Community meeting on IRC 2nd February 2023

Announcements
#1

Schedule: Thursday 2023-02-02T08:00:00Z   :world_map:   :date:

The first meeting of the new year :fireworks:, please bring your questions and join us if you can!

Topic proposals for the meeting:

  • Add your name/nick using the template below to suggest a topic.
  • Indicate how much time you’ll need so we can time-box the meeting accordingly.
  • Please be as thorough as you can with your question/topic.
  • If you can’t make the meeting please ask and name a substitute.

It is expected that you show up and present your topic, or name a substitute and make sure they attend in your absence. These IRC meetings are for real time participation and live discussions, otherwise you can post the topic on here and get responses that way.

We need you to be present to clarify details in the topic, and to ensure the discussion is leading to the answers you are looking for! If you do not participate or your question/topic isn’t clear enough it will be postponed. Also: always ask for more time than you anticipate your topic needs!

Please have your topics ready at least 3 days before the meeting so we can prepare good answers. Topics announced afterwards will be postponed to the next meeting.

Template for topic proposal: (post your topic proposals as comments to this forum topic).

* Name/IRC nick:
* Topic:
* Some details about the topic:
* Approx. time needed:
* Substitute (optional):

Open Pull Requests:
If you have, or know of, a pull request that’s been open for at least 3 weeks, but which you think deserves attention, please add a comment using the template below and we’ll consider it during the next meeting.

* Name/IRC nick:
* Open PR URL:

Sailfish Community News, 26th January, Home Automation
Why doesn’t Jolla lobby Indian government for SailfishOS release?
#2

Untracked bug reports

ID Comments Additional Information
4886
8631
12709
12722
12921
13717
3891 Should be fixed
5465
8390
14046

To be closed

ID Reason
13018 Not a bug.
8242 Bug is fixed.
9054 Is fixed
9263 Is now fixed
9305 Solved by the user.
9306 Seems fixed as I’m unable to reproduce it
9313 Can be ignored
9301 I suspect he speaks about an unofficial application. In any case this bug report can be closed.
2681 Old bug report, can be ignored
9338 It’s a feature. Not a bug.

Duplicate

ID Duplicate with
9027 Duplicate of Fingerprint record lost randomly
5746 Duplicate of 2596. Both fixed or at least not reproducible anymore.
11074 Duplicate of 11038 and both should be fixed.
9092 Seems a duplicate of 9000
10804 Duplicate of 6283
5095 Duplicate of 11352
8997 It’s a duplicate of 927
13812 Duplicate of 9245
5 Likes
#3
  • Name/IRC nick: lolek
  • Topic: Sailfish OS system encryption
  • Some details about the topic: Current encryption implementation in SFOS is almost useless because of very easy way of breaking it. Some time ago there was info that Jolla is working on improving it. There’s also a community version of a solution made by @rinigus to fix this issue. I think the time has come, to start asking questions, when this will get finally fixed/implemented as it’s critical from the security point of view.
  • Approx. time needed: 5min
  • Substitute (optional): if I can’t make it, please leave a note :slight_smile:
2 Likes
#4
  • Name/IRC nick: lolek
  • Topic: Different ringtone for different sim card/user/group, different sounds for different alarm.
  • Some details about the topic: So this is one of the basic functionalities from even the era of N3310 and similar phones. Back then manufacturers used that as advertising info that their phone have different ringtones!
    We have 2023, and a computer in a pocket that can’t handle different ringtones for at least different sim card. The same is valid for alarms. Based on this fact, I’m starting to ask whenever we can expect it will be implemented cause it’s not a question if we need it but rather when we will have it.
    As I pointed out above, even very very old “dumbphones” had this capability so I see totally no reason why a “computer” can’t handle the same thing.
    It’s critical especially for those who are using dual sim functionality.
    So at least for the beginning it would be great to have:
    • different ringtone for every sim card
    • different ringtone for contact specified as favourites
    • different ringtone for each alarm
      Imho different ringtone for every contact is also needed but having the above would at least give us the functionalities the “dumbphones” had.
      So it’s not a matter if, but a matter when. Please state a note, when we can expect this (this year, fiscal year?)
  • Approx. time needed:5 min
  • Substitute (optional): leave a note if I can’t make it
1 Like
#5
  • Name/IRC nick: lolek
  • Topic: Current Gallery App has a bug - loading files from unwanted folders
  • Some details about the topic:
    Ok so this is actually seen in the gallery app but the issue is maybe related to tracker.
    Here’s my bug report for this:
    Gallery app loading images outside of image folders
    generally that report contain all the info that’s needed. Which also point to my other topic which was a base for that bug report which in turn shows up that the issue is around 8 years old here which mentions about Folder View in gallery as also limiting which directory is scanned for images.

