Assume I downloaded the Tor Browser package (on Windows 10) into directory
D:\tools\tor
When I double click on it to install it then the installation procedure ask me where to extract the files. As default always the following folder is shown:
C:\Users<username>\Desktop\Tor Browser\
Since I never want to install it there I have to navigate with dozens of high concentration clicks to the current folder D:\tools\tor\ to extract it into D:\tools\tor\Tor Browser\
This in unnecessary and user unfriendly.
Why not do it the same way as e.g. Chrome Portable?
Chrome Portable suggests as default extraction folder the current folder + sub directory
If Tor Browser package would do it similarly all Tor Browser files would be extracted to
D:\tools\tor\Tor browser\
Perfect. There would be no privacy issue with this handling.
So I open a feature request to always automatically take the current folder as base folder + “Tor Browsers” sub folder for extracting.
The change seems to be easy: change $DEKSTOP with $EXEDIR in tor-browser-build/projects/browser/windows-installer/torbrowser.nsi.
I think there are a couple of reason for which we install on desktop:
we don’t want to use high privileges to install Tor Browser;
we want people to find Tor Browser very easily, and delete it easily, if needed.
I’ve read somewhere (not sure where) that the second point has been decided because people ran the bundle from the browser, without even knowing where the file was.
That was the reason to switch to an installer.
Browsers still have a default directory for downloads, and basic users cannot find it easily.
That’s an argument in favor of keeping desktop as a default.
I don’t have a strong preference here, but I think that we should open an issue in our bug tracker, and let the UX team investigate.
Do you have an account on gitlab.torproject.org? If so, you could you please file an issue under tpo/applications/tor-browser-build? Otherwise I will.
I have NO account. So please file the issue from your account.
Remark: “…because people ran the bundle from the browser…”
I don’t agree. Most people download the package at first to their customized folder and THEN install it