Firefox moving to WebExtensions exclusively

Discussion in 'other software & services' started by TheWindBringeth, Nov 27, 2016.

  1. TheWindBringeth

    TheWindBringeth Registered Member

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    Add-ons in 2017
    https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2016/11/23/add-ons-in-2017/
    IOW, Firefox extension users have work to do in 2017. We must review the extensions we use or plan to use. To determine 1) whether they can/will be implemented as a WebExtension, and 2) whether there are any specific features that can't/won't be implemented due to WebExtension API shortcomings. We have to help extension developers get the WebExtension APIs they need. Without which some extension features simply won't be possible (including some features that are crucial to security/privacy). Which means we have to actively contribute. By properly testing WebExtensions, providing feedback to extension developers, filing Mozilla bug reports, voting for bug reports, contributing some code, etc. Make it a New Years resolution.

    WebExtensions...
    WebExtensions Wiki: https://wiki.mozilla.org/WebExtensions
    WebExtensions MDN: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/WebExtensions

    Info & Feedback...
    Add-ons 2017 Planning: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Add-ons/2017
    Release Calendar: https://wiki.mozilla.org/RapidRelease/Calendar:
    Add-ons Dev Comms: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Add-ons/developer/communication
    Add-ons Contributing: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Add-ons/Contribute
    Dev-addons: https://mail.mozilla.org/listinfo/dev-addons
    Add-ons Forum: https://discourse.mozilla-community.org/c/add-ons
    Add-ons Blog: https://blog.mozilla.org/

    Related:
    http://www.ghacks.net/2016/11/24/firefox-will-only-support-web-extensions-by-the-end-of-2017/
    http://www.ghacks.net/2016/11/26/classic-theme-restorer-may-be-dead-by-the-end-of-2017/
    http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=14721955#p14721955
     
  2. safeguy

    safeguy Registered Member

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    By the end of 2017 means there is 1 year for all of the necessary work/changes. I will just watch from the sides.
     
  3. inka

    inka Registered Member

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    52 is an ESR version, right?
    I've stuck with 45ESR & expect I'll never get past v48 unless I find/use the reputed "hack" which provides a workaround to enforced signed extensions.

    Sorry, TWB. Same as safeguy, I'll just watch from the sides. I've only ever filed 4 bugzilla tickets; all of 'em with TorBrowser rather than directly with mozilla. I've become so disillusioned (disenfranchised?) that I'm firmly convinced trying to talk to mozilla devs is wasted breath. They have an agenda & will pursue it come hell or high water. In fairness, they have communicated their roadmap well in advance. They're SOOOOOO far off the rails that I'm not enthusiastic about efforts toward trying to "mitigate the damage".

    2016 resolution was to self-build a defanged ff v38 (or so) for linux. I spent the bulk of my free time throughout January poring through the code and ripping out hella lot more than I kept (or so it seemed). The proprietary mozilla build system is a monster unto itself; I ran out of steam before arriving a a conventional (automake) solution for compiling it. Their build mechanism would connect to MANY webservers, downloading components and binary blobs -- "open source" is a specious representation. At a minimum, even when building a stripped down version we're forced to carte blanche accept their CRL, SSL, along with several google-authored binaries.

    If I do a 2017 resolution, and I'm not certain that I will do so, probably any effort I would expend would be directed toward furthering the Qupzilla project or similar no-name browser project. There's no walking it back; Mozilla is dead to me.
     
  4. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    Sounds good to me, I think it's a good idea to make it easy for extension developers, they will now only have to develop one extension that will will work in all modern browsers.
     
  5. allizomeniz

    allizomeniz Registered Member

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    It's been a long time coming but I see they decided to go ahead and kill the goose that laid the golden egg. :argh:
     
  6. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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    Sounds good to me. Although it is somewhat humorous that one of the positives of the web was that you could choose which browser you wanted, yet in 2016, your choice of browser is still held back by extension choice. This will be the final nail that will free people to choose browser based on actual features, not extension support.

    If someone truly wants to use Edge (Internet Explorer) they should not be held back by extension support.
     
  7. TheWindBringeth

    TheWindBringeth Registered Member

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    DownThemAll and WebExtensions [... or why why I am done with mozilla]
    http://www.downthemall.net/re-downthemall-and-webextensions-or-why-why-i-am-done-with-mozilla/

    Firefox loses yet another high profile add-on author: Quicksaver quits
    (Beyond Australis, FindBar Tweak, OmniSidebar, Puzzle Bars, Tab Groups)
    https://www.ghacks.net/2017/01/28/firefox-add-on-quicksaver-quits/

    Greasemonkey Dev posts WebExtensions Design Doc: paints grim picture
    https://www.ghacks.net/2017/02/01/g...webextensions-design-doc-paints-grim-picture/
     
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2017
  8. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    Dumb this down please. It's as clear as mud.
     
