Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Add-ons for Pale Moon and other applications
General discussion, compatibility, contributed extensions, themes, plugins, and more.

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RealityRipple
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Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by RealityRipple » 2021-07-23, 11:32

Since so many people are having such a hard time making basic changes to their extensions, I figured a page that replaces "ec8030f7-c20a-464f-9b0e-13a3a9e97384" with "8de7fcbb-c55c-4fbe-bfc5-fc555c87dbc4" in all the files of an XPI or JAR file would go a long way to stopping forum spam and old browser version use.

Therefore, I present - Apollo

This tool makes the following changes to any given PKZIP-compressed XPI or JAR file:
  • Replaces version numbers for ec8030f7-c20a-464f-9b0e-13a3a9e97384 entries with the range 0.* - 9999.* in install.rdf files.
  • Removes appversion from ec8030f7-c20a-464f-9b0e-13a3a9e97384 rows in chrome.manifest files.
  • Replaces ec8030f7-c20a-464f-9b0e-13a3a9e97384 with 8de7fcbb-c55c-4fbe-bfc5-fc555c87dbc4 in all files.
  • Removes files in the META-INF folder (digital signature data) if present.
No, this won't fix extensions or themes that still use removed functions, classes, or interfaces. No, it won't catch version numbers being checked in JS rather than managed in chrome.manifest. No, it won't unpack nested JAR files or read SQLite databases, and may even mangle them. No, it doesn't change version numbers in manifest.json files. And no, it won't be updated to include any of those things.

This tool is solely for personal use - do not redistribute Apollo-modified XPI or JAR files as though they're supported, maintained add-ons under any circumstances. You can use it to quickly make the changes listed above, but it's a virtual certainty that more work is, and will be, needed. A big part of the reason the version range was set to such an impossible value is to encourage you to modify the add-on yourself, and discourage redistribution.


Disclaimer: Apollo is a very bad idea. Using it is a bad idea. Using extensions generated by Apollo is a bad idea. Using themes or localizations generated by Apollo is an even worse idea. So if you break your browser's profile, installation, your operating system, or your entire computer, you only have yourself to blame.

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Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by vannilla » 2021-07-23, 11:57

Isn't this similar to JustOff's tool? I don't really see any immediate difference aside from the large range of minmax versions.

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2021-07-23, 14:18

RealityRipple, why do you want to create another war?

You have a choice here. Withdraw the tool at once or the ability for the blocklist to be disabled will be removed, your externals will be removed, you will likly be banned forever.

In the event you aren't banned forever because you did not comply I will shut down all Regolith services and end all participation with this project, UXP, and my own related projects instantly.

You are now in full control of the future of everything. I sure hope you and Moonchild make the correct choice.

This is the very last time I am going to deal with another potental turncoat out to undermine the continued future of my contributed work.
Last edited by New Tobin Paradigm on 2021-07-23, 14:34, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by Moonchild » 2021-07-23, 14:31

RealityRipple wrote:
2021-07-23, 11:32
Apollo is a very bad idea. Using it is a bad idea. Using extensions generated by Apollo is a bad idea. Using themes or localizations generated by Apollo is an even worse idea. So if you break your browser's profile, installation, your operating system, or your entire computer, you only have yourself to blame.
Then why the fuck did you create it, and on top of that publish it on this forum?
As far as I'm concerned this is malware. Remove it. Now.
The very last thing we need is someone creating a tool to make all users prone to breaking their browser (and blaming us as a result, no doubt, regardless of what warnings are in there). There's not much difference in practice between redistributing hacked extensions and distributing a tool that effectively results in the same on a user's system. It will damage the browser, the project, further development and our attempts to keep sanity and balance.
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New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2021-07-23, 14:37

You know, I feel particularly and personally betrayed by this as it comes just a few days after I defended your scruffy ass, RealityRipple. Not to mention, mere months after the end of JustOff's years-long stint of grifting, glory whoring, and downright devious subversion.

Make no mistake I won't be doing as such in the future. Also, trust I will leave over any future attemps at this kind of backstabbing treachery from anyone else anywhere near a trusted position.

I have dedicated the majority of the past 7 years to the Add-ons Ecosystem this seeks to further corrupt and I am at the absolute breaking point of declairing that if all you people want is to subvert every effort we have made to further these goals for the benefit of each and every one of you then perhaps you can just go it alone without my technology, our collective infrastructure, or our input and collaboration.

Do the right thing here .. or don't. I am three commands away from not giving a shit.
Last edited by New Tobin Paradigm on 2021-07-23, 15:25, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by athenian200 » 2021-07-23, 15:22

I understand that your intentions may have been good, but you really should have asked for permission before doing this. We explicitly don't want people using or making tools like this, and such tools have a history of causing issues and undermining our goals. Maybe you didn't know or fully understand the situation, but this is at best going to count as a major lapse in judgment that will mean you have to work hard to earn trust back, or at worst... well, I probably don't need to go into that given what the posts before mine said.

You admitted yourself the tool was a bad idea, and it honestly seems to me like you just didn't understand the gravity of how bad an idea it was. So, I think you should delete all copies of the tool from the Internet, and apologize profusely for needlessly creating such a tense situation.
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Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by RealityRipple » 2021-07-23, 16:48

You can either work for the ecosystem or you can work for the users. I 100% understand why you guys all must choose the ecosystem, but I'll always choose the users.

Instead of making a changed extension, if I just list the problems with the add-on, will that be acceptable?

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2021-07-23, 16:55

So users can manually (instead of automatically) JustOff extensions into oblivion and never give it a second thought unless it doesn't work or breaks and recommend it endlessly instead of taking responsibility for maintaining extensions?

