Batu69 Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 Mozilla announced a couple of days ago that it plans to make Firefox support only WebExtensions add-ons by the end of 2017. While that seems far far away right now, it is almost certain that things won't be ready by then. What I mean by that is that WebExtensions capabilities won't match those of Firefox's current system. While popular add-ons like NoScript, RequestPolicy or Ghostery will likely be ported over thanks to Mozilla working with developers actively on implementing missing API features, the same cannot be said for other add-ons. There are three core reasons why an add-on may not be compatible with Firefox 57 anymore (when WebExtensions become exclusive): The add-on author has not ported it over to WebExtensions. This will happen for abandoned add-ons, but also if authors have no interest in porting their extensions. The add-on author would like to port the add-on to WebExtensions, but cannot because the WebExtensions capabilities don't allow it yet (because of missing features). Because WebExtensions will never support features needed by an add-on. Any popular add-on under 1) may be forked or picked up by someone else. While there is no guarantee that this is going to happen for all of them, the past has shown that Firefox add-on developers have picked up abandoned add-ons, and forked them to make them compatible with newer versions of the browser. I run three add-ons in my main Firefox work profile. Those are NoScript, Classic Theme Restorer, and Dictionary Switcher. Classic Theme Restorer A recent post by Aris, developer of Classic Theme Restorer and several other popular add-ons such as Classic Toolbar Buttons, NewScrollbars, or GlassMyFox, suggests that Classic Theme Restorer may be dead by the end of 2017. While Aris seems to have interest in porting over his extensions to WebExtensions, he notes that this is not possible right now. Quote Now its real, CTR as we know it (and all my other Firefox add-ons), will be discontinued by the end of 2017. We still have no way to change Firefox ui using WebExtensions and all my add-ons are about ui modifications. Seems like its almost time to get used to another browser. The end of the popular browser extension would bring the Australis design of Firefox to all users who relied on Classic Theme Restorer up until that point. This highlights one of the main concerns that the move to WebExtensions exclusivity raises: The APIs are not there yet. In fact, a whole category of add-ons, all that modify the browser UI, cannot be ported over because of missing APIs and the situation may be similar in other areas. What makes this even more problematic than it is, is that no one seems to know whether the capabilities that WebExtensions APIs will deliver once they are made available will be sufficient to port add-ons over. Classic Theme Restorer is but one of many add-ons, Tab Mix Plus is another, that faces this challenge. With APIs not ready yet, not even for testing, and uncertainty in regards to what WebExtensions will support, it is obvious that some add-on authors are not thrilled about the change. In worst case, this could lead to an exodus of talented developers. Closing Words Mozilla could have waited with the move until APIs are ready for the most part, but the organization decided not to do so. While there is still a chance that the decision is delayed, so that the cut won't be made in Firefox 57 but a later version of the browser, it is not something that add-on developers can rest their hopes on. I can see the benefits that WebExtensions offer but Mozilla's move will irritate part of the add-on development community and part of Firefox's user base. In worst case, it could mean that excellent developers such as Aris move on to other projects or other browsers, and that users who rely on add-ons to function that are not ported either stick with an outdated version of the Firefox browser, or switch to another. Article source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven36 Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronY-Man Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 Mozilla's going to become another example of following the trend and loosing itself init along with shooting itself in the head, if there happens to be mass-exodus of addon-developers just cos of this "Stupid Idiotic " move ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigmedion Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 Hi all, there are many alternative to Firfefox based on his code source on the web, like the excellent Cyberfox made by a very active developper Toady at 8PCX Studio, or Waterfox, Palemoon etc, it's not a problem. I use Cyberfox from the begining, no problem with it, and many extension that are no more suppported by Firefox still work on Cyberfox (e.g Get Mail Plus ) also you have the choice to activate some plugins that are blocked on Firefox by default , like Flash Player Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pc71520 Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 I agree, there are alternatives when Firefox gets intolerable... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmySvert Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 21 minutes ago, Bigmedion said: Hi all, there are many alternative to Firfefox based on his code source on the web, like the excellent Cyberfox made by a very active developper Toady at 8PCX Studio, or Waterfox, Palemoon etc, it's not a problem. I use Cyberfox from the begining, no problem with it, and many extension that are no more suppported by Firefox still work on Cyberfox (e.g Get Mail Plus ) also you have the choice to activate some plugins that are blocked on Firefox by default , like Flash Player ...but still cannot understand why mozilla doesn't want to keep both classic addons and webextensions for a period of time, dammit!