Google Chrome 64-bit packages - [CLOSED]

[Mike Walsh]

I do not like spot, very restrictive for me if I'm batching without being able to use wget.

I'll let you into a few secrets, mate. I may have only been a Puppian for about 3 1/2 years, but I've been a Chrome user from day one. I downloaded that very first beta, pre-release evaluation spin of Chrome, in Autumn 2008.....and I've never looked back since.

Chrome has always had what's known as the 'developer mode'. Essentially, it frees the developers from having to run like 'normal' Linux distros do (as a 'user'), and allows them free rein to do what they want with the browser.

For a long time - till quite recently, in fact - that mechanism has been achieved in Linux by allowing the browser to run as root. Because of the unique way in which Pup runs, we've always taken full advantage of that 'loophole'.

Well.....no more, unfortunately.

During the last year, the WebExtensionsAPI (the same one that FireFox is now building the extensions eco-system around) has finally reached maturity. Google have been making no secret of the fact that they fully intended to implement it in Chrome so that the need to allow running as root could finally be done away with.

And that's what's happened at long last.

For the very first time in Pup's 'relationship' with Chrome, we no longer have a choice. We're not running Chrome (or the other Chromium-based browsers) as 'spot' because we want to.....or because we think it's better. (Which it isn't...)

Since Chrome 62, running as 'spot' in Puppy is, (quite literally), the only way to make Chrome run at all now. Big Brother (aka Google) has decided, in his wisdom, that Daddy knows what's best.....and naughty Puppians must finally 'toe the line'. Or else....

If things carry on like this, we shall eventually end up re-writing Puppy, via 'patch' after 'patch' after 'patch', into a carbon copy of every other distro out there.....and Pup will lose it's unique identity.

I'm not looking forward to that day, I tell you..!


Mike.

[ally]

I fully understand it is a chrome's making apologies if it came across otherwise

[Mike Walsh]

I fully understand it is a chrome's making apologies if it came across otherwise

Nah, you're all right, mate. I thought it was as good a time as any to clarify the situation as of this moment in time.....seems like Google have been making major changes with every other release these last few months.

Just be patient with us; that's all I ask. Those of us who package the various incarnations of these browsers.....Oscar, peebee, myself, to name but three.....if we didn't share tricks & tips around between us I don't know where we'd be. Even PhilB (with his 'bbe' script for changing ownership permissions), and Iguleder (with 'libpuppygc.so') have indirectly helped out. Not forgetting the 'head honcho' himself, Micko, for pointing me toward the latter last year.

And, last (but by no means least) battleshooter, for his assistance on the self-contained NSS libs'n'stuff, and belham2 with his modifications to the wrapper scripts, and the 'new' method for running as 'spot'. Everybody's pulled together, and helped out.

Anyroad, I'm not gonna find fault with our archivist, now.....am I??


Mike.

[Mike Walsh]

Evening, boys'n'girls.

The current stable release of Chrome - 64.0.3282.119 - is now available from the usual location in post #1. Sorry for the slight delay; this has been out for a week, but I haven't had time till this evening....

----------------------------------------------------

Belham2's wrapper-script and 'run-as-spot' modifications are still running sweetly, as are battleshooter's 'self-contained' NSS/GTK3 libs. No real problems to report, aside from the afore-mentioned possible reluctance to download/upload without freezing-up/crashing. I still maintain this could be confined to my own machine, since I haven't had any reports of problems in this area, Please remember, boys & girls.....feedback is important, and helps me to keep producing Chrome for all Puppians.

'Silent-launch' is now included as standard.

----------------------------------------------------

Changes for this release:-

https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2 ... op_24.html

Google's devs/techs keep on coming up with ideas to improve your browsing experience. The new, up-and-coming one is 'lazy loading':-

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/g ... y-loading/

.....which apparently, only loads items on the webpage as and when they actually come into view.....this is, of course, supposed to help with page-load times. We'll see!

-------------------------------------------------------

Any problems, let me know, as always, and we'll see if we can fix them..

Enjoy.


