Q4OS Forum

xpq4-user

Member

Registered: 2019-12-09

Posts: 1

Is XPQ4 safe?

I installed XPQ4 but my problem with it is that, just like on Windows, I don't feel too good installing a random file from the Internet, where I cannot see the source code, and where I need admin rights to even install it.

Has anyone ever had a problem with XPQ4? Safety/security issues?

Dai_trying

Member

From: UK

Registered: 2015-12-14

Posts: 2,992

Re: Is XPQ4 safe?

I generally only use it to demonstrate the different looks that can be achieved with it, but I think it is quite safe to use as it has been around quite some time now and I'm sure we would have found out if there were any bad effects.

rafaelramos

Member

From: Brazil

Registered: 2016-07-19

Posts: 146

Re: Is XPQ4 safe?

@q4osteam,

What is your opinion?

I have always used XPQ4 in all my Q4OS installations and I have never been aware of this risk...

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,501

Website

Re: Is XPQ4 safe?

This package isn't part of the Q4OS project, so we cannot provide a guarantee. We can only recommend anyone to check its source code.

Dai_trying

Member

From: UK

Registered: 2015-12-14

Posts: 2,992

Re: Is XPQ4 safe?

I installed XPQ4 but my problem with it is that, just like on Windows, I don't feel too good installing a random file from the Internet, where I cannot see the source code, and where I need admin rights to even install it.

If you are interested in the source code just download and extract XPQ4 ".deb" package. You can use "dpkg-deb -x package_name.deb destination_folder/" command in terminal, see "man dpkg-deb" for all options.

rafaelramos

Member

From: Brazil

Registered: 2016-07-19

Posts: 146

Re: Is XPQ4 safe?

Nice!

If I'm not mistaken, this message with source code auditing instructions is recent, I don't remember seeing it before on the XPQ4 page...

As soon as I saw this topic, on 01/01/2020, I sent them an email (xpq4@users.sourceforge.net) informing them of the questions on this topic and indicating the link to it...

I believe this helped, and they then provided the source access instructions...

I haven't analyzed it yet, but this simple fact already gives some credibility to the XPQ4 project.

Dai_trying

Member

From: UK

Registered: 2015-12-14

Posts: 2,992

Re: Is XPQ4 safe?

I can't say for sure if this was on the download page before but it was there when I last looked and the reason I posted it, I do think they (XPQ4 devs) keep on top of the package as it has been around for a long tome and has worked with Q4OS for as long as I have used it (approximately 4 years and three OS versions), which is what makes me think of it as a reliable package.

EDIT:
Checking the wayback machine I see that the instructions to view source code have changed since April 2018 (Version 2.2), back then it was

If you are interested in the source code just extract XPQ4 package. You need to copy XPQ4 installer into a folder, and type "xqtrsetups ; xqtrdebs" in terminal. Source files will be extracted inside this folder.

But I also noticed in November of 2018 it had already been changed to what it currently states.

Last edited by Dai_trying (2020-01-03 14:34)

rafaelramos

Member

From: Brazil

Registered: 2016-07-19

Posts: 146

Re: Is XPQ4 safe?

@Dai_trying,

I'm pretty sure this message was not at the bottom of the XPQ4 main page, as I've done countless Q4OS installations over the past 3 years and every time I've used the XPQ4, and always went to their page to download the latest version from the installer...

But really I agree that XPQ4 is not of concern to this community.

Dai_trying

Member

From: UK

Registered: 2015-12-14

Posts: 2,992

Re: Is XPQ4 safe?

Please see my edit

rafaelramos

Member

From: Brazil

Registered: 2016-07-19

Posts: 146

Re: Is XPQ4 safe?

Please see my edit

@Dai_trying,

You're right! These instructions have always been in the footer, I checked in the Archive Time Machine the June 2019 snapshot and it was already there...

http://web.archive.org/web/201906220201 … eforge.io/

Last edited by rafaelramos (2020-01-03 14:42)

rafaelramos

Member

From: Brazil

Registered: 2016-07-19

Posts: 146

Re: Is XPQ4 safe?

They replied to the email today:

Assunto:    Re: QUESTION
Data:    2020-02-03 10:51
De:    "Xpq Team" <xpq4@mail.com>
Para:    "Rafael Ramos" <rafael.ramos[at]iff.edu.br>

Is XPQ4 safe ? Absolutely! Its source code is publicly available, see https://xpq4.sourceforge.io/
with the best regards, XPQ4 devteam

Sent: Wednesday, January 01, 2020 at 10:27 AM
From: "Rafael Ramos" <rafael.ramos[at]iff.edu.br>
To: xpq4@users.sourceforge.net
Subject: QUESTION

https://www.q4os.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2912

--
====================================================
RAFAEL CARVALHO RAMOS
Analista de Tecnologia da Informação
Instituto Federal Fluminense - IFF - Campus Quissamã
(22) 2768-9203
rafael.ramos[at]iff.edu.br
Linux User #588122
====================================================