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bausch Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 I can only speak for myself. But, if other users are like me and are using Firefox for its extensiblity and customization options provided by extensions; then there will be no reason to keep doing so when most of those extensions won't work anymore due to that move. As said above, both should be available until the new platform is ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karlston Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 It's easy, I won't upgrade Firefox to any version that does not support CTR and TMP. Australis? NO WAY! Mozilla hammers yet another nail into Firefox's coffin. Well done idiots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven36 Posted November 26, 2016 Share Posted November 26, 2016 1 hour ago, Karlston said: It's easy, I won't upgrade Firefox to any version that does not support CTR and TMP. Australis? NO WAY! Mozilla hammers yet another nail into Firefox's coffin. Well done idiots! I been expecting this to happen since many years . Palemoon already not many addons want work on it because they stop supporting jetpack but at lest it has CTR by default witch once the Firefox switch to Web addons will make it a better choice .. The only one with the old look and old addons support will be left at end of 2017 will be SeaMonkey.. i been testing SeaMonkey Aurora i like it pretty good if you install seafox it look just like Firefox and SeaMonkey still have CTR by default, i'm using nightly tester tools and most all addons for SeaMonkey work great even in Aurora today's update Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven36 Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 On undefined at 5:59 AM, Bigmedion said: Hi all, there are many alternative to Firfefox based on his code source on the web, like the excellent Cyberfox made by a very active developper Toady at 8PCX Studio, or Waterfox, Palemoon etc, it's not a problem. I use Cyberfox from the begining, no problem with it, and many extension that are no more suppported by Firefox still work on Cyberfox (e.g Get Mail Plus ) also you have the choice to activate some plugins that are blocked on Firefox by default , like Flash Player Cyberfox depends on CTR its more less just Firefox with its own Fork of CTR when classic search got messed up in Firefox 43 it got messed up in CyberFox , It didn't get Fixed in ether tell they fixed in the CTR addon at AMO. I dont know if Cyberfox will even exist once they break CTR unless they plain to fork off like Palemoon did . The reason I use to use Cyberfox was because they had x64 on windows but now Firefox has x64 . Firefox seems to think if they keep XUL going they will not survive but if they kill XUL they going to lose what litle users they have left . Some of the DEVs at Firefox said if WebExtensions API is not finshehed by the end of 2017 it most likely will be pushed back again . If no devs want make no addons for them thats a good start of it being pushed back and many are not going do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigmedion Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 Specially for Nuttertools, first of all add Cyberfox to the browser list, after doing this open the file in the second picture, restart Firefox, You should have IDM options in the context menu Spoiler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven36 Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 Just now, Bigmedion said: Specially for Nuttertools, first of all add Cyberfox to the browser list, after doing this open the file in the second picture, restart Firefox, You should have IDM options in the context menu What does using IDM got to do with CTR ? I know how to make IDM work in Cyberfox , Lol I used Cyberfox for some years before they had x64 in windows . The Cyberfox DEV dont even know how make it were it will install in Linux .. Only installble version it have on Linux is at arch were someone else packages . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttertools Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 Bigmedion, Thanx for posting this, I've already done the 1st part, let's check the rest... @ Steven, he was replying @ my PM, as he wasn't able to post pics in PM; for some reason I couldn't make that IDM thing visible in Cyberfox. Sorry for confusion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven36 Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 3 minutes ago, nuttertools said: Bigmedion, Thanx for posting this, I've already done the 1st part, let's check the rest... @ Steven, he was replying @ my PM, as he wasn't able to post pics in PM; for some reason I couldn't make that IDM thing visible in Cyberfox. Sorry for confusion Oh OK best to ask stuff like that in the IDM topic or the Cybefox topic this topic pertains too CTR . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttertools Posted November 27, 2016 Share Posted November 27, 2016 @ Steven, agree, but I had no clue he was going to reply here + ATM, testing some browsers, so wanted to hear, briefly, from some users. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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