[0427] Are you forking Firefox Extensions? Because time is almost up!

[New Tobin Paradigm]

Before you know it time will be up for dead Firefox Extensions so start forking and submitting your forks for Pale Moon and/or other UXP Applications.

Do your part or get left behind.

[micwoj92]

Where can we place bets on how many threads will be created because "my favourite extension doesn't work anymore!!!!"?

[Moonraker]

Where can we place bets on how many threads will be created because "my favourite extension doesn't work anymore!!!!"?

Thanks for volunteering.
i await your forks with baited anticipation.

[micwoj92]

I do not use any Firefox extensions so I do not feel obligated to make any changes.

[New Tobin Paradigm]

Where can we place bets on how many threads will be created because "my favourite extension doesn't work anymore!!!!"?

Maybe Moonchild will shut down the forum for a few days when that happens. Another possibility is we create another mega-thread and just keep merging in all the new threads. Did this for Windows 10 after all and that seemed to work.

As for the issue its self. I suspect the Martin will post about it raising holy hell in the ghacks comments section. Also the Reddit Shithole as well as the XPFucks with the MSFN Hackers will go nuts over it when it finally happens. We will initially lose users to both Waterfox and the XPFucks but once they find out those aren't actually viable alternatives the majority of them will return where they will be warmly welcomed, I'm sure. Basilisk may see a slight uptick as well. Of more concern to me is a rise in corrupt profiles caused by trying to avoid the inevitable. That will be sad. So I hope everyone backs up their profile on a regular basis.

Either way the rage will subside eventually and some will become more constructive helping provide a good future in the end. That is our hope anyway. We just need to weather the storm.

[palem]

It's really hard for me to understand the meaning of the activities of the most important people in PM, which, in my opinion, lead to the marginalization of PM.

I use PM as main browser, but I'm not a developer.
I use about 40 extensions, including about 20 old FF extensions. I use these old FF extensions not by my choice, but by necessity, because there are generally few developers and extensions in PM. And there are no extensions with the same functionality as the old FF extensions did (and in addition, as a result of strange moves in PM, active PM extension developers such as JustOff or Riiis were actually discouraged from PM).

If the old FF extensions, that I use today, will stop working and there will be no alternative to them in PM, then unfortunately I will have no choice but to say goodbye to PM
And a lot of users (and not developers) in PM will probably do the same.

So maybe we should seriously consider whether the current direction in PM (sticking to XUL and restrictions on developers) is the best solution for PM?

[fretless]

If the old FF extensions, that I use today, will stop working and there will be no alternative to them in PM, then unfortunately I will have no choice but to say goodbye to PM

Really?? And do what? Pale Moon is the ONLY decent browser left standing, thanks to the commitment and integrity of its developers and contributors. Good luck with FF and the chrome clones, hope they make you happy.

[vannilla]

Actually I wonder too: if those extensions are a necessity, how can you even move out?
It's not like there are other browsers which will support them. In fact, Pale Moon is currently the only one, so once support ends it's either an older version you never update, or a fork of the browser, but at that point you don't really "move out" since both Pale Moon and the fork will use UXP and will likely have a lot in common.

[jobbautista9]

It's really hard for me to understand the meaning of the activities of the most important people in PM, which, in my opinion, lead to the marginalization of PM.

How hard is it to understand that PM needs to do this if it wants a sustainable future? You can't just expect old, unmaintained Firefox-only extensions to keep working in Pale Moon. You're going to kill the browser if you keep such add-ons alive without proper care. As said by others countless times already, add-ons extend the browser, not the other way around.

I use PM as main browser, but I'm not a developer.
I use about 40 extensions, including about 20 old FF extensions. I use these old FF extensions not by my choice, but by necessity, because there are generally few developers and extensions in PM.

If you really care about those old extensions like your life depends on it, maybe you should consider at least maintaining it, no? You have to learn XUL and JavaScript? They are not really as hard as you think. They are hard because you think so. Eliminate that thinking. If you get stuck in something, feel free to ask us.

It also doesn't have to be sole effort. You can find others who will help you maintain those add-ons. Build a community.

and in addition, as a result of strange moves in PM, active PM extension developers such as JustOff or Riiis were actually discouraged from PM.

riiis isn't really active though. The rare time that they do post here, they weren't really helpful in my experience.