No. You knew exactly what you were doing here and you knew we wouldn't let it slide. What was your goal here and what were you thinking?

You created this situation and regardless of what you do from here on THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES. You are only in control of what specific consequences you and every Pale Moon user will have to endure from this.

IF you do act on behalf of the users as you claim then you must comply with obliterating that tool from existance.
Last edited by New Tobin Paradigm on 2021-07-23, 17:02, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by RealityRipple » 2021-07-23, 17:01

My goal is simple: make more users less unhappy. That's literally always been my goal since 2003.

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2021-07-23, 17:07

Also, just to show how transparent this subversion you pulled is.. I am quite aware of you choosing Apollo as the name is a direct slight against Phoebus.
Last edited by New Tobin Paradigm on 2021-07-23, 17:09, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by RealityRipple » 2021-07-23, 17:08

Actually it was just named after the moon landing missions.

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2021-07-23, 17:10

Phoebus was chosen as the name for the Add-ons Site software exactly because Phoebus was another name FOR Apollo.

Will you remove the tool? Yes or No.

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Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by RealityRipple » 2021-07-23, 17:15

It was removed from the site 19 minutes ago.

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2021-07-23, 17:23

You didn't indicate as such. Now, we as a community need to figure out what to do about you following this event. I would recommend you tread lightly for a good long while and you will be monitored closely.

You have lost some confidence invested in you not just from me but others who have chosen not to make their voice heard in this thread. I for one am not likely to ever completely trust you or your intentions again but that is just me. Regardless, be prepared to have to justify your actions and decisions in the future.

I remain very disappointed in you. No one needed this shit today.

Moderator: Please lock this thread and shove it into Off-Topic.

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Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by RealityRipple » 2021-07-23, 17:34

You're a lead developer, I'm a third-party developer. You shouldn't have any confidence or trust me. You should scrutinize every line I write before allowing or recommending anything of mine into your ecosystem.

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Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by Moonchild » 2021-07-23, 17:38

RealityRipple wrote:
2021-07-23, 16:48
You can either work for the ecosystem or you can work for the users. I 100% understand why you guys all must choose the ecosystem, but I'll always choose the users.
So basically you're saying "c'mon everyone let's pollute the environment and kill wildlife because I get to have more convenience for the next year or so that way"
There's difference between working for the users (in this case immediate need satisfaction instead of long-term health) while not working for the ecosystem (as in not contributing while you could)... and dropping a vat of toxic waste into a reserve which your tool is analogous to.
It's also not a black or white situation. You don't have to choose users or the ecosystem. you can choose the users through working for the ecosystem. Only thinking in extremes and short-term gains is exactly what will destroy cooperation.

As I said in my PM to you, it's effectively undermining and unravelling many months of careful planning and rollouts of changes to make the transition off of unmaintained and unsupported Firefox extensions as smooth as possible, and that undermining would long term actually have MORE people stay on old and outdated software. How would that be helping the users?

If your brain already told you it was a bad idea, why didn't you discuss it before pushing it out? Bounce the idea off of us who would be directly impacted?

Maybe it was all well-intentioned in a superficial sense but there's a very applicable proverb here: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions".
However I do not think you were totally oblivious to the situation or how we've been working on long-term goals here. Was it an honest mistake? Tell me.
You shouldn't have any confidence or trust me. You should scrutinize every line I write before allowing or recommending anything of mine into your ecosystem.
There is no way in which this is going to work for collaboration. You have to be able to trust your fellow devs in your immediate environment.
We can't scrutinize your work if it's external and we don't even know about it. So if your take on this is "I can and will fuck you over any time I feel the urge to do so" then no, I don't think you will ever gain my trust again and you should just stop right now. Take your leave.
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"Seek wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is of the past; wisdom is of the future." -- Native American proverb
"Linux makes everything difficult." -- Lyceus Anubite

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Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by Gandalfdjh » 2021-07-23, 17:42

There was no logic to his decision even to code such a tool and then to post it! Why would someone what to post and make public a tool that does not work and is destructive? There seem to be quite a few people that can no longer use logic or think logically.

Personally glad that it was finally removed.

Thank you to those supporting the removal of this tool (?)!
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New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2021-07-23, 17:53

RealityRipple wrote:
2021-07-23, 17:34
You're a lead developer, I'm a third-party developer. You shouldn't have any confidence or trust me.
Perhaps not. Perhaps we should re-evaluate our policy on having externals at all and perhaps I should raise the bar even higher for anyone gaining my trust or even passive indifference.

And perhaps that was your actual goal. To test us. If it was you have your answer.

My instinct is to trust no one. Experience for the most part re-enforces that more times than not. However, like Moonchild said, absolute distrust negates any possibility of collaboration. However, I am tired of having my trust and faith, and confidence in people invested in direct opposition to my instincts continuously shattered.

I want to believe most people want freedom and flexibility but a lot of the time it seems everyone just wants either anarchy or complete authoritarian rule. On the latter the specific flavor may be in dispute but it seems to be the most desired when anarchy looses its short-term appeal. I don't WANT to be a dictator or the supreme arbitor of what people should or shouldn't do. I haven't wanted that for nearly a decade as I grew and developed a sense of what is actually important.

But if shit like this keeps up I suppose I will have to pick one or the other.
Last edited by New Tobin Paradigm on 2021-07-23, 17:55, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by RealityRipple » 2021-07-23, 17:54

You guys are expecting users to know how to open a zip file that isn't named ".zip". They don't. That's literally it.

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Automatic Pale Moon Add-on Conversion

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2021-07-23, 17:58

We aren't going to get baited into a technological discussion as that distracts from the points here. So don't even try that, dude.

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