[tor-bugs] #3944 [Tor bundles/installation]: TBB prefs are set as user_prefs (may cause exceptions/settings errors?)

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#3944: TBB prefs are set as user_prefs (may cause exceptions/settings errors?)
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 Reporter:  mikeperry                  |          Owner:  erinn                        
     Type:  defect                     |         Status:  new                          
 Priority:  major                      |      Milestone:  TorBrowserBundle 2.3.x-stable
Component:  Tor bundles/installation   |        Version:                               
 Keywords:  tbb-bounty, tbb-usability  |         Parent:                               
   Points:                             |   Actualpoints:                               
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Comment(by mcs):

 Replying to [comment:12 mikeperry]:
 > 1. Shouldn't we place the Torbutton preferences in extension-
 overrides.js too? Is there a reason why we didn't? We can probably
 actually just eliminate most of these entirely, though. I can work on that
 bit in Torbutton.

 Yes, those should be placed in extension-overrides.js too (if they cannot
 be defaulted appropriately inside Torbutton itself).  Good catch.

 > 2. If users change their addon preferences (NoScript for example), will
 those values take precedence over extension-overrides.js? Ie will prefs.js
 extension prefs override extension-overrides.js? I think we want this to
 be the case.

 Yes, the <user-profile>/prefs.js is where all user prefs are written and
 they always take precedence.

 > 3. Can we entirely remove the prefs.js from the distribution? A key goal
 here is not overwriting user preferences during updates.

 Kathy and I were thinking that when we implement an automatic update
 mechanism that that file would just be excluded (i.e., we would never
 overwrite it).  But it is safer to just omit the prefs.js file entirely so
 there is no risk that the new (empty) file would overwrite a user's
 preferences.

 > 4. There may be some more prefHasUserValue checks in Torbutton. I'll get
 to those soon.

 Thanks.  I think they are all gone now, but please double-check.

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Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/3944#comment:13>
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