sets it the other way around: false+true instead of true+false - IDK why but I guess there's a reason for that.
  • remove 5021a-d because they all just enforce the default value which doesn't really make sense for the 5000 section, IMO.

draft:

/*** 5000: PERSONAL SETTINGS [SETUP]
           Settings that are handy to migrate and/or are not in the Options interface.
           Users can put their own non-security/privacy/fingerprinting/tracking stuff here
 ***/
user_pref("_user.js.parrot", "5000 syntax error: this is an ex-parrot!");

//user_pref("accessibility.typeaheadfind", true);       // enable "Find As You Type" - http://kb.mozillazine.org/Accessibility.typeaheadfind
//user_pref("browser.backspace_action", 2);         // Backspace and Shift+Backspace behavior: 0=go Back/Forward, 1=act like PgUp/PgDown, 2=do nothing
user_pref("browser.bookmarks.max_backups", 2);          // set maximum number of daily bookmark backups to keep (default is 15)
user_pref("browser.ctrlTab.previews", true);            // enable "Ctrl+Tab cycles through tabs in recently used order"
//user_pref("browser.download.autohideButton", false);      // disable download button auto-hide (FF57+)
user_pref("browser.tabs.closeWindowWithLastTab", false);    // disable closing browser with last tab
//user_pref("browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInTabs", true);      // open bookmarks in a new tab (FF57+)
//user_pref("browser.tabs.warnOnClose", false);         // disable warning when closing multiple tabs
//user_pref("browser.tabs.warnOnCloseOtherTabs", false);    // disable warning when closing other tabs
//user_pref("browser.tabs.warnOnOpen", false);          // disable warning when opening multiple tabs
user_pref("browser.urlbar.decodeURLsOnCopy", true);     // decode URLs on copy from the urlbar (FF53+) - https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/1320061
//user_pref("clipboard.autocopy", false);           // disable autocopy default [LINUX]
//user_pref("general.autoScroll", false);           // disable middle-click enabling auto-scrolling [WINDOWS] [MAC]
user_pref("layout.spellcheckDefault", 2);           // spellchecking: 0=none, 1-multi-line controls (default), 2=multi-line & single-line controls
user_pref("network.manage-offline-status", false);      // disable "Work offline" autodetection - https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Online_and_offline_events
//user_pref("reader.parse-on-load.enabled", false);     // disable "Reader View"
//user_pref("toolkit.cosmeticAnimations.enabled", false);       // disable animations (FF55+) - https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/1352069
//user_pref("ui.submenuDelay", 150);                // set submenu delay in milliseconds (hidden pref)
user_pref("view_source.tab", false);                // open "View Page Source" in a popup window instead of a Tab
//user_pref("xpinstall.signatures.required", false);        // disable enforced extension signing (Nightly and ESR only)

I just copied the current title and header but we can change that as well.
Also changed some other things:

  • "annoying warnings" inactive
  • spellcheck to 2 because 1 is the default and it doesn't make sense for that pref to be in this section if we just enforce the default
  • submenuDelay inactive
  • browser.backspace_action inactive

The only thing still missing in the draft is 5002, IDK what to do with that one.

I personally do not like word wrap, and line lengths start to go off-screen

time to buy a new monitor xD

hard to read in one hit

users just have to read it once and enable the ones they want

I would use spaces not tabs

agreed

/* UX behavior */

isn't everything in 5000 kinda UX (User eXperience) stuff ? alphabetically is just super easy and we don't have to come up with groups for everything.

Another pref maybe worth considering is the following:

// user_pref("browser.urlbar.openintab", true);

which would open anything from the address bar in a new tab. It doesn't land until FF 60, however.

Bug 1394304

^^ @smithfred (in case you didn't see this)

Aw Oakenpants, you love me 馃槏

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