If the old FF extensions, that I use today, will stop working and there will be no alternative to them in PM, then unfortunately I will have no choice but to say goodbye to PM

As vannilla said, how can you even "say goodbye" if there are no alternatives in your view, and those extensions are very important to you? I don't understand this logic.

And a lot of users (and not developers) in PM will probably do the same.

I don't care, they are probably not the target audience of PM in the first place anyway. Moonchild would probably say that you should use the best browser for your usecase, and if another browser does better than Pale Moon in your usecase, then good for you.

So maybe we should seriously consider whether the current direction in PM (sticking to XUL and restrictions on developers) is the best solution for PM?

You'd be asking for a "Waterfox clone" then, which supports both "legacy" and WebExt extensions. If you're not willing to spend the effort in learning how to maintain an add-on, maybe you should go to Waterfox instead. Do note though, that Waterfox will eventually have to give up trying to make every extension work. It's not sustainable. Don't say that I didn't warn you.

[Moonchild]

Moonchild would probably say that you should use the best browser for your usecase, and if another browser does better than Pale Moon in your usecase, then good for you.

^This.

I have always said this and I will always say this. Your browser is a tool. You should be using the tool that works best for your use or that you are most comfortable using for your tasks. It's as simple as that - no ulterior motives, no politics, no extremism, just simple pragmatism.

[jars_]

I downloaded the new(unstable) version and checked my 37 extensions. Approximately half fell off. The thing is "install.rdf" file.
Withing ~40 minutes i edit all install.rdf and everything works again. It`s not so terrible, as it sounds (machine translation)

Скачал я новую, нестабильную версию и проверил свои 37 расширений. Примерно половина отвалилось. Всё дело в файле install.rdf.
За 40 минут поправил и всё опять работает в нестабильной версии. Не так уж это и страшно, как звучит

*** Extensions ( On: 23, Off: 12, all: 35 )
Active Stop Button 1.5.15 [ выключен ]
Add Bookmark Helper 1.0.10
Add to Search Bar 2.9 [ выключен ]
Auto-Sort Bookmarks 2.10.12 [ выключен ]
Classic Add-ons Archive 2.0.3 [ выключен ]
Classic Password Editor 1.1.2 [ выключен ]
Context Search X 0.4.6.26
Custom Buttons 0.0.7.0.0.17
Dismiss The Overlay 1.0.7 [ выключен ]
DOM Inspector
Dorando keyconfig 2018.1
DownThemAll! 3.0.9 [ выключен ]
FireGestures
Flagfox 5.2.11
Flat Bookmarks 1.15
Greasemonkey for Pale Moon 3.31.4
Greedy Cache 1.2.3
ImageHost Grabber 1.7.0.5.beta3 [ выключен ]
Imagus 0.9.8.72
Link Properties Plus 1.6.1
Location Bar Enhancer 5.3
mPage 0.7.14
PermissionsPlus 2.3.1
Quick Context 2 0.2.5.1-signed [ выключен ]
Save File to 2.5.5
ScrapBook X 1.14.5
Showcase 0.9.5.11.1-signed.1-signed
Silent Block 5.0.1
Super Start Speed Dial 8.0.1
Suspender 1.0.0 [ выключен ]
Tab Flick 0.4.1-signed.1-signed
Toggle animated GIFs 1.3.1 [ выключен ]
Vertical Toolbar 56.0.3
VideoSniffer 0.5
Открыть С 6.8.6 [ выключен ]

Better, modify the media.block-autoplay-until-in-foreground setting, in the active tab video being stopped. And when the tab is activated, the video also did not start! (machine translation)
Лучше, доработайте настройку media.block-autoplay-until-in-foreground, что бы и в активной вкладке видео останавливалось. И при активации вкладки - видео тоже не запускалось!

[Moonraker]

I only use 3 extensions in pale moon.
1.UBO legacy,so even if this extension remains frozen as is then it's no skin off my nose.just filter updates and good to go.

2.cookie exterminator..again if it carries on functioning then no updates are required.
3.advanced night mode...too much white on the web for my middle aged eyes.

