New Product Request: 1Password for Linux [In Progress]
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Login can be useful without an internet connection in the cases of home servers or use inside a corporate network.
@RichardPayne: Ah, excellent point! :) :+1:
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+1 for linux support, please. I mostly use mac/android, but I'm looking at making a full switch to linux with my next laptop (now that there's the Purism 13) and this is one of the "killer apps" I'd love to keep (especially since I sync my password file with Syncthing).
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So... This thread is coming up on its 5 year anniversary. While AgileBits has not said never, it sure does feel like it. I feel like I should stop hoping for a Linux client and begin my search for password unification anew. Sadly none of the work arounds are feasible for me. Running WINE on my company owned Linux system is strictly prohibited by our legal department (as it is not libre), and the 1Password Anywhere solution is only the retrieval half of the solution. It saddens me every time I need refer to my encrypted text document that AgileBits has not jumped at the opportunity to make a Linux client available. While 1Password is stellar when you are on a supported platform, it is no bettern than any other solution when you mix in its use from a Linux computer.
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@Tommy Williams: While 5 years doesn't quite constitute "never", I see your point. :(
Indeed, 1Password on an unsupported platform is not a good experience. I'm sorry that I don't have any news to share, but I appreciate you elaborating on your situation, as it probably gives us some insight into others who might be in the same boat.
There are infinite opportunities, but not infinite resources. Certainly things may shift in the future, but for now 1Password for Linux is merely a dream, rather than a reality.
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I don't understand.
You main business is building one password manager, which is great, and there are not thousands of operating systems. Today many libs and components are cross platform. It would merely need some specific UI developments.
Why does it sound so hard to build a client for Linux ?0 -
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I am assuming you also know that this group represents the early adopters, and likely represents your most ardent supporters outside your own marketing team.
@ranjeetsodhi: I believe you are right! Unfortunately, it wouldn't be in your best interest (or ours) to take on Linux without having the resources to devote to making the experience just as good as other platforms (see below).
I don't think you are being realistic with your development dollars, by totally ignoring Linux. Very disappointing to see the total disregard for user needs.
Saying "Not now" isn't the same as saying "No" or ignoring Linux completely. We're absolutely watching that space, and also listening to the feedback that you and others have shared with us here on the forums. That way, if an when the time is right, we'll have a good sense of the direction that is needed, rather than only beginning to think about it at that time.
Today many libs and components are cross platform. It would merely need some specific UI developments. Why does it sound so hard to build a client for Linux ?
@phocean: I don't think that anyone is saying that it is "hard"; rather, it is resource-intensive (as is nearly anything worth doing), and we simply don't have resources to devote to an all-new (for us) platform at this time.
On the other hand, we could absolutely just use some cross-platform libraries to "port" 1Password over from another OS (less resource-intensive), but that presents one of two problems: either we end up charging people for second-class app and a shoddy experience, or we give it away for free. And frankly I think both of those would be a bad business decision (and unsustainable), and ultimately terrible for both our users and our reputation.
Granted, all of this may change in the future: we may find a way to bring 1Password to Linux without degrading the user experience and ourselves in the process. We'd simply prefer to do it right if we're going to do it at all. :pirate:
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All we (Linux users) really need is a way for the browser plugins (chrome and firefox) to communicate with the 1Password application running on Wine....One can "consume" passwords from 1Password running on Wine, or the Web solution within the Linux environment, but there is no (simple/automated) way to update the database when you need to either add a new username/password combination or edit a password.
It already does this @ranjeetsodhi. Just run 1Password for Window under WINE and then use the "Restart 1Password Helper". The helper icon will appear in the systray and the browser extensions will work. The only issues I've noticed is that the "lock when workstation locks" option doesn't work and the Ctrl+\ shortcut isn't picked up; you have to click on the extension icon.
I don't think that anyone is saying that it is "hard"; rather, it is resource-intensive (as is nearly anything worth doing), and we simply don't have resources to devote to an all-new (for us) platform at this time.
@brenty you found the resources to support a new Windows Modern app. Don't get me wrong, I understand the prioritisation; at the time the potential for the Windows Modern user base was much higher but to say that you don't have the resource is clearly incorrect.
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@brenty it would help if you could suggest a timeframe within which a native Linux application would be developed...
@ranjeetsodhi: I understand. But unless and until it works for us from both a business perspective and also development and support (both are required), we will not develop a Linux app. This could happen this year, next year, or never; so (as myself and others have stated throughout this discussion), we simply can't give a time frame for releasing something that does not exist.
I'm sorry that this is not the answer you're looking for, but I'm sure you understand that for me to "suggest a timeframe" would be wholly disingenuous and misleading, so I'm not willing to go out on that limb. :blush:
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Let's be clear : if you don't see the opportunity now, then it will never happen.
Linux on desktop has been a reality for a long time now, it works well and it has a strong community, although a small one compared to Windows.