Mike.

[mjmikulcik]

Thanks a lot for this.

One note, I found it difficult figuring out how to get the sfs to run because GTK3 wasn't installed and I hadn't symlinked libpcre.so.3 as the following thread suggests. I had to dig through the forum a lot to figure that out, so I recommend putting that somewhere conspicuous.

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... &start=165


I've done brief testing and I've found no problems with downloads, but crashes on uploads with error "Glib-gio-error **: setting schema org.gtk.Settings.FileChooser does not contain a key named startup mode" .
Otherwise, good work, thanks.


Edit:
I finally fixed my error by locating the proper org.gtk.Settings.FileChooser.gschema.xml file from this url.

https://github.com/GNOME/gtk/blob/maste ... schema.xml

Then I put it in /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas and compiled it with glib-compile-schemas in terminal.

That made it work and it uploads okay now. I can't reproduce any upload/download errors on my Slacko64 6.3.2

Edit 2:
I can't get it to open any ntfs formatted partition to upload. I don't know why that is.

[quirkian2new]

"reluctance to download/upload without freezing-up/crashing"

Hello Mike,

I can re-produce this crashing upon download/upload. I applied your NSS/GTK3 libs folder and running Waterfox56.0.3 on system without GTK3, the browser just kill itself whenever i try to upload/download files. So I think your NSS/GTK3 libs folder may be the cause of the crashing, but i am not sure as i am not a coder.

Hope this info. provide you some debugging hints.

Thanks again for your effort in packaging these browsers for the puppy community.

[Mike Walsh]

G'day, kiddiwinks.

The current stable release of Chrome - 65.0.3325.146 - is now available from the usual location in post #1. It was released during the last 36 hours, so we're fairly up-to-date on this one!

----------------------------------------------------

Belham2's wrapper-script and 'run-as-spot' modifications are still running sweetly, as are battleshooter's 'self-contained' NSS/GTK3 libs. No real problems to report, aside from the afore-mentioned possible reluctance to download/upload without freezing-up/crashing. I still maintain this could be confined to my own machine, since I haven't had any reports of problems in this area, Please remember, boys & girls.....feedback is important, and helps me to keep producing Chrome for all Puppians.

'Silent-launch' is now included as standard.

----------------------------------------------------

Changes for this release:-

https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2 ... op_24.html

Chrome has now acquired a new directory inside the /google/chrome folder; something called 'MEIPreload' (???) I cannot find any discussion or mention of this anywhere in the Google/Chromium Project eco-sphere at all, but from opening up the 'manifest.json' file that accompanies it, 'twould appear to be something that pre-loads data for 'Media Engagement' (whatever that is).

If anyone else can unearth any info on this thing, let me know, please.

-------------------------------------------------------

Any problems, drop me a line; we'll see what's what.

Have fun.


Mike.

[OscarTalks]

No real problems to report, aside from the afore-mentioned possible reluctance to download/upload without freezing-up/crashing.

Hello Mike,
This may be happening because GTK3 needs its file chooser.
When you download or upload you get that window asking to browse for location.
The libs alone don't provide this.
Look in /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas
There should be an .xml file for FileChooser and at least one other for ColorChooser.
If those are present you then have to run the command glib-compile-schemas
This updates the gschemas.compiled cog-wheel file to include all the .xml files present.

But the snag is that users may have other .xml gschemas files already installed and you don't want to "uncompile" those. Also, if you include an updated gschemas.compiled file in an .sfs package it won't appear above an existing one in the layered file system. I believe we don't have the option of a pinstall.sh script either.

I like the idea of standalone all-inclusive packages for convenience and I know that others are offering them. In this case though I am not sure what the best way forward is. Options include instructing the user to install the GTK3 package via PPM and removing it from the Chrome package or at least instructing the user to run glib-compile-schemas after loading the Chrome .sfs package (with the .xml files included).