How many pale moon users use the old firefox extensions anyway.?
Unless accurate figures as to the extension usage then the consequences may not be so severe.

[New Tobin Paradigm]

Too many and you can thank JustOff for that. Regardless we need to move forward and if this community is unwilling then we fall. It is up to everyone if that happens or not.

As has been stated for years, plain old users created every extension from nothing because it didn't exist before.. It was only towards the latter end of it did extensions become somewhat corperate with the top 100 long standing and the late model service extensions.

However, we all aren't starting from scratch though so it is easier for most. But we need people to take the future into their own hands and give these tired old extensions new life AND bring even better never before seen new ones into the world.

Waterfox Classic has no future neither does any of the non-complient half-ass forks which will try to draw you away by sacrafising tomorrow for yesterday. It will fall over eventually as surely as we would if nothing is done or even attempted.

What are you waiting for? Why resist? You need only to contribute for yourself and for the betterment of everyone. THAT is how we have gotten this far and hell that is how Mozilla got to where it was before the bad times.

WE are the power, WE are soul, the unstoppable Beast, of the true Mozilla they tried to deny, and of course WE are the agents of our own salvation. So let's show that withering husk over at Mountain View just what they threw away, WHO they threw away and what WE can accomplish together!

[BobbyP]

What are you waiting for? Why resist? You need only to contribute for yourself and for the betterment of everyone. THAT is how we have gotten this far and hell that is how Mozilla got to where it was before the bad times.

WE are the power, WE are soul, the unstoppable Beast, of the true Mozilla they tried to deny, and of course WE are the agents of our own salvation. So let's show that withering husk over at Mountain View just what they threw away, WHO they threw away and what WE can accomplish together!

OK, OK, Tobin, I am way, way, too exhausted this morning to resist much of anything, let alone such a rational, rousing rallying cry! Since I can barely do very basic html, I had better start with an indispensable (at least me ) extension that at least seems to be working correctly, or mostly correctly at this point, HackTheWeb (a descendant of Aardvark). Please (gently) point me towards your recommended resource for starting in on this, hopefully something(s) akin to "Updating For Dummies", if possible. Thank you for all that you do.

[New Tobin Paradigm]

Start like anyone else. Learn the basic concepts at the Developer Site and the MDN Backup UDN which is linked on dpmo. But really you should crack it open and take a looksee.

I don't think there will ever be a dummy version because no one who wants to learn IS a dummy.

[Tharthan]

Please (gently) point me towards your recommended resource for starting in on this

I'm not an add-on developer. But this resource (which NewTobinParadigm mentioned in the post above this one) which is provided to us by good fellow Pale Moon community member, RealityRipple, would certainly be of use to you:

https://udn.realityripple.com/docs/Archive/Add-ons

It is the original documentation for the days when Firefox was a browser that used XUL a lot, so you may need to tweak some things to make things work properly with UXP applications.

(Sorry if I am explaining this wrongly. Someone more familiar with how all of this works can correct me if my explanation is faulty.)

[THX-1139]

Also this thread may help you with some "basic" info: https://forum.palemoon.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=18878&p=139058#p139058

[WiseWolf]

It was inevitable that the old addons would eventually be discontinued, so yeah...

Besides, they receive no updates and some aren't open source.

Which means they cannot receive updates.

No worries, we got some good addons anyways available.

Ublock origin, nmatrix or ematrix (Not sure which it is)

And others as well.

So, I have no issue at this time.

[Moonchild]

Of course the people over on Reddit had to complain about this thread (in fact started by the current owner displaying their true colours) as if we're asking something completely outlandish.

[dapgo]

Moonchild would probably say that you should use the best browser for your usecase, and if another browser does better than Pale Moon in your usecase, then good for you.

^This.

I have always said this and I will always say this. Your browser is a tool. You should be using the tool that works best for your use or that you are most comfortable using for your tasks. It's as simple as that - no ulterior motives, no politics, no extremism, just simple pragmatism.

But it is good the existence of many well differenced tools for different tasks.

And previous XUL addons are a pack of many minitools that makes a tool; and it worked well for many people and their daily tasks.

IMO as far Basilisk keeps compatibility with the legacy extensions the previous "tool" is still on the desk, (also I don't trust much in how long waterfox classic will keep its XUL support)