[tor-bugs] #13252 [Tor Browser]: Tor Browser on OS X should not store data into the application bundle

[Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki]

#13252: Tor Browser on OS X should not store data into the application bundle
----------------------------------+--------------------------
 Reporter:  torosx                |          Owner:  mcs
     Type:  defect                |         Status:  assigned
 Priority:  Medium                |      Milestone:
Component:  Tor Browser           |        Version:
 Severity:  Normal                |     Resolution:
 Keywords:  TorBrowserTeam201603  |  Actual Points:
Parent ID:  #6540                 |         Points:
  Sponsor:                        |
----------------------------------+--------------------------

Comment (by mcs):

 Replying to [comment:23 teor]:
 > What happens when the user doesn't have permission to write to
 /Applications (or the directory Tor Browser is in?)

 Bad things will happen, which is also true today if TB cannot write inside
 its .app bundle. I just tried running the new Tor Browser in a folder that
 I do not have write access to and this message was displayed:
 {{{
 Profile Missing

 Your Tor Browser profile cannot be loaded. It may be missing
 or inaccessible.
 }}}
 I think we may want to add a new, more accurate error message that is
 displayed when the browser is unable to start up because the profile
 directory is not writable/cannot be created.

 In the long run we should probably support two modes like Ricochet does:
 if TorBrowser.app is installed into /Applications, store user data inside
 ~/Library/Application\ Support like all non-portable apps do; otherwise,
 use the TorBrowser-Data side-by-side/portable approach.

--
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/13252#comment:24>
Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki <https://trac.torproject.org/>
The Tor Project: anonymity online