What I mean is that in the coming years, there won't be a revolution. Linux won't gain much, if any, market share. Windows will keep the lead, far away challenged by MacOS. Compared to these giants, Linux will still be a niche for the next 10 years.There is a status quo with Linux, and so with 1Password.
Let's stop hopping. There will NEVER be a Linux version. We are fortunate that the Wine hack works so far, but it might not be the case for the future.
Personally I will stick with that for a while, but I will migrate to a more cross platform solution when I have some free time.0 -
Let's be clear : if you don't see the opportunity now, then it will never happen. Linux on desktop has been a reality for a long time now, it works well and it has a strong community, although a small one compared to Windows.
@phocean: I've been hearing "Year of the Linux Desktop" for nearly two decades now, and it just hasn't materialized as many of us imagined or hoped it would. And it may not ever. And that may not even matter. 1Password got it's start on OS X when OS X was still a bit of joke in the PC industry (not my personal belief, but only in recent years has it seen a surge in popularity and marketshare). So it can be done. And your statement is apt, because 1Password for Windows came much later, in spite of that platforms larger marketshare.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that much like other niche markets, it may be possible to build a business around a Linux app. It just isn't a good fit for us at AgileBits at this time. And in the end, the decision isn't yours or mine to make.
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I've been hearing "Year of the Linux Desktop" for nearly two decades now, and it just hasn't materialized as many of us imagined or hoped it would
Are you talking market share or usability? The former I'd agree but with the latter Linux Desktop is up there with Windows these days.
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I'm talking "tech press". For a long time I believed it too! Ah, to be young again. :eh:
As far as general usefulness, Linux is huge. But the install base just isn't there. I really thought it would be by now. :unamused:
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@ranjeetsodhi you need to bare in mind that the app is actually the least difficult part of the system. The filling engine is the hard part and the part that, I suspect, keeps most of the Agilebits staff busy.
Enpass' release schedule is certainly impressive but without the browser integration it is hard to draw comparisons.That said, @brenty, if Enpass implements a good extension implementation that Agilebits is really going to have to up its game if you are to remain competitive.
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oh, @ranjeetsodhi, where are the Enpass forums? I can't see them anywhere.
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@brenty while I respect you don't have the authority to suggest a time frame for Linux support, I hope you can escalate to your management the need to better respond to competitive threats.
@ranjeetsodhi: We will not respond to threats. ;)
This forum/thread might represent a small group of users for 1password, but I am sure many will move to greener pastures if support for our needs isn't forthcoming in a "timely" manner.
In all seriousness (a little bit tongue-in-cheek there, above), our focus is to develop and support 1Password on the platforms where we have a presence. Linux, at this time, is not on that list, though I do hope we can add it in the future.
However, it seems odd to suggest leaving 1Password behind on a platform where it was never supported in the first place, due to a lack of support. We don't sell that product, after all. If we sold a Linux product and it was simply sub-par, that would be another story, and frankly that's a big part of why we don't offer such a product currently.
This is a bit like purchasing a Prius of offroading. You can probably get away with it to some extent, depending on the terrain, and with the benefit of modifications and expertise, but that's not what it was designed for, and you knew that going into it. And while it could be a great adventure for some simply attempting such a thing, it's important to have appropriate expectations.
That said, @brenty, if Enpass implements a good extension implementation that Agilebits is really going to have to up its game if you are to remain competitive.
@RichardPayne: Indeed. Were we to have a Linux app in the future, it would need to be competitive with others on that platform. We don't take this lightly, which is why, thus far, 1Password is not available for Linux. :pirate:
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Indeed. Were we to have a Linux app in the future, it would need to be competitive with others on that platform. We don't take this lightly, which is why, thus far, 1Password is not available for Linux.
You're missing the point @brenty. I know Agilebits doesn't support Linux. However, we're living in a connected world where people now expect to have their apps available on all their platforms. While I could understand you ignoring Linux, you're also ignoring Blackberry and Kindle which have massive install bases.
Not supporting these platforms will not just hurt potential share in those markets but also share in your currently supported markets by virtue of people using the solution that works on all their devices in preference to one that doesn't.At present, Enpass isn't a viable alternative to 1Password but the point I was making is that if they get a decent filling engine going then, in my opinion, you're going to lose customers in the Apple and MS markets.
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You're missing the point @brenty. I know Agilebits doesn't support Linux. However, we're living in a connected world where people now expect to have their apps available on all their platforms. While I could understand you ignoring Linux, you're also ignoring Blackberry and Kindle which have massive install bases.
@RichardPayne: Thanks for clarifying! This is a great point, as I think the parallels between Blackberry and Kindle are apt.
In a perfect world, we'd simply support any platform which has reached a critical mass; but because we're a small company, we do have to be choosy about where we put our resources, and the result is that 1Password isn't the perfect fit for everyone everywhere.
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because we're a small company, we do have to be choosy about where we put our resources, and the result is that 1Password isn't the perfect fit for everyone everywhere.
I understand that, and up until now the competition has had significant enough differences to spread the market nicely. 1Password vs Lastpass is the local vs. remote choice. 1Password vs KeePass is the closed vs open source choice.
