Please Fix the Linux Mint from resulting as Ubuntu

[MichaelTunnell]

When running Linux Mint 16 or 15 the user agent displays something like:

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Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Ubuntu; Linux x86_64; rv:26.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/27.0

This results in telling websites that Linux Mints are Ubuntu users when they actually aren't. I know Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu but it should try to tell people that it is in fact not Ubuntu when visiting websites.

Websites can use useragents to tailor content to users based on what system or what distro of Linux that they are using but Linux Mint will be ignored and the sites will display Ubuntu instead.

So please change it to:

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Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux Mint; Linux x86_64; rv:27.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/27.0

or at least change it to:

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Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux Mint/Ubuntu; Linux x86_64; rv:27.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/27.0

[karlchen]

Hello, MichaelTunnel.

I do not see any advantage in making Firefox reveal that it is running on Linux Mint and not on genuine Ubuntu:

• It does not make any difference to the way Firefox works. Firefox 27.0.1 running on Ubuntu and Firefox 27.0.1 running on Linux Mint are functionally absolutely identical.
• By replacing the name "Ubuntu" by "Linux Mint" a Mint user will not gain any advantage whatsoever. The opposite might be the case. It is imaginable that poorly written webpages recognize Ubuntu, but do not recognize Linux Mint.
• There is no real need to tell any webpage at all which Linux distribution is used. A webpage does not need to know whether my Firefox 27.0.1 is run on Knoppix, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, CentOs, Redhat, OpenSuse or BSD. Because it is the Firefox version and the Gecko version which tell whether this Firefox supports a particular standard or not.

Summary: I strongly reject the idea that the Mint makers should fiddle around with the Firefox agent string.

Kind regards,
Karl

[Brahim Salem]

I agree with MichaelTunnell that Linux Mint should have its own user agent instead of Ubuntu's. They use this info. to measure OS market shares and popularity. Popularity is very important in getting new partners

[karlchen]

Hi, folks.

It is all right for us to discuss the pros and cons of having Firefox on Linux Mint telling it is run on Linux Mint and not on Ubuntu.
The really interesting question, however, is why do the Mint makers not "brand" Firefox? They will have their reason. I doubt that this has simply slipped their attention.

Cheers,
Karl

[jahid]

completely agree with MichaelTunnell though karlchen has a valid point about poorly written pages.

[kurotsugi]

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apt-cache policy firefox 

AFAIK firefox in mint main edition is taken from upstream :3
it means that firefox package are created and builded by ubuntu. we can do it easily but there's no point of doing it since there's no any website has 'linuxmint" in their browser agent list. in short, 'linuxmint' user agent never exist and there's no web using it. on other hand, "ubuntu" user agent is really exist and used on certain web. there's the announcement of this new user agent several month ago.
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2013/11/ubun ... ent-string

I agree with MichaelTunnell that Linux Mint should have its own user agent instead of Ubuntu's. They use this info. to measure OS market shares and popularity. Popularity is very important in getting new partners

the market shares and popularity isn't measured by this method :3

[clfarron4]

Code: Select all

apt-cache policy firefox 

AFAIK firefox in mint main edition is taken from upstream :3
it means that firefox package are created and builded by ubuntu. we can do it easily but there's no point of doing it since there's no any website has 'linuxmint" in their browser agent list. in short, 'linuxmint' user agent never exist and there's no web using it. on other hand, "ubuntu" user agent is really exist and used on certain web. there's the announcement of this new user agent several month ago.
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2013/11/ubun ... ent-string

This is pretty much it, The package for Ubuntu doesn't need to be modified for Linux Mint, so it isn't touched at all.