Notefox accesses Google servers to download Google fonts

[ghost]

Hi,

I've just realized when looking at my connection logs that Notefox connects to fonts.googleapis.com retrieve fonts. Personally googleapis is blocked system-wide here (as most Google servers). Sites which require Google fonts are handled by the LocalCDN extension (Firefox) but of course the extension does not handle call to Google servers initiated by other extensions... such as Notefox. Given I block connections to fonts.googleapis.com, every time I open Notefox (be it the popup only) I get four connection attempts to dedicated Google server. I run 60+ extensions and this is the first time I notice an extension proceeding this way. IMO all fonts are to be included in the very extension, calling a server for whatever is not as I see it a correct way of proceeding.

[Sav22999]

@Cade66 Early all fonts where included. You think if I use a different CDN is better or is better include directly in the addon?

[ghost]

@Sav22999 if you ask me, my opinion is that an extension should always directly include its fonts. And not only its fonts : unless required for the very functionality of the add-on (such as data update i.e. IP databases) an extension should NOT access servers for whatever reason, and especially not Google servers. More specifically concerning fonts users may wish to keep/use one font only (for the browser, for the extensions, sometimes as well for all sites). Some sites need specific fonts and that's where an add-on such as LocalCDN comes in handy (and not only for fonts). We all know that connections to 3rd-party servers is tremendous so limiting this (LocalCDN, uBO) is IMO a fundamental principle.

EDIT : I forgot to mention what is a very personal viewpoint : I do notice some extensions that use several fonts fot their GUI and though included in their install, I linger to understand the pertinence of using more than one font, even of including a whatever font, when users' system fonts do the job perfectly well in 99% of the cases. I mean, even if the GUI itself is nicer with fine aesthetics we're not in a beauty contest are we? A nice design and one font and one only is as well a relief for the user : too many disparities gets quickly heavy and does not IMO contribute to an extensions aesthetics which, I believe, are essentially related to colors, harmony between colors, a correct contrast and sizes, relation between sizes (height/width). I don't mean that I expect an add-on to work around the "gold number" but at least respect an overall harmony and that, IMO, does not include 56 fonts, shades and so on :)

[Sav22999]

In the next release I'll remove again every Google CDN (fonts) 😄 Thanks!

[Sav22999]

@Cade66 About the use of many fonts... actually my addon use only one font: Open Sans, but it has many "styles" (for bold, for italic, etc.) and I use "Source Code Pro" (which is open-source too) for "monospace" family -> (I'm trying "Victor Mono" recently as monospace, which is also open-source, but I actually prefer the first one).

[ghost]

@Sav22999 , several fonts, one font with many srtyles ... anyway I was sharing my thoughts in a general scope of extensions not specifically regarding Notefox. Again I emphasize that i'm aware this approach of mine, as often when it comes to an extension's style, concerns mainly cosmetics and therefor triggers subjectivity. Anyway that was a side-note, not an argument, useless in fact. My main concern was fonts' download, and i'm happy that next release will include its fonts, natively so to say.

One word about latest Notefox ver. 3.7.11 : i'm running 3.7.10, when updating from the browser (about:addons) 3.7.11 was notified as available, I updated but the update turned out to be, to remain 3.7.10 (likely a Mozilla mistake) ... I went on AMO, downloaded 3.7.11 and installed it manually. That's when odd things started : high CPU, lasting. I closed Firefox, reopened it, again high CPU. That's when I had a look at my connections and discovered blocked connections to fonts.googleapis.com. I thought about Notefox 3.7.11 just updated. I closed Firefox, restored my profile (I always backup profile before any extension update) and restarted Firefox hence with 3.7.10 : no more high CPU. No idea what in Notefox 3.7.11 caused this, not even sure its related to fonts download given previous versions of Notefox did (try to) download fonts as well without this CPU enigma. This is FYI of course. Maybe a new way of connecting to Google servers? No idea, i'd have to dig into the code and I'm at this time totally elsewhere so to say :)

[Sav22999]

@Cade66 Oh, very weird!

When I'ill update (probably 3.7.12) I just ask to you to check the CPU performance if they are always high or not. Thanks!

O.T. I totally agree with you about fonts (and UX/UI principles as well: it should be used one/two main fonts otherwise it infuse "bad vibes")

[Sav22999]

@Cade66 As promised, new released published!

It should be optimised again the CPU usage (but please, confirm you this after doing your tests), font restored to local ones and many other fixes

[Sav22999]

Fixed also the CPU abnormal usage #69

[ghost]

@Sav22999 , Notefox 3.8 running better than ever : fonts are included, CPU abnormal usage is fixed. Feels nice :) Thanks again for this very nice work, an everyday companion.