@SweX @vasa1 i think i managed to find a way to completely remove "hello" from ff. it no longer shows up in about:config. all the preferences referring to it are gone. search for the file named "loop@mozilla.org.xpi" on your computer and delete it. that's it.
Thanks Bo, I'll check out the Sandboxie thread. I have started using ABP but do not understand filters. I get that they provide a database of what to block or not and can be used to customize ABP, but don't know which I should use. I researched them and found myself on the ABP forum but couldn't find any novice explanation on them and a current list of good ones to add. I did find a filters list somewhere and added some "lists." I currently have checked: EasyList EasyPrivacy FanBoy's Annoyance List Fanboy's Social Blocking List Disable Malware Unchecked: Adblock Warning Removal List I have touched custom filters so the "Exception Rules" box is checked. I have no clue whether these lists are good and worthwhile or bad, I'm simply experimenting. Maybe you know of a resource that explains "lists" better and shows available lists (with explanation of benefit)
@Brosephine iirc, annoyance list covers social blocking list. you can ditch the social blocking list. check this list out and decide for yourself.
I think experimenting is what you should do. I keep the links below in my bookmarks. https://adblockplus.org/en/subscriptions https://youtube.adblockplus.me/en/ Out of the first link, I install Easy list and Easy Privacy. For my case use, that's enough. If you visit many Italian or Latvian (for example) sites then you might want to try the one for that language. About 25 % of all sites I visit are in Spanish but Easy list pretty much takes care of them too. So, I don't add any filter other than the ones I mentioned. From the second link, the one for YouTube, I install Other annoyances only. That one gets rid of Annotations which is something I cant stand, the result of using that filter is clean videos in YouTube when you view videos using Flash. Later, after you get a good feel about ABP, check this tool that helps ABP to hide banners and other annoyances that might not be handled by one of the filters. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/elemhidehelper/ I rarely use it so when I want to hide something with it, I install it in a sandbox, create the rule, save the rule out of the sandbox and then delete the sandbox. Using the addon this way, I avoid keeping it installed. Bo
Well, if you check the bug I linked to, the poster implies that removing the .xpi may affect the update process in that you won't get a delta update but a full one with the xpi back again ... I haven't checked that out.
@vasa1 hmm, i see. since i use ff portable & don't use built-in updater, i didn't pay attention to that. i don't know whether it affects the update process in the desktop version. someone using it might give it a try.
Oh that sounds nice. Though I don't have that one, see screenshot nr2 in my previous post here: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/thr...you-use-which-ones.376389/page-6#post-2572143 Those are all that shows up when I search for "loop" AFTER that I had already disabled the Hello Beta using the function provided in CCleaner, some may come back if I "enabled" it in CCleaner again, but I rather not test that since it seems to be working o.k at the moment. EDIT: Ahhh sorry. I first thought that you meant search for it in -> about:config. But now I understand you meant an actual file somewhere. Sorry about that.
Just so I understand, Delta = small update with ONLY fixes/improvements included. And full one = whole Firefox get's downloaded again using the in-built updater ? I ask as I may watch what I get since I have not yet updated from 45.0 The difference is that I have not disabled anyhting connected to the Hello Beta in about:config OR deleted any file in any folder manually, all I have done is to disabled the Hello Beta using CCleaner, nothing else. Hopefully I will get a Delta (can it also be called incremental update ?) and not a full one - when I try to update using the in-built updater from 45.0 -> 45.0.1. If Delta update compared to full update isn't what I think, then sorry for the confusion. EDIT: I searched for the file just for the heck of it, and the file loop@mozilla.org.xpi is still there. So disabling Hello Beta in CCleaner does at least not delete this file in any way, which I assume is good to know, and knowing that the file is still there, I also expect the update procedure to work properly and receive a Delta update, and nothing else
Ok good, thanks for letting me know. Thanks for your feedback as well FWIW, The update from 45.0 -> 45.0.1 went just fine as far as I can tell. The download using the in-built updater was 5.9MB. After the update was done I also checked so Hello Beta was still set to disabled in CCleaner, which it was.
Thanks for looking into that. And as imdb pointed out, delta, incremental, and differential updates usually mean the same thing. Now the only mystery remaining is how CCcleaner does its magic. I can't look into that side of the matter.
While others are trying to remove Hello, I seem to have the opposite problem Since 45.0.1, the Hello button has disappeared from my toolbar, and doesn't appear under Customize>Additional Tools and features either. I do see a Synced Tabs button in the top right menu though (don't know if this is related), and strangely still 'Start a conversation' under Tools. Don't know if my FF is corrupted or if this is just beta teething. Everything here seems OK: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/where-firefox-hello-button No issue really, but just curious. Edit: I see it is set to false under about:support. I never changed any settings, should I just leave it like that i.e. did Mozilla pull the new Hello in 45.0.1?
Hi Paul, I think you should create a new profile and see what you find about Hello. Thats what I would do. After reading your post, I upgraded to 45.0.1 and even though I get rid of Hello via Classdic theme restorer, it still shows as true in about:support. So, I don't think Mozilla has pulled the plug on it. By the way, you can create and test new profiles real quick with Sandboxie. Check this post. https://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/sandboxie-acquired-by-invincea.357312/page-105#post-2574254 Bo
More on system add-ons such as Hello and Pocket and CCleaner: http://www.ghacks.net/2016/03/29/mozilla-system-add-ons-controls/
Thanks for the link. I agree with Martin - Mozilla needs to add something similar to what they have for the normal add-ons, so we can have control over the system add-ons as well, and enable/disable as we wish.
A comment in the ghacks article linked to this bug: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1231202 I got the impression that Fx developers themselves aren't very clear in their own minds about system add-ons ... And that bug pointed to a Google Docs file which looks like it hasn't been updated since August 25, 2015. All the same, here's a quote from there:
@vasa1 it's hard to understand why they classify hello & pocket as system add-ons in the first place, as if they're sine qua non components for ff's core to work. they should just make'em available on amo as regular add-ons for those who want to have'em.
@vasa1 @SweX seems there are two ways to get rid of hello for now. my way [delete loop@mozilla.org.xpi to get rid of it for good till the next (major?) update] or swex's way (use ccleaner to disable it).
I've been using this add-on: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/disable-hello-pocket-reader/
Using that add-on, does the Hello Beta also turn to "false" under about:support too ? If you can check that for us. FWIW, see screenshot number 2 in the following post, does it say false or true there for you ? https://www.wilderssecurity.com/thr...you-use-which-ones.376389/page-5#post-2571572 I use the Classic Theme Restorer add-on, and it gives the ability to disable these feaures as well, which I have done, but that didn't have a 100% effect (it may still not be enough) as it didn't turn to "false" under about:support, before I tried to disable it in CCleaner. But maybe your add-on works differently, will be interesting to see your about:support results. @imdb Yes it seems so. And yes, they should give us control over these so called system add-ons as well. Hopefully things will change for the better soon enough.
@SouthPark yea, thanks, but, rather not use an add-on for something that can be done via about:config.
Unfortunately, it still shows up as "true," though I'm not worried about it because I already set loop.enabled to false, which blocks WebRTC at the various test pages I have tried.
