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Comment by avmich | Hacker News Reader

Is the Chrome web browser buildable from sources?

If yes, what's the difference which allows Chrome to work with DRM and doesn't allow another code to do that?

I don't think I understand the problem. What does it mean "won't allow DRM" - you can always write code which you like, right?

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Building Chrome requires downloading proprietary binaries that they licensed. Chromium does not include these and does not include widevine by default, but it can be installed as a plugin.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/chromium#Widevine_Conte...

Can't those proprietary binaries be used in another browser? Is the API known?

> licensed

The author can't get a license.

It requires a license to actually use. And it looks like they verify your binary's signature in the licensed version.

I'm not sure I understand. Can't you have Chromium browser work with that software? And modified Chromium browser, e.g. Firefox? I don't remember I accept licenses at least as a user.

> "And modified Chromium browser, e.g. Firefox?"

(Firefox is not a chromium derivative.)

Any browser could be made from Chromium by sufficient modification.

I mean, if something open source works, anything else open source can also be made to work.

Even if something that works includes binary blobs, you can still modify open source parts while keeping that blob and keeping the system working. So I'm not sure what is the original problem.

Chromium browser is open source.

Chrome browser (which is based on Chromium, plus various Google proprietary features on top of it) is not.

And Chromium can't play videos?

Not ones with DRM which is the point of the entire discussion.

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