Chromium package maintainer for Arch Linux opt out from the Chromium maintenance and will advocate removing this browser from the repositories if it is not possible to find a way to maintain data synchronization in Chromium. As a reminder, Google decided from March 15 to restrict access to internal APIs in Chromium, which are linked to services Google. The change will make it impossible to use synchronization of bookmarks, passwords and browsing history in Chromium.
The Chromium build developers tried to clarify whether the change applies to pure builds or only affects derivatives that use the Chromium engine. Jochen Eisinger, Director of Engineering, Chrome Development, confirmed that the change affects any builds of Chromium and Google does not intend to reverse the decision to block synchronization support. It also confirmed that the Google APIs supplied with Arch Linux will not be usable. The Chromium maintainer has decided to continue maintaining the package as long as the keys are available (the keys can be retrieved from Chrome), as they see no point in continuing to maintain the pared-down browser.
Tom Callaway ( Tom Callaway ) maintainer of the Chromium on Fedora also began a discussion on how to proceed if access to the Google API is terminated … Tom also noted that in 2013, Google officially gave Chromium package builders access to API keys to bring build functionality closer to Chrome. This access will be terminated in March. Tom is now seriously considering the rationale for continuing to maintain a stripped-down version of Chromium for Fedora and EPEL, but hopes that Google will come to its senses and reconsider its decision. Tom is also not ready to predict which functionality will be lost after stopping access to the API, aside from data synchronization and integrated login, the work of the location service is likely to be disrupted.
The Slackware maintainer stated that sees no point in continuing to compile and package with Chromium for Slackware if Google does not drop the restrictions.
The Debian and openSUSE developers have been considering discontinuing Chromium from -for problems with the free time of the attendants.