Either way imho gallery app should get configuration option would allow us to exclude unwanted directories from showing up in it. Since the request is right now 10 years old! I’m allowing myself again to ask for the date, when we can expect this to be fixed/implement?

  • Approx. time needed: 5 min
  • Substitute (optional): leave a not if I can’t make it.
2 Likes
#6

Correction: it is not a patch but stack of encryption enabling software. I haven’t patched any Jolla’s code as it is closed source

2 Likes
#7

right, did update the subject.

#8
  • Name/IRC nick: lolek
  • Topic: Security of stored credentials
  • Some details about the topic:
    Let’s take built in mail client as an example. The credentials are stored in plain text and what’s worse are easily accessible having just elevated privileges. This is something that shouldn’t be possible in current world. Malicious app can escalate privileges and could easily get mail credentials. Having these can ease the access to mail box. I proposed a solution in the following thread but I’m not a security expert but still the problem is there. I’d like to know what are the plans to fix the problem of having password so easily accessible.
  • Approx. time needed: 10
  • Substitute (optional): I’d like to just get an answer for the question but I expect there may be some conversation. As with the previous topics, please leave a note if I won’t be able to attend.
2 Likes
#9
  • Name/IRC nick: jojo
  • Topic: New demo apps
  • Some details about the topic:
    Currently the only demo app we have from jolla is the component gallery app. IMO it would be nice to have additional demo apps showing how to use other components of the device such as the camera, sharing stuff by Bluetooth, uploading documents etc… Things that seem “simple” in the QML doc but that because of the differences isn’t. The doc on this topic is also very thin, and I wasn’t able to find any for the camera or the bluetooth. Could Jolla provide such doc ? To avoid having to dig into the, often not documented, git repos of other apps to try guessing how it works.
  • Approx. time needed: 1 minute
    Component gallery app - more functionalities to the demo
1 Like
#10
  • Name/IRC nick: nephros
  • Topic: Handling of X10iii hardware button (Assistant Button)
  • Some details about the topic:

This is related to this feature request.

Please advise on a way forward with supporting the unhandled button present on X10iii devices.

Question 1: Making the key accessible to the OS components:

AFAICS there are several options of handling the key event:

  1. Re-use the existant functionality of MCE and lipstick-jolla-home and map the button to a HOME key. This has been done in this PR I propose.
  2. Replicate the handling of the HOME key in MCE (like 1, above), but send a separate signal to lipstick. This approach I am exploring in this branch.
  3. Similar to 1. and 2., but handle it in the evdev codepath of MCE rather than the powerkey one.
  4. Not caring about MCE at all, make the key code known to Qt, so one can use Qt.Key_xxx, and implement handling similar to Qt.Key_HomePage, see lipstick-jolla-home-qt5/compositor.qml Line 1800, and lipstick-jolla-home-qt5/compositor/HardwareKeyHandler.qml
  5. other?

Question 2: Handling key press events

Once the button press can be signalled to the OS, it should do something. Preferably this should be user-configurable. (The Feature Request thread contains a selection of ideas users might use this for.)

I see the following variants:

a) in Lipstick/compositor, hardcode a certain set of UI actions, similar to what is today done with the Home key, and the keys handled in HardwareKeyHandler.
b) in MCE/mce-tool, implement something similar to power key handling, where a set of dbus calls (actions) can be defined, and selected to be executed on press
c) in Lipstick/compositor, support a single dconf key containing the name of an application .desktop file, which shall be launched when the button is pressed.
d) in Lipstick/compositor, support a set of dconf keys, which can contain the parameters of a dbus call (i.e. some or all of the parameters of invokeDBusMethod() from lipstick-jolla-home-qt5/compositor.qml Line 566)
e) hardcode a Jolla-conceived very sexy killer feature which makes everyone go “wow you can do that??”

D would be the most flexible, but has potential for abuse, security concerns, and might impact stability.

If there is interest, I have a working PoC of variant 2 plus C I can share.

