Dear Google Chrome Team: Please Add An SSH Client To Google Chrome | Hacker News Reader

Dear Google Chrome Team: Please Add An SSH Client To Google Chrome

travisglines.com

9 pointstravisglines10 comments

Or you could use Portable PuTTY: http://www.straightrunning.com/XmingNotes/portableputty.php

Edit: A different version is available at http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/putty_portable

I would still have to download or carry a usb stick with me, which is less than ideal.

Can Putty not be run without admin privileges? Portable Putty suggests that it might do (eg using config files instead of the registry), although I no longer use Windows so am not in a position to try it.

Even if a machine already has a trustworthy ssh client and you still use passwords, you have to carry your known_hosts or download it via https anyway. The pre-installed ssh client would be such a high-value target for attacks that I think I'd prefer downloading a copy of mine.

When I read the headline, I was wondering why you would need it. Of course, the post explains where it would be of value: when using the computer belonging to a friend/family member. In that situation, a Chrome ssh client extension would be pretty useful. I guess you could generalise this a little and say that it would be nice to have a Chrome extension for anything that doesn't come as standard with Windows. How about a Chrome extension that implements vi/emacs? Or the shell?

I'm sure you could find an editor on the web for vi/emacs type editing. "the shell" could be solved by a simple ssh into the loop back interface of the local machine.

I had a quick search for ssh extensions for Chrome and found at least one:

http://ssh-chrome.sourceforge.net/

I've not tried it so I can't comment on it. Is that what you are looking for or do you want it baked into the heart of the browser (so it is there without needing to install anything)?

Overall I'd just really enjoy having a high quality SSH client come standard with pretty much every computer I touch. One of the best ways to do that is integrate it into modern browsers.

I wonder if it is possible to write it as a Chrome extension?

I think it might be possible via NPAPI.

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