[Marv]

This may be happening because GTK3 needs its file chooser.
When you download or upload you get that window asking to browse for location.
The libs alone don't provide this.
Look in /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas
There should be an .xml file for FileChooser and at least one other for ColorChooser.
If those are present you then have to run the command glib-compile-schemas
This updates the gschemas.compiled cog-wheel file to include all the .xml files present.

But the snag is that users may have other .xml gschemas files already installed and you don't want to "uncompile" those. Also, if you include an updated gschemas.compiled file in an .sfs package it won't appear above an existing one in the layered file system. I believe we don't have the option of a pinstall.sh script either.

I like the idea of standalone all-inclusive packages for convenience and I know that others are offering them. In this case though I am not sure what the best way forward is. Options include instructing the user to install the GTK3 package via PPM and removing it from the Chrome package or at least instructing the user to run glib-compile-schemas after loading the Chrome .sfs package (with the .xml files included).

A slight bit of an aside, still chromium related, but this hint fixed the problems I had with Slimjet version 18.0.1.0 running from SFS in LxPupSc64 18.03 crashing/exiting on any attempt to save-to etc. I ran

Code: Select all

glib-compile-schemas  /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas

after the SFS was loaded.

Thanks,

[Mike Walsh]

Hi, Oscar.

Mm. As usual, you've hit the nail on the head there. I'd suspected the 'glib-schemas' a while ago, but I've had so much on my plate here at home one way or another since Xmas that I really haven't had time to investigate.

I've tried this myself, and downloading now works nicely. Only snag now is I've currently got that old problem rearing its head; text not displaying properly in the 'Save' dialogue, and loads of those little wee boxes in their place.....

(Grrr..!!)

I think I'll repack with the schemas .xml files, and add instructions to run that line of code. peebee's got it included in with his wrapper-script, but I cannot get it to work with the bastardized wrapper-script we're having to use in Chrome nowadays. I greatly appreciate battleshooter's and belham2's input on this, don't get me wrong.....but the darn thing is hardly recognisable as the relatively simple script that you and I remember it as being.....

All in the name of 'progress'! Such is life.... (*sigh*)

---------------------------

@Marv:-

Thanks for confirming the routine works for you as well. It doesn't matter a hoot which Chromium-based browser you're using; it should work for all of 'em, since they all use the same code-base.

Cheers.


Mike.

[Mike Walsh]

Morning, boys & girls.

Following Oscar's advice (and taking a leaf out of peebee's book), I've re-packed the most recent Chrome - Google_Chrome-65.0.3325.146-amd64 - and added the necessary 'schemas' in /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas.....to include the newest 'File Chooser', amongst a few other things.

When you've loaded the SFS, run the following line of code in the terminal:_

Code: Select all

glib-compile-schemas /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas

All things being equal, downloads will now once again work as they should do.

---------------------------------------------------------

However; files in ~/Spot/Downloads will have 'spot:spot' ownership. peebee has arranged things so that anything downloaded into ~/Spot/Downloads has 'root:root' ownership automatically. I think it's nicer if you can move those files to your normal Downloads folder with the correct permissions already in place.

Accordingly, I've knocked up a new version of a wee utility I put together last year. It's called 'Spot2Root'; you'll find it under Menu->Utility->Spot2Root, and all you do is click on it. It works like this:-

It creates an 'intermediate' folder in /usr/share, called Spot2Root, and a sub-folder within ~/Downloads, called CHROME-DOWNLOADS. When you click on it, it first moves the contents of ~/spot/Downloads to the intermediate folder, /usr/share/Spot2Root.

It then changes the spot:spot permissions to root:root, followed by moving the changed files into ~/Downloads/CHROME-DOWNLOADS.

So:-

You download something with Chrome. You click on Menu->Utility->Spot2Root.....and the downloaded file is now in the sub-directory inside your main Downloads directory, with the normal root:root permissions.

Perhaps slightly clunky, but it gives you the choice of whether to change ownership of your downloaded file or not. You might for some reason want your file to have spot:spot ownership..! (*shrug*)

I've attached it to the bottom of this post. Since it has a Menu entry, if you wish you can add it to the launcher area, left-hand side of the JWM tray.....and then you don't need to hunt through the Menu for it..! Or, drag it onto the desktop...


