otter-browser (QtWebKit-based): Removal

[xtkoba]

otter-browser is a web browser. While it can be configured to use Qt WebEngine as the browser engine, the package in our repo is configured to use QtWebKit. QtWebKit is based on old WebKit that has known vulnerabilities and is not suitable for generic use.

As a WebKit-based browser we have GNOME Web (epiphany) that uses well-maintained WebKitGTK+. As a web browser we also have Firefox now. So IMO there is no reason to keep otter-browser in our repo.

I'm going to remove the otter-browser package in 45 days if I see no objections.

As for QtWebKit itself, I'm opposed to removing it. In restricted situations I believe it is still usable and useful (e.g. as a dependency of phantomjs).

[ghost]

I use otter-browser to read local HTML help files, such as for ImageMagick. Better than Epiphany, probably due to the way the pages are coded in HTML and CSS. But I do not use any Termux browser for the Internet, since I have regular Android apps for that. Firefox fails on my device (32-bit ARM) due to bus error. Geany also fails that way.

I would like to retain otter-browser, even if it does not connect out to the Internet, for reading local files within Termux. Is it possible to work-around the package removal? EDIT: I have copied the *deb package to a safe place. When otter-browser is removed from the repository, will I be able to reinstall otter-browser from the saved *deb file? Does not matter if there are
vulnerabilities, since I do not use otter-browser for secure connections.

[xtkoba]

Note that already-installed package is not uninstalled from Termux environment when it is removed from bindist mirrors. You can keep the DEB file locally and use it until dependency is broken.

[xtkoba]

And also you are free to build and distribute the package in a third-party repo. Just that we as Termux Project won't distribute it.

[ghost]

Good. Will do it that way.

[Dawimpy]

@xtkoba i agree with this decision.
Since we have a better alternative