SAFE Beaker Browser Updates (0.4.0)

Hi @joshuef, i’d like to detect if my safesite is running on the SAFE breaker to automatically switch to the correct Safe API implementation. What would be the best way to know that I’m running on it?

Hey, yep where possible I’d opt for safe: links to trigger the browser launching (if that’s what you’re asking?).


I should think the best way is to check for window.safeAuth existence method so far, go for feature detection over browser detection, IMO.

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How was the name born? I have a hard time visualizing what a glass /bowl is trying to convey? Or is there some special meaning to beaker i have not found out about?

Also, was the original idea of a clearnet/safe toggle switch abandoned completely or just missing for now?

Right now, I’ve got the base goals in. I’m working this weekend on improving safe-js documentation and tests, and then I’ll be firing in with the toggle and sync stretch goals.

The name comes as it’s forked from the beaker browser.

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I’d really like to see a full screen view option.

Here’s a streaming test setup: safe://stream.tenefas.safenet/
(It only works in the SAFE Beaker Browser, not over the proxy in Chrome, for some reason.)


It’s slightly worrying that SafeNet cannot handle streaming 6 Mbps most of the time. I moved my comment on that here: Will the speed of the network degrade once we go live?

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Version 0.2.8 is out.

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I guess @joshuef will make a topic in this forum as well, but here’s the latest update from the Dev Forum:

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There’s an updated release of the Safe Browser to 0.3.2.

This features a more robust ‘safemode’ toggle, including a navbar icon showing that you are on the safe network exclusively. This can be toggled by clicking the icon, or going into the File menu. This will reload all tabs upon toggle, blocking/enabling insecure (non safe) content.

Download:

Read more on the dev forum

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For Linux users, this download is an AppImage file. You need to make it executable, and when first run it asks if you want it installed on the menu. Neat! Thanks @joshuef :slight_smile:

AppImages can be downloaded and run without installation or the need
for root rights. You can make the appImage executable as follows:

chmod a+x exampleName.AppImage

You can execute an appImage as follows:

./exampleName.AppImage

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Could you update the op aswell, please? I just downloaded an outdated version without realizing :slight_smile:

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A new development update popped up on the dev forum:

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Yup, good point. I’ll update only to latest ‘stable’ release (just FYI), pre-releases I’ll only announce in the safedev as they’ll normally need some testing before ready for general use.

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0.4.0. Now with SAFE Sync

New update available!: Release v0.4.0 · joshuef/beaker · GitHub

More details here:

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‘Toggle SAFE Browsing’ menu item, I though David’s brief called for a browser that does not connect to clearnet at all? I find this really confusing and what we were trying to avoid, not sure why I would use this browser over my regular browser.

The toggle gives no indication as to what state it is currently in and when the toggle is engaged, all the SAFE tabs do a re-load.

When ‘open link in new tab’, default behaviour should be to remain on current tab.

File/ Open Location - What filetypes is this designed to open? Are the locations on current machine?

The rocket icon that turns into a star/exclamation (next to refresh) what behaviour is this supposed to invoke? (no context when hovering)

The Safenetwork icon… is that going to be pointing to something useful. I’d think it should point to a SAFE hosted version of the Maidsafe site i.e the current central repository of enlightenment and should have a hover value of ‘Help Me’ or similar.

Probably not the fault of beaker, but when the browser is shut down and re-opened, launcher wants to re-authorize, without releasing the previous session(s)

When toggling the Developer Tools, then visiting a SAFE site, beaker kills the current Tab and throws a Javascript error : Object has been destroyed at Error (Native) at Function.Win. Web contents.session.webrequest.onBeforeRequest

‘Authorised with SAFE Launcher’ personally I would like to see ‘Authorised with the SAFE Network’. The ‘Launcher’ is a mental barrier that needs to be banished.

When I decide to try SAFE, I expect to click one link that gives me a browser with some easily accessible links to surf. I do not expect to be prompted with an ‘allow access’ dialogue and a launcher.


SAFE related

Launcher should be packaged with the beaker browser (and named ‘SAFE Network’?)

Why do I need to manually allow the browser in Launcher, can not the system recognise one of it’s official components (MD5 or something)?

Launcher should only run in the background until I initiate an action on the network that requires account creation. ‘This action requires an account, would you like to create one now?’

Account creation process should be a 'step me through it flow, the same as installing local software…I’m familiar with that ( it is not currently obvious that I need to type in a secret and password, should read ‘enter secret and password’ doh!)

Once the ‘launcher’ is happy and I click ‘Finish’, it should minimize to the tray…where geeks can bring it to the front if required.

Current launcher needs the red close button eliminated, I should not be able to close the launcher (disconnecting from the network) in this manner. The only way to shut down launcher, should be a right click from the tray.

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Probably not the fault of beaker, but when the browser is shut down and re-opened, launcher wants to re-authorize, without releasing the previous session(s)

Correct. It is not the fault of beaker. It is by the design of their current choice. It is written in the core system. I believe it is in one of the RFC, can’t remember correctly. It said that when user logs out, all cache and tokens are deleted. So it is expected for this behavior to happen.

Launcher should only run in the background until I initiate an action on the network that requires account creation. ‘This action requires an account, would you like to create one now?’

Another reason why authenticator should be headless. It would be easy to plug into any apps. And this is doable on browser, instead of launcher. For example… emacs. If I run any safenet apps on emacs, it will prompt authorization. Much more possibilities with headless authorization tool.

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So currently I have 4 instances of Beaker under ‘Authorised Apps’ …that is expected behaviour?

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Oh I’ll take that back. It should release the session when you log off. So no, it is not expected behavior. Good observation

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Yes, I’m not logging off SAFE…just shutting down the browser and restarting.

Is that what you mean also?

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So opening / closing reauth creates a new authed app for you right now. The previous auth is not reused, correct? Or have you used several different versions of beaker without closing the launcher?

Can you let me know your OS/Version and Safe Browser version, please. I’ll check out these issues.


Some good points above. I like the md5 idea or some such for auto auth. but I think some of this will be addressed with a new authenticator baked in.

What would you like to see there? This can be done very easily. But we need reliable /worthwhile links… (and I guess they’d need to be auto created on any network resets to remain useful… )

You mean the icon / rocket is not clear enough? Or what would you like to see?

Tabs reload to allow / prevent non-safe content, so if you have a site trying to request images from the clearnet for example, toggling safemode off would refresh the page and these images would now load. If the page you’re on is only showing safe content, then you wont see any changes.

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Two questions. Where do they save to the SAFE network? And is there any way to opt to save them locally? I ask this because just like one might want to download any other file and save it locally (or back up any other file and save it locally) so to might one want to do the same with their bookmarks and settings. Also there’s the possibility one might want to save said bookmarks and settings between network iterations, particularly the settings in this case. You don’t want to have to reconfigure your safe browser every time the network reincarnates in order to do an update.

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