uBlock Origin Legacy wishlist/feature requests

[back2themoon]

This is an attempt to keep things as organised and realistic as possible. Adding features to the Legacy version is no easy task, so please consider it before posting. Add a single request per post, ideally with simpler features at first so more people might be attracted to "code them in". Of course, complex features can be added here, as long as they are well-documented (see research note below).

I am considering UCyborg's fork as our current default uBO Legacy version. As discussed in a recent topic, this may be changed/renamed/forked again in the future. Anyone is free to create their own fork obviously, it just seems better to concentrate on one version (I could be wrong here, I am no coder).

Please do your research before posting, and clearly describe the exact uBO version for Firefox where your desired feature was added with specific links, version numbers etc. I will kick things off with what seems to be a simple, mainly cosmetic feature:

Coloured and clearly marked or separated default entries in "My rules" and "Trusted sites" sections

This was not easy to track down. I had to painstakingly install old uBO for Firefox versions one after the other. I think I got close enough:

Whitelist - v.1.19.6 for Firefox (later renamed to "Trusted sites")

Whitelist - v.1.19.6 for Firefox.png

Whitelist - v.1.20.0 for Firefox: version 1.20.0

Whitelist - v.1.20.0 for Firefox.png

This seems like the related discussion, but I am not 100% sure. Still not good at identifying advanced things:
Hide predefined whitelist directives

The "My rules section" was changed later:

My rules - v.1.19.6 up to v.1.29.2 for Firefox:

My rules - v.1.19.6 up to v.1.29.2 for Firefox.png

My rules - v.1.30.0 for Firefox: version 1.30.0