Mike.

[Mike Walsh]

Evening, all.

The current stable version of Chrome - Google_Chrome-66.0.3359.117-amd64 - is now available for download, from the usual location referenced in post #1.

------------------------------------------------

From this version onward, Google are becoming really strict about security. They have now commenced a phased 'distrust' of all certificates issued by Symantec (the people who bring you, among other things, Norton Security), prior to 2016. This will be fully completed by October this year. You can read about it here, and here.

One of the downsides of this is that you may find some of your regular websites will no longer display in Chrome. I don't believe this is a decision that Google will back down from, despite plenty of objections from Symantec themselves. The advice given by most of the tech bloggers is that you'll simply have to use a secondary browser for these sites, so FF Quantum will be a good standby.

--------------------------------------------------

Changes and updates in this release are as explained here, on the regular Chrome blog page.

One interesting item of note is the trialling of 'Site Isolation', part of Google's original research into Spectre mitigation.

62 security issues are also addressed.

----------------------------------------------------

I explained in the last post about the need to 'set-up' the now-included glib-schemas so that downloading/uploading will work without crashing the browser, by running

Code: Select all

glib-compile-schemas /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas

.....immediately after loading the SFS. (This will only need to be performed once). I also introduced a perhaps slightly clunky 'workaround' for changing permissions from spot:spot back to Pup's usual root:root for those dowloaded items (which involves a single extra mouse-click).

The 'Spot2Root' file permission changer script & files are now included as a built-in part of the Chrome package. And instead of having to look up Spot2Root in the Menu, it now appears as a large green 'tick' in the notification area (or 'system tray', for those of you used to Windows-speak).

Download your item (which goes to /root/spot/Downloads, with spot:spot permissions). Click on the green tick.....and the item is now in your main Downloads directory, with the normal Puppy root:root permissions.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Any problems, you know where to find me.

Enjoy.


Mike.

[quirkian2new]

Hello fellow google chrome users,

does anyone tried ETP's latest google chrome 66. It seems to be able running as root.

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 458#991458

[Mike Walsh]

Afternoon, everybody.

The current stable version of Chrome - Google_Chrome-67.0.3396.62-amd64 - is now available for download, from the new location referenced in post #1.

------------------------------------------------

From the previous version (66) onward, Google are becoming really strict about security. They have now commenced a phased 'distrust' of all certificates issued by Symantec (the people who bring you, among other things, Norton Security), prior to 2016. This will be fully completed by October this year. You can read about it here, and here.

One of the downsides of this is that you may find some of your regular websites will no longer display in Chrome. I don't believe this is a decision that Google will back down from, despite plenty of objections from Symantec themselves. The advice given by most of the tech bloggers is that you'll simply have to use a secondary browser for these sites, so FF Quantum will be a good standby.

--------------------------------------------------

Changes and updates in this release are as explained here, on the regular Chrome blog page.

One interesting item of note is the trialling of 'Site Isolation', part of Google's original research into Spectre mitigation. This began in Chrome 66, and is ongoing.

34 security issues are also addressed.

----------------------------------------------------

I explained in the last post about the need to 'set-up' the now-included glib-schemas so that downloading/uploading will work without crashing the browser, by running

Code: Select all

glib-compile-schemas /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas

There is no need to manually run this command any longer. A small script has been placed in /usr/sbin & sym-linked into /root/Startup, which will automatically run the compile command at boot time.

The 'Spot2Root' file permission changer script & files are now included as a built-in part of the Chrome package. And instead of having to look up Spot2Root in the Menu, it now appears as a large green 'tick' in the notification area (or 'system tray', for those of you used to Windows-speak).

Download your item (which goes to /root/spot/Downloads, with spot:spot permissions). Click on the green tick.....and the item is now in your main Downloads directory, with the normal Puppy root:root permissions.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Any problems, you know where to find me.

Enjoy.


Mike.

[Mike Walsh]

Afternoon, all.

