The stakes are so high with browser security that it's the last software I'd want to use some random persons fork of, even if they appear to have good intentions. I don't particularly trust Googles intentions but I do at least trust that they have their shit together when it comes to security.
Chromium likely has plenty of "dormant" bugs - bugs that exist in the source code, but consistently compile to safe (or unreachable) machine code, more or less due to good luck.
This project messes with optimisation flags, which have a good chance of "waking up" those bugs (If you've ever had code work at -O1 but not at -O3, you know what I'm talking about). The same goes for compiler bugs, too. The real Chromium is aggressively fuzz tested, but this project is almost certainly not, or at least, not to the same extent.
Turning on features like JPEG-XL also increases attack surface.
I found the original commit [1] since the other Github link in the thread shows the removal. I'm not entirely sure what the thought process was around adding it to begin with
Yeah.. not sure I want my browsing taking place in software authored by someone who does this kind of thing. Gross level of immaturity. Dumb furry joke today, adware tomorrow.
I ran Thorium for a while on Linux because the claimed performance improvements appealed to me. However, I recently ran some actual modern browser benchmarks and vanilla Chrome performed significantly better in every one I tested. My testing wasn't by any means scientific and there are an enormous number of factors to consider of course.
Maybe it's a quirk of my system, or some recent changes they made to Chrome's build process (LTO, BOLT optimizer, etc.) but yeah I've switched back to plain Chromium.
Readit News
This project messes with optimisation flags, which have a good chance of "waking up" those bugs (If you've ever had code work at -O1 but not at -O3, you know what I'm talking about). The same goes for compiler bugs, too. The real Chromium is aggressively fuzz tested, but this project is almost certainly not, or at least, not to the same extent.
Turning on features like JPEG-XL also increases attack surface.
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Fast or not.
Not a fun email
[1] https://github.com/Alex313031/thorium/commit/26655c920b6a9e4...
edit: the commit link is nsfw
TLDR:
- project contained a suggestive furry art(no genitals)
- also contained anti-circumcision photo(with genitals)
- that photo may or may not have been reported as CP
Am I just super unlucky, or do furry people have high chances of being super arrogant religious extremists?
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Thorium Browser: The fastest browser on Earth - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38900191 - Jan 2024 (3 comments)
Thorium – The Fastest Browser on Earth - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38896266 - Jan 2024 (14 comments)
Thorium – The first browser to score over 600 speedometer points on a Mac M3 Pro - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38894920 - Jan 2024 (57 comments)
Thorium – Radioactive Chromium Fork - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38854932 - Jan 2024 (26 comments)
Don't Use Thorium Browser – If Installed, Remove It - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38647363 - Dec 2023 (21 comments)
Thorium – The Fastest Browser on Earth - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37917922 - Oct 2023 (2 comments)
Thorium is the first browser with HEVC and AC3 support even in a mkv container - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36455533 - June 2023 (8 comments)
Show HN: Thorium – The fastest browser on Earth - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31525464 - May 2022 (3 comments)
Outline of benefits of Thorium over vanilla Chromium - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29946310 - Jan 2022 (31 comments)
Edit: looks like the post title has since been edited
Maybe it's a quirk of my system, or some recent changes they made to Chrome's build process (LTO, BOLT optimizer, etc.) but yeah I've switched back to plain Chromium.
and FWIW I despise the thinking that leads one to commit ever-changing binary artifacts into git because then $(git clone) turns into a DVD sized download https://github.com/Alex313031/codium/commit/5bd47c17194e8019...