Google complains about "Outdated Firefox"?

[Moonchild]

Google complains I'm using an "outdated version of Firefox that is no longer supported"?

This specifically applies to Pale Moon 25.0 in Firefox Compatibility mode, and to any version prior to 25.0.

Cause:

If you are getting nagged by Google that "you are using a Firefox browser that is no longer supported" then that means Google thinks you are using Firefox 24 and they shove Pale Moon on the heap of "outdated/obsolete" browsers. The error lies with Google's "browser detection" script, and you should complain to them that they are giving you an error about Firefox when you are not using Firefox, but an up-to-date alternative.

Pale Moon is fully capable otherwise of displaying Google assets. This is just Google doing an arbitrary and inaccurate check on browsers that visit, and nagging users with "your browser is too old" messages in all their web services (GMail, Docs, etc.).
Although the premise behind giving a message like that is acceptable (not wanting to provide customer support for obsolete browsers), the execution is really poor. Their detection is flawed, and they pop up the message every single time, nagging the hell out of their users and causing a lot of annoyance. I'm sure people are aware of the situation after the first time

Workarounds:

You can disable "Firefox compatibility mode" in Options -> Advanced to avoid the nagging for the time being, but that in turn will make Google show the "unknown browser" compatibility layout (which is slightly less functional).

Alternatively, you can make a site-specific override for google.com (and whichever localized version you use of the domain) by following the instructions in this other FAQ entry.

Solution:

I'm updating the version presented to websites in the next version (25.1) of the browser (in line with HTML renderer updates) to prevent this kind of annoyance in Firefox Compatibility mode on Google and other sites, but please understand it's combating a symptom, not a cause.
With Firefox Compatibility mode disabled, Google will continue to show the slightly less functional "unknown browser compatibility view" layout, because that is simply something they need to fix by recognizing Pale Moon as a browser in their detection script, or using actual feature detection instead - the proper way to do this kind of thing for current-day web design.

[BaronHK]

Google does a lot of annoying things even if they can identify your browser, such as all of their sites independently nagging you to install Chrome.

I take it these are some of the reasons that Google was removed from the default search engines?

They are very manipulative...

And if they can't get their stinking spyware on your computer by twisting your arm, they'll bundle it like malware with unrelated software and then try to change your default browser without asking you. I've caught several "freeware" programs, popular ones, doing this. It's violating. Totally unacceptable. Sleazy, even.

[Pale Moon Nili]

For me it is important Pale Moon work just fine, Google or other pages let complain all day and night.

I take the opportunity to thanks Pale Moon staff for the release 27.0.0

[John connor]

I think your UA needs to change. Why mention Firefox when this isn't even using a Firefox engine anymore? That right there is the source of many, many problems.

[Moonchild]

I think your UA needs to change. Why mention Firefox when this isn't even using a Firefox engine anymore? That right there is the source of many, many problems.

Why? because many sites will break if you're not using a UA that they recognize.
Feel free to use "Native" in settings for your suggested UA, that has no mention of either Gecko or Firefox, but don't be surprised if sites kick you over to a mobile version, refuse access for not being one of the big three, or simply fail to work at all.

[Fedor2]

Feel free to use "Native"

Yes i did. All is good. Yutube which is google thing is good too. But google itself avoided at all costs.

[Moonraker]

I think your UA needs to change. Why mention Firefox when this isn't even using a Firefox engine anymore? That right there is the source of many, many problems.

Why? because many sites will break if you're not using a UA that they recognize.
Feel free to use "Native" in settings for your suggested UA, that has no mention of either Gecko or Firefox, but don't be surprised if sites kick you over to a mobile version, refuse access for not being one of the big three, or simply fail to work at all.

Sounds a bit like a dog chasing its own tail.
How long will this UA sniffing go on for.?
I love pale moon but its a pity large company browsers have a monopoly on what appears to be the entire web itself.

[VLMin]

How does one use "Native" in the UA settings? Thank you!

[CharmCityCrab]

I think your UA needs to change. Why mention Firefox when this isn't even using a Firefox engine anymore? That right there is the source of many, many problems.

Worth noting is that Pale Moon did this (Did not mention Firefox) by default at one point. The forums were swarmed by people complaining that it broke compatibility for websites, that they thought the new version (At the time) was awful, that they were switching browsers, and so on and so forth. Developers switched it back in part because the backlash was so severe. So, the simplest answer is that the UA isn't "native" with no mention of other browsers or rending engines by default because the user-base rebelled when they tried to do it. I wouldn't lash out at developers for not doing it- they tried. And, of course, you as an individual users have the option in the most recent version of Pale Moon of using a "native" UA, a "firefox" ua, or a "gecko" ua, all which include the words "pale moon" and goanna"- some just with more words than others.

One of the the tough things for a browser of this size and mission statement is trying to find a balance between on the one hand principles and values, and having a distinct identity, but on the other hand also being a browser that users still find smooth and useable for the websites they like to visit. If you go too far in the first direction, the browser becomes something that very few people who try will want to continue using because they really can't- it won't take them to the places they want to or need to go on the web and do what they want to or need to do- and so the project is marginalized or dies. If you go too far in the second direction, all of the sudden there is no difference between the browser and the larger more popular corporate driven browsers, so people feel no need to choose it, and again the project is marginalized or dies.

So, I think it is worth taking a moment and appreciating that developers are in a tough spot, and there are no easy answers. They are trying hard to give individual users the ability to customize easily and pick the solution each user feels is best for his or her needs, while selecting a default that's a good balance for the average less techy user who may just download the browser and browse, and never touch a settings menu or download an extension, and who will judge the browser based on what happens when they visit their favorite or most used websites.

[Shadeclan]

How does one use "Native" in the UA settings? Thank you!

Simple enough. In your menu, go to Tools/Options and in the Options box, click on the "Advanced" tab. Down at the bottom, you'll see a section called "Compatibility" with a single item called "User Agent Mode". Currently, yours should say "Firefox compatibility". Just change it to "Native" and you're all set.

[VLMin]

How does one use "Native" in the UA settings? Thank you!

Simple enough. In your menu, go to Tools/Options and in the Options box, click on the "Advanced" tab. Down at the bottom, you'll see a section called "Compatibility" with a single item called "User Agent Mode". Currently, yours should say "Firefox compatibility". Just change it to "Native" and you're all set.

Thank you. This must be a v. 27 setting yes? I'm still on 26.5, and in Tools > Options > Advanced, I have a check box, "Use Firefox compatibility mode". It is presently checked (on), which I believe is the default setting for 26. What will unchecking it do?

[lyceus]

Thank you. This must be a v. 27 setting yes? I'm still on 26.5, and in Tools > Options > Advanced, I have a check box, "Use Firefox compatibility mode". It is presently checked (on), which I believe is the default setting for 26. What will unchecking it do?

Yes, is a v27 setting as sadly several (or almost eveybody) rely in a forged UA for believe that the browser is full HTML5 capable and not a mobile/Opera or another smaller browser.

[back2themoon]

Thank you. This must be a v. 27 setting yes? I'm still on 26.5, and in Tools > Options > Advanced, I have a check box, "Use Firefox compatibility mode". It is presently checked (on), which I believe is the default setting for 26. What will unchecking it do?

Setting FF compatibility mode to Off in v26, is the same as selecting 'Native' in 27. V27 has an additional setting (Gecko) that's not available in v26.

[VLMin]

Thank you, very clear now!