The current stable version of Chrome - Google_Chrome-68.0.3440.75-amd64 - is now available for download, from the new location referenced in post #1.

------------------------------------------------

From version 66 onward, Google started becoming really strict about security. They commenced a phased 'distrust' of all certificates issued by Symantec (the people who bring you, among other things, Norton Security), prior to 2016. This will be fully completed by October this year. You can read about it here, and here.

One of the downsides of this is that you may find some of your regular websites will no longer display in Chrome. I don't believe this is a decision that Google will back down from, despite plenty of objections from Symantec themselves. The advice given by most of the tech bloggers is that you'll simply have to use a secondary browser for these sites, so FF Quantum will be a good standby.

--------------------------------------------------

Changes and updates in this release are as explained here, on the regular Chrome blog page.

42 security issues have been addressed since the previous release.

The biggest issue of note with this release hits you in the face as soon as Chrome fires up; the new-look to the GUI. Google have been tweaking things in the background for the last few months, and at long last the sloped tabs have bitten the dust. In come tabs very reminiscent of the older 'Australis' Firefox interface; more space between your extensions, your bookmarks; a softer, 'rounder' look to the omnibox.

(No, sorry; my bad, kiddiwinks. The 'new look' doesn't yet come as standard. It's known as the 'Material Design 'refresh''. If you want to try it out, go to chrome://flags. Enter 'material design' in the search box. When 'UI layout for the browser's top chrome' appears, from the drop-down box, select 'Refresh'. Then, re-launch Chrome from the prompt at the bottom of the page.

I've been using this for a couple of weeks so far, in the 'Beta' version. I understood it was coming by default in Chrome 68, but.....apparently, not just yet..! Personally, I'm in two minds about it; in all likelihood, I shall stay with the 'normal' Chrome look for as long as I can.)

I think this is comical. Mozilla, with Quantum, have finally created a Firefox more like Chrome than I would have believed possible, in terms of speed, performance, and outright reliability. So what do Google do? They throw away their unique identity and try to make themselves as much like the competition as they can.....

TBH, it's getting so I no longer care what browser I use; after being a staunch Chrome user for almost a decade, for my use-case, there is nothing to choose between them any more. I use Quantum as much as, sometimes more than, I do Chrome. And that's after giving FF the 'bum's rush' due to constant crashing when Chrome was released 10 years ago...

So what do y'all think of the new look? 'Thumbs-up'? 'Thumbs-down'? 'Whatever?' (And in case you've lost track of where the 'New Tab' button's got to, it's now skulking in the top-left corner..!)

----------------------------------------------------

I explained in the last post about the need to 'set-up' the now-included glib-schemas so that downloading/uploading will work without crashing the browser, by running

Code: Select all

glib-compile-schemas /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas

There is no need to manually run this command any longer. A small script has been placed in /usr/sbin & sym-linked into /root/Startup, which will automatically run the compile command at boot time.

The 'Spot2Root' file permission changer script & files are now included as a built-in part of the Chrome package. And instead of having to look up Spot2Root in the Menu, it now appears as a large green 'tick' in the notification area (or 'system tray', for those of you used to Windows-speak).

Download your item (which goes to /root/spot/Downloads, with spot:spot permissions). Click on the green tick.....and the item is now in your main Downloads directory, with the normal Puppy root:root permissions.

------------------------------------------------------------------

I just want, once again, to say a heartfelt 'Thank you' to those individuals who've helped to make these Chrome Puppy packages possible.

Credits go to:-

Battleshooter - for help with the self-contained NSS libs'n'stuff several releases back.
belham2 - for cobbling together the 'launch' script that is now employed.
And further back, 01Micko (the 'head honcho'), and iguleder - both of whom have indirectly helped keep this thread going for as long as it has, with references & links.

Thanks must also go to OscarTalks and peebee, for suggestions and assistance over the last couple of years.

---------------------------------

In many ways these packages are a joint effort. I absolutely refuse to take credit for the innovations by some of our true 'experts'.....only, perhaps, for actually putting everything together so it all works as you Puppians would expect.