Enpass is so close to 1Password that if Enpass match you for feature sets then you're in the position of being the best solution in no situation.0 -
@RichardPayne: Perhaps, but an in-depth business discussion of 1Password is a bit off-topic, and probably neither of us is qualified in that regard anyway. I'm happy to leave that to someone else. ;)
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With respect, I think Agile is being a bit stubborn here. I'll also throw my plea in for Linux support. I would miss but arguably wouldn't even require browser integration (though, as an aside, there are plugins for Firefox and Chrome for KeePass2). OS X has been steadily annoying me to the point that I'm going back to Linux on the Desktop for my daily use. I suspect that is true for others as well. Is it a small number? I'm fairly sure it is. But given other options, such as the aforementioned Enpass, Agile may have a hard time staying relevant without offering some new, if fringy, features, such as Linux support.
Point is though, I need a password manager for Linux and OS X. You only have the latter, so I may have to find something else. And to be clear, I'd be happy to pay for a Linux client - or bust out a 1Password 6 and I'll re-buy it on both. It matters not to me. I just need my passwords.
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With respect, I think Agile is being a bit stubborn here.
@m00dawg: I don't think that "stubborn" is the right word. You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but it seems rash to attribute this trait to people you don't know personally. ;)
But more importantly, personality quirks notwithstanding, even if we decided today that we need to build a Linux app, we simply have other obligations that must be attended to currently; our time is spoken for, so we just don't have the resources to devote to a new platform at this time — Linux or otherwise.
Point is though, I need a password manager for Linux and OS X. You only have the latter, so I may have to find something else. And to be clear, I'd be happy to pay for a Linux client - or bust out a 1Password 6 and I'll re-buy it on both. It matters not to me. I just need my passwords.
I'm with you 100% here. Were I in your shoes, I would feel exactly the same way. Ultimately you need to do what is right for you! Since we don't offer a Linux product, we certainly won't fault you for choosing someone else's. Even if I told you today that we would release a Linux version eventually (and to be clear, we aren't promising to release a Linux version), that doesn't do you any good if this is something you need now.
I'm sorry that we don't have a solution that meets your requirements right now, but as a wise man once said about cameras,
The Best [Tool] Is The One That's With You
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our time is spoken for, so we just don't have the resources to devote to a new platform at this time — Linux or otherwise.
Which simply isn't true, or at least hasn't been for the life of this thread. The Windows Modern project was started recently.
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@m00dawg: I don't think that "stubborn" is the right word. You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but it seems rash to attribute this trait to people you don't know personally. ;)
That wasn't a personal attack at you or anyone at Agile. But it was an assertion of Agile. If you'd prefer, from my perspective, Agile isn't being very agile at least with respect to the Linux client.
And I can certainly understand why. I can even almost appreciate it. It doesn't change the fact I need a solution though, which I appreciate you also understand.. 1Password is a killer app, but not killer enough for me to opt to not switch to Linux. And at the same time, I would guess Agile doesn't think it can support the cost needed to maintain a Linux client based upon the revenue it would bring in.
So I get it. Still, if Agile comes out with a Linux client, I'd be all over that thing. Hence why, even if it's futile, I think it's important to voice my desire for a Linux client.
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our time is spoken for, so we just don't have the resources to devote to a new platform at this time — Linux or otherwise.
Which simply isn't true, or at least hasn't been for the life of this thread. The Windows Modern project was started recently.
@RichardPayne: Well, we'll have to agree to disagree then. Windows as a whole (desktop, phone, etc.) is a platform we've supported for years, and in order to continue to do so in the future we need to get on board with UWP. It's as simple as that. And while this is technically a "new" app that's being written from the ground up, it's a replacement for phones and tablets, as the old Reader app simply isn't viable.
That wasn't a personal attack at you or anyone at Agile. But it was an assertion of Agile. If you'd prefer, from my perspective, Agile isn't being very agile at least with respect to the Linux client.
@m00dawg: I'm really sorry if I gave the impression that I took offense! Quite the contrary. And perhaps you're right, after all. I hope we will always — perhaps stubbornly — refuse to do things that we aren't able to give our best effort. Certainly, in hindsight a 'good' decision may prove otherwise, but I'll take a lesson learned over knowingly biting off more than we can chew. ;)
And I can certainly understand why. I can even almost appreciate it. It doesn't change the fact I need a solution though, which I appreciate you also understand.. 1Password is a killer app, but not killer enough for me to opt to not switch to Linux. And at the same time, I would guess Agile doesn't think it can support the cost needed to maintain a Linux client based upon the revenue it would bring in.
Absolutely. At this time it just isn't an option for us if we're to maintain the same quality standards that we expect of ourselves — and that our customers expect and deserve. I'm sorry that that leaves you with a bit of a conundrum. :blush:
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+1 for linux support... I use debian regularly and this is a huge issue for me as well as all of the others on this list.
mike.0 -
Thanks for the vote! :)
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