Comment 137 for bug 41179

(In reply to Justin Dolske [:Dolske] from comment #117)
> Investing time is always a tradeoff. I have a long list of projects to
> dramatically improve Firefox for users, and unfortunately the feature this
> bug about ranks poorly against that list. The number of users using a master
> password and linux is relatively tiny, and there are number hurdles to even
> making this a feature suitable to ship (see Brain's previous posts for a
> few). That's why an add-on is the right route to take.

Applications should always make security easy. If a user has already taken the step of selecting an OS with a keyring function, FF should honor her decision and use that keyring, without extra steps required.

FF has been a keystone of exposing users to the quality that the open-source ecosystem can create. It's THE default browser of the most popular GNU operating systems. I'm not a developer (yet), and I can't make these changes myself (yet), I can't force anyone else to, and I greatly appreciate the time that has gone into making FF what it is. But if we want FF to continue to be the foundation of the FOSS ecosystem that it has become, then it should make security easy. As is, users have these choices:

* install an addon ("Why doesn't this software come with essential features already installed?")
* use a master password ("Another password? I just made a system password!")
* do nothing and use the password store w/out master password (user thinks she is secure; she isn't)
* copy/paste from the system keyring or another software (like an addon, only less convenient)
* disable password storage altogether and use sticky notes on the monitor

The default browser on Mac OS already provides a secure, convenient password experience. The default browser in Ubuntu, on the other hand, doesn't reach the bar set by many FOSS projects in leveraging *existing* tools, waiting to be used, instead re-inventing the wheel and forcing redundant user actions.

GNU operating systems are trying to reach out to less-technical users. Firefox should help these efforts by at least meeting the standard of security set by the competition, as a standard feature. Not as an addon.