Any issues, you know where to find me.

Enjoy.


Mike.

[rufwoof]

From version 66 onward, Google started becoming really strict about security.

Thanks Mike. As a long term ff-esr user I've transitioned over to iridium in recent weeks and love it. Running under OpenBSD - its Pledged (so additional checks to trash out anything that looks suspect). In Oct/Nov when OBSD 6.4 is released unveil will also be available in stable (veils the complete filesystem and then selectively unveils what is permissible). Iridium is like chromium, but with even more controls over phoning home. Works really well with googledocs. Primarily it is my dektop now (using cwm, so generally you launch things via the exec key and type the first 2 or 3 letters of the program you want to run and press enter). Hope the bookmarks bar remains, as that is in effect my launcher. I also have a local html/javascript file to show the date and time in the tab title (I add my bookmarks to the content of that web page). behind that, the desktop, just a picture.

For data isolation I login at the console and run tmux and mc in one of those windows. Nice and colourful and enables scrolling etc. So fundamentally running all internet facing as userid user, all data stored under root (I further store data files in a encrypted file filesystem)

I do notice that periodically google trashes a aw-snap message apparently as it detects dubious web page content. However the more google tightens up on general browser and browsing security the better IMO. Its great for viewing pdf's, watching videos, etc. I even have a local html/javascript file for a calculator that meets my needs. Pretty much base OpenBSD + iridium + mc ... is my full desktop installation although I do have a few other small programs installed on top of that such as ddclient that provides static domain name to dynamic IP redirection i.e. to my OpenBSD httpd server (base OBSD comes with httpd, mail server, X ...etc all included, and all with sensible secure defaults so pretty much minimal configuration required).

[Mike Walsh]

Evening, all.

Further to the inclusion of the 'Spot2Root' utility in these Puppy Chrome packages, I've since realised that the problem exists in the other direction too.

Most of the time, I'm in one or the other of my many 32-bit Pups. I've primarily used my original Tahrpup64 install for building these 64-bit browser packages, and for experimenting with the increasing numbers of AppImages that are becoming available.....almost all of which are being built as 64-bit only.

It's only since installing Xenialpup64 7.5 last week that I've begun to spend more time in a 64-bit Pup, and used my own Chrome & Iron browser packages for any length of time.

I came up with the 'Spot2Root' utility for the simple reason that, with these browser packages now running as spot all the time (since that's the only way they will now run in Puppy), I was starting to come up against the problem that downloads naturally had spot:spot permissions. Which played havoc, especially with any packages/executables you might download; they needed permissions changing in order to work correctly with Pup's root:root model.

Thus the 'Spot2Root' utility was born, and has for the last few releases been built-in to the browser package itself.

---------------------------------------------------

I only occasionally upload; mostly when I release new packages, and need to upload them to one or the other of my file-hosting accounts. This last few days, I've realised that unless you change permissions to 'spot:spot' first, Chrome and Iron will turn their noses up at them, and won't upload them. They go through the motions.....but nothing actually happens.

Accordingly, I've re-written the 'Spot2Root' utility. It adds a new 'Uploads' directory to /root/spot, and now includes an additional script which changes permissions for the contents of that directory in the other direction, from the normal 'root:root' to 'spot:spot'. The whole thing is still controlled from the notification area, but instead of the pre-existing green 'check mark' I've been using up until now, it's now a two-way up/down arrow icon instead. Like this:-





Clicking on the icon now brings up a new GUI:-





.....which gives the option of changing file permissions in either direction. For downloads, it'll run the existing 'spot-to-root' script in /usr/local/bin, and output your downloaded files to your normal Downloads directory with 'root:root' permissions.

For uploads, you move/copy your files into /root/spot/Uploads, ready to upload them, then click the icon, and click the 'uploads' button. This just chowns permissions to 'spot:spot', prior to actually uploading them.

(I know this all seems a bit involved, but this GUI stuff is for newcomers to Puppy.....many of whom have, of course, been used to GUIs in Windows, and in many cases are completely lost with the terminal. For the rest of us, who know what we're doing, it's probably quicker to just chown through the terminal as normal.)

