GNUzilla is the GNU version of the Mozilla suite, and GNU IceCat is the GNU version of the Firefox browser. Its main advantage is an ethical one: it is entirely free software. While the Firefox source code from the Mozilla project is free software, they distribute and recommend non-free software as plug-ins and addons. Also their trademark license restricts distribution in ways that hinder freedom 0.
GNU IceCat has multiple practical advantages as well, such as better privacy and security settings, extensive blocking of sites that may track the user's browsing habits, or the inclusion of LibreJS and other extensions that help browse without running non-free javascript. The user manual pages are at http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:IceCat/ Please contribute by joining the wiki and editing the manuals. Source tarballs, binaries for generic GNU/Linux systems and translations are available at http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuzilla/ GPG key ID:D7E04784 GNU IceCat releases Fingerprint: A573 69A8 BABC 2542 B5A0 368C 3C76 EED7 D7E0 4784 https://savannah.gnu.org/project/memberlist-gpgkeys.php?group=gnuzilla ====== This is the 60.3.0 ESR release of GNU IceCat, containing substantial improvements from the previous major version (v52.x ESR): * LibreJS 7.x, now based in the WebExtensions API. It currently provides a very similar set of features compared with the version shipped with IceCat 52.x, but its performance and robustness have greatly improved. Tests and comments are welcome. * A set of companion extensions for LibreJS by Nathan Nichols (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/user/NateN1222/) are pre-installed, and provide workarounds to use some services at USPS, RSF.org, SumOfUs.org, pay.gov, McDonald's, goteo.org and Google Docs without using nonfree JavaScript. * A series of configuration changes and tweaks were applied to ensure that IceCat does not initiate network connections that the user has not explicitly requested. This implies not downloading feeds, updates, blacklists or any other similar data during startup. * A new homepage shows the most important privacy and freedom options available, with explanations for the user to tune IceCat's behavior to their specific needs. * We no longer include SpyBlock, which was IceCat's fork of AdBlockPlus that allowed to block all third-party requests during "Private Browsing" mode. Now, we include an extension that blocks all third party requests by default, and provides a simple interface to whitelist specific third-party resources on a per-site basis. * A basic TOR integration extension is included. Note that you need to separately run the TOR service at the operating system for this extension to work. If you use a GNU/Linux system this is usually done by installing the "tor" package. Thanks to Giorgio Maone, Nathan Nichols, Nyk Nyby and Zach Wick for their contribution to LibreJS and IceCat, and happy testing! -- If you have a working or partly working program that you'd like to offer to the GNU project as a GNU package, see https://www.gnu.org/help/evaluation.html.