[arch-general] [arch-dev-public] Chromium losing Sync support on March 15

[Geo Kozey]

> ----------------------------------------
> From: Morten Linderud via arch-general <arch-general at lists.archlinux.org>
> Sent: Tue Jan 26 22:46:52 CET 2021
> To: <arch-general at lists.archlinux.org>
> Cc: Morten Linderud <foxboron at archlinux.org>
> Subject: Re: [arch-general] [arch-dev-public] Chromium losing Sync support on March 15
> 
> 
> On Tue, Jan 26, 2021 at 10:31:37PM +0100, Geo Kozey via arch-general wrote:
> > > From: Levente Polyak via arch-dev-public <arch-dev-public at lists.archlinux.org>
> > > On 1/26/21 9:53 PM, Morten Linderud via arch-dev-public wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > It's dissapointing frankly.
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > Disappointing doesn't really catch it tho. If it would be just about the
> > > sync functionality: so be it. But crippling the API usage on a level
> > > that rips out especially things like the safe browsing functionality as
> > > well places chromium knowingly and forcefully into a position that
> > > doesn't make it viable to be distributed to users.
> > 
> > Didn't google already make it clear it's only about sync api and the rest
> > including safe browsing is perfectly fine to use with current keys if you
> > don't remove them[1]?
> > 
> > I think some people here overdramatize this situation. Users who depend
> > on sync would have to switch to chrome but for majority nothing will change
> > unless you indeed drop the package which hardly helps to limit damage.
> 
> Evangelos isn't subscribed so I'm paraphrasing from what he wrote on IRC.
> 
> The non-oauth api key will continue to work for now. This includes safe browsing. 
> 
> However:
> 
>     1) We don't know for how long
> 
>     2) Supposedly it's for non-commercial use
> 
>     3) Jochen says it's ok to keep it, but he also said that 2013's chrome team
>        didn't have the authority to alter the ToS.
> 
>     4) Support will likely be non-existent (similarly to how we had no
>        geolocation for the first half of 2020)
> 
> -- 
> Morten Linderud
> PGP: 9C02FF419FECBE16

This is mostly pessimistic speculation. There are still 6 weeks ahead
before anything changes at all. After that it's still possible that
only the sync will be lost. IMO dropping package should be the last
option used only when no other one is left on table and all bad
scenarios were realized for sure (assuming there is still someone in
Arch team wanting to maintain it - if not then everything may be over
right now). 

I think fedora rush to break all users overnight while the 'evil google'
gave them couple of weeks to look around isn't best example to follow.

Yours sincerely

G. K.