----------------------------------------

This modified utility will be built-in to the next Puppy Chrome package in its entirety when Chrome 69 is released sometime next month. For now, I'm providing a .pet package which adds the extra functionality to the existing browser packages, which can be found here:-

http://www.mediafire.com/file/fodthu8c5 ... 1.pet/file

Also included is the freshly-recompiled 64-bit current version of YAD (0.40), which powers the GUIs.....and which is required by one or two of the very recent YAD features I've made use of. The 'pinstall.sh' script removes the now-redundant ~/my-applications/bin/S2R.sh and /usr/local/lib/X11/mini-icons/green-tick.png, prior to installation of the new items.

Here's hoping some of you may actually find this new stuff useful. I'd like to be able to set things up eventually so that as you 'drop' files into ~/spot/Uploads it'll automatically swap permissions without additional mouse-clicking.....but, for now, that's a wee bit above my pay-grade. So until then, this will have to do.


Mike.

[Mike Walsh]

Afternoon, all.

The current stable version of Chrome - Google_Chrome-69.0.3497.81-amd64 - is now available for download, from the new location referenced in post #1.

------------------------------------------------

Well, here it is, boys & girls. The fully-modernized, bang up-to-date, 10th anniversary release of Google Chrome!





--------------------------------------------------

Changes and updates in this release are as explained here, on the regular Chrome blog page.

40 security issues have been addressed since the previous release.

The biggest issue of note with this release hits you in the face as soon as Chrome fires up; the new-look to the GUI. Google have been tweaking things in the background for the last few months, and at long last the sloped tabs have bitten the dust. In come tabs very reminiscent of the older 'Australis' Firefox interface; more space between your extensions, your bookmarks; a softer, 'rounder' look to the omnibox.

This is now the default appearance. If you want to change back to the older 'look', simply modify my instructions from the previous post.

----------------------------------------------------

I explained in a previous post about the need to 'set-up' the now-included glib-schemas so that downloading/uploading will work without crashing the browser, by running

Code: Select all

glib-compile-schemas /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas

There is no need to manually run this command any longer. A small script has been placed in /usr/sbin & sym-linked into /root/Startup, which will automatically run the compile command at boot time.

The 'Spot2Root' file permissions changer has been updated, too. It now works with uploads as well as downloads.....as explained in the previous post.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Credits go to:-

Battleshooter - for help with the self-contained NSS libs'n'stuff several releases back.
belham2 - for cobbling together the 'launch' script that is now employed.
And further back, 01Micko (the 'head honcho'), and iguleder - both of whom have indirectly helped keep this thread going for as long as it has, with references & links.

Thanks must also go to OscarTalks and peebee, for suggestions and assistance over the last couple of years.

---------------------------------

Any problems, drop me a line. You know where to find me.

Have fun.


Mike.

[Mike Walsh]

Evening, all.

Just to let y'all know, there's been a change in packaging 'strategy'.

Following the revelation by Mikeslr on the Bionicpup64 thread that the 'standard' package with Chrome running-as-spot from /root/spot now refuses to 'play ball', I've adopted the method as practised by FatDog for some time now.

Henceforth, Chrome will now be situated in /home/spot (still running as user 'spot', though). This brings it more into line with Google's preferred standard Linux practice (which is employed by just about every major distro), of running the browser from the /home/*user directory*.

You'll also notice that there is now a single, 'generic' package for all Pups that can run it. Testing has shown that there is no longer any need for 'buntu- and Slacko-specific variants; this single package now works equally well for all.

The SFS package is available as usual. For the first time, I'm also providing Chrome as a .pet package.....mainly for anyone who runs a 'full' install (including certain of Barry's 'Quirky' creations, which are apparently designed to run this way.) As most of you are aware, full installs cannot make use of the SFS package's advantages, namely that of loading/unloading 'on-the-fly', and thereby not permanently occupying 'Puppy-space' in the save-file/folder. They don't have the SFS loading mechanism, so anything installed using an SFS is there permanently, with no way to remove it except by doing it all manually. SFS packages don't have the 'petspecs' file within them, so the PPM has no information to work with.