  9. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    (Han Solo voice) 'I have a bad feeling about this.' :eek:
     
  10. Joxx

    Joxx Registered Member

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    If the new "web extensions" will work with all browsers then thousands using FF only because of add-ons can migrate to the competition.
    This gives new meaning to shooting own foot, aka stupidity.
     
  11. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    I haven't read all of the articles, but let's hope that not more extension developers will get frustrated.

    You do got a point here, but the new engine should also become very fast, and that's where they will need to win the battle. Perhaps they can also focus a bit more on privacy features.
     
  12. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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    Yeah because Firefox was always famous for vendor lock-in....
     
  13. DOSawaits

    DOSawaits Registered Member

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    The browser "creator by people all over the world" is heading straight for the browser dumped by people all over the world.
    After having used Firefox for over a decade, add-ons and the side-bar are the only 2 things I can think of right now for not having made the step to 'The real thing' as I suspect mozilla devs call it.
     
  14. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    If Firefox gets fubared where's everybody going?

    Vivaldi for me.
     
  15. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    I'm giving Chrome a go at the moment. Firefox has already gotten so slow for me as to be almost useless. After they take away the last reason to use it, it will likely just get uninstalled altogether.
     
  16. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    What do you mean with slow, perhaps the website rendering?
     
  17. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    Slow in general. It takes forever to launch, and then it is slowest for browsing as well. Yes, I have tried disabling all add-ons. The 64 bit version is even worse, usually loading up about 650 MB of RAM for a single tab. Chrome/Edge/IE all open pretty much instantly and they all browse faster, with Edge being the slowest of the 3 despite Microsoft's claims.
     
  18. summerheat

    summerheat Registered Member

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    That's strange. As a matter of fact due to optimizations implemented 2 or 3 versions ago Firefox starts faster than ever before. And the slow browsing can be due to specific settings. E.g., if you chose "Never remember history" in the settings or make Firefox clear the cache on closing it for privacy reasons (which isn't even possible in Chrome unless this has changed recently) it's logical that browsing becomes slower with an empty cache as Firefox must fetch everything anew.

    It's also possible that your profile is damaged. Just start Firefox on the console with

    firefox -p

    create a new profile and see how it goes. By starting firefox -p again you can always go back to your old profile if needed.

    Since some settings in Firefox are a bit conservative you can also try to change them in about:config. Possible candidates are:

    network.http.pipelining true
    network.http.pipelining.aggressive true
    network.http.pipelining.ssl true
    network.http.proxy.pipelining true
    Create a new content.notify.ontimer boolean setting, and set it to true
    Create a new content.notify.interval integer setting, and set it to any number above 500000

    But I think specific settings and/or a damaged profile are more obvious reasons for your problems.
     
  19. Brummelchen

    Brummelchen Registered Member

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    and there he goes...
    although it is disappointing it makes people to think about now.
    as Aris wrote he wants to have basic options for customizing - at least now there is nothing.
    from my view mozilla makes the same mistake as opera when dropping presto for webkit/blink, the first steps were just pain and raised lots of haters.

    as i read about such change i tried several chrome forks to have a minimal similarity to firefox in my basic profile. not perfect but close for now. using opera (portable). trying vivaldi (also portable/standalone) again, bit faster, but i think when i change OS my extensions are gone again - opera wont lose them, thats why i got stuck on opera.

    i can use stylish (for sites only), ublock, tampermonkey=greasemonkey, a better bookmarks button, cookie handling like firefox and some other stuff to have some control for websites. but i cannot modify opera (or vivaldi) like i want to - and thats what people will miss.

    if some only wants to browse/surf sites it makes no matter which browser, but specialist need some more options!

    btw opera/vivaldi/firefox are similar slow or fast here.
     
  20. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    Are you sure it isn't because of your hardware specs? FF (protected by SBIE) is pretty fast to load on my machine. The only thing I noticed is that Vivaldi/Chrome load websites more smoothy and quicker. Also, scrolling feels a bit choppy on FF, this is very annoying. So it definitely needs a better engine, and the FF bookmarks manager is a freaking joke.
     
  21. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    The hardware is fast enough to run every other browser without issue. Don't get me wrong, Firefox is my preference, but it is the slowest by a large margin.
     
  22. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    Well, Fx #51.01 finally ceased being able to stream my favourite TV site, and what with everything else I think there will come a time that (on Windows anyway) I will have a desktop computer without Firefox at all. The nine years have been mostly good but all good things sadly come to an end. Firefox on Android is still good though. I've been trying Opera and Vivaldi on Windows (I first used Vivaldi two years ago on Linux), Opera is surprisingly good nowadays IMO.
     
  23. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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  24. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    I believe it's actually owned by a consortium that includes Qihoo 360. Either way, I can do things now in Opera I can't do in Firefox. Opera is older than Firefox, and I think will outlive it.
     
  25. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    You are correct it is a consortium.
     
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