  • Approx. time needed: 10-15 min, further clarification could also happen on the PR mentioned.
  • Substitute (optional):
4 Likes
#11
  • Name/IRC nick: lolek
  • Topic: current policy for support of new devices
  • Some details about the topic:
    Ok so it seems somehow an interesting discussion came out from this thread. I suggest that current way of handling new devices should be probably changed and somehow as you can see some people agreed with me. Tbh this goes in line with this thread also. I think we are all aware that Jolla can’t make miracles with such number of peoples on board. But actually we do need some fixes and improvements of the system to get it to some maturity level which has been mentioned even by me in other topics for this meeting. There are also other feature request and of course there are these which will drown in the black sea of foreverness and there are some which should be picked and implemented. Personally I saw a huge boost when Aurora was backporting fixes. It was visible the system was moving further - finally. But now situation is a little different again. Hence maybe it’s time again to rethink the support of new device and skip every second one? Or get back to some conversation with Indian gov? Or maybe even add option to get subscription based support? Either way is fine to get more human power to move on. And give us really viable alternative to iOS and Android cause, SFOS is good alternative but it’s still not there yet. Small details here and there are really holding it back.
  • Approx. time needed: 10min
  • Substitute (optional): so this will probably require more brainstorming. Not sure what’s Jolla attitude to community right now but probably regarding licensing changes and so if these are possible a poll on the forum would be needed to at least get some feedback.
    As previously, I’ll do my best to be on the meeting but do not hesitate to just leave a message if I will not make or will need to go.
#12

Location service always just starts to get a gps fix when an app activly requests it. This way geotagging of photo is not possible cause the time for a gps fix is still much to long (even on Xperia 10 III) - one can take several photos until the location data is there an added.

It’s unclear if that is a bug or feature (for saving battery) - but if it’s the last then there should be a toggle implemented in location settings to choose between the actual behaviour or an general fix after startup (including a regular update, maybe even with a time cycle setting).

2 Likes
#13
  • Name/IRC nick: Cryx
  • Topic: “Find my Phone”-Feature
  • Some details about the topic: Add a find my phone feature to the settings, details below
  • Approx. time needed: 5 min
  • Substitute (optional): none, I’ll hope I can make it into; but general discussion would also be nice if I’d be absent

(This topic is partially related to the one above…)
Would it be possible to implement a feature to locate the phone? I mainly think about support for the Nextcloud phonetrack feature, especially as Nextcloud is already implemented into the system. Especially with the demanded feature from the topic above the phone would have location data that just would have to be synced to the Nextcloud (and would need to declare the session where the data should be imported in the Nextcloud account settings).

A second option independend from Nextcloud (and other services) would be writing the last location data in regular cirlces to a definded cloud service (maybe even one where the account is already set up in the phone settings)…

1 Like
#14

I’ve got an idea for ‘Find my phone’ that works without any Nextcloud stuff:

On receiving an SMS from any other phone number, containing a predefined text or code, e.g. a private password or other code like ‘xbjdjdfcgknvcabv’, The phone should ring at full volume, switch network and location on if it isn’t yet, send position data to a predefined mail address, and send a confirmation SMS to the phone from what the initial SMS came from.

2 Likes
#15

That’s exactly what the Nextcloud Phonetrack App on Android can do as second feature besides protocolling to nextcloud. Nevertheless this feature doesn’t work on SFOS cause Android has no SMS access. An it would be just useable proactive - phone off or battery empty will bring no results this way. But it would be a nice addition for sure!

1 Like
#16

So feature request should include that a ‘last’ SMS and/or e-mail is sent before devide shuts down on low battery.

1 Like
#17

At least the tracking part of PhoneTrack is possible via the LiveTrack app.

#18

Yes, but without a chance of setting a sync intervall, no autostart… That’s why I think a system implemented feature would be better.

(I really hope of more nextcloud integration - why not adding Talk feature to messages like xxmp already is? But sure, that’s another topic…)

2 Likes
#19

Yes, I was working on an app to simply reply to a text with position.

Sadly it died on the hill of the GPS not working inside or anywhere with weak signal.

#20

Future question:
Talk about bootloader locking.
Thaodan said:

lolek: if the bootloader supports user signatures you can relock it with your own key to accept only kernels e.g. from Jolla but Sony phones don’t support that so far.

So the question is: What Jolla can do to change this, and how community can help achieve this?

1 Like