So; one single SFS, and one single .pet. Makes life easier all round for everybody.....especially me! Downloads available from the usual location referenced at the beginning of this thread.

Have fun. Any probs, you know where to find me.


Mike.

[mikeslr]

As you may already know I was rather peeved by having to adjust to the changes Google-chrome & company have forced us Puppy Users to make. Unlike most (almost all) other Linux Distros, Puppies maintain a firm distinction between what constitutes storage and RAM. Primarily, Puppies work in RAM, reading files into it as and when they are needed. It's one of the reasons Puppies can perform as fast as they do, and RAM being cleared on shutdown/reboot provides a level of security other distros --which treat RAM and Storage as a unified system, constantly writing to storage-- can't provide.

But with its unified system mind-set, Google has now made it necessary to run Chrome-and-clones as a limited user, and that requires that these applications under Puppies, their configuration files and bookmarks, and the files you download using them or will upload using them all reside in the limited User Spot [or its equivalent] and while there possess the permissions allowed that limited User. Under Puppies, all files in the folder Spot occupy RAM, and this is the case whether Spot is located in /root or its own folder /home/spot.

Thoughtfully, Mike Walsh has built into his construction of Google-Chrome a module for quickly getting files you've downloaded and files you intend to upload into and out of the Spot folder, and changing their permissions from those of root to spot for uploads and from that of spot to root for downloads. The module places a launcher on the taskbar which expedites these procedures.

Still, getting files into and out of RAM would be a chore if some Puppy devotee hadn't established other tools.

The upload tool merely changes permissions but presumes that the file is already in .../spot/Uploads. To quickly get a file (or folder) into /spot/Uploads you can Right-Click the file/folder wherever it happens to be and select "Copy to". Thanks to whoever created that module among its attributes are not only the facility to copy files/folders from their current location to another, but to "bookmark" that other location so it can again be quickly chosen later. So /spot/Uploads was bookmarked in that tool. It was also bookmarked in rox. Once google-chrome has uploaded the file/folder to the Web, I can quickly open rox to /spot/Uploads and delete the file/folder --freeing up RAM for actual work.

Use of the spot-to-root module actually requires little forethought. You've already downloaded the file or files and it/they is/are located in .../spot/Downloads. The module moves such files out of /spot/Downloads to /usr/share/Spot2Root* where permissions are changed, and then moves them to /root/Downloads. Most Puppies will already have that folder --if it doesn't already exist firefox and clones will create it. And most Puppy users will be content with that. But I run Puppies with AutoSave Removed and try to avoid executing a Save without having a good reason. /root/Downloads is in RAM and rebooting/shutting down without Saving will clear RAM, obliterating its contents. Which meant I had to take the time to move files from /root/Downloads to somewhere they will continue to exist after a reboot/shutdown.

So what I did was modify Mike Walsh's yad command. You'll find this command at /usr/local/bin with the name spot-to-root. Opened in geany, there's a line which reads:

mv -v /usr/share/Spot2Root/* ~/Downloads/"#1CHROME_Downloads"

or something like that without the "bolding". [I edited it before writing this, and that version existed before his build with spot in the home folder].

At any rate, my edit of that line now reads:

mv -v /usr/share/Spot2Root/* /mnt/home/my-stuff/Downloads/

So, after files are moved out of .../home/spot, and had their permissions changed while in /usr/share/Spot2Root/ they are moved to a folder on /mnt/home: out of RAM, and written to Storage for later use.

You may want to change the above line to one more appropriate to your system. My 64-bit Puppies share a partition with one of the "regular" Linux Distros. As there are folders on that partition relating to that Distro, a "my-stuff" folder reduces confusion.

* For the security conscious, /usr/share/Spot2Root is a folder not "on the path"; hence not where your operating expects to find executables for how little time they may reside there. Neither by the way is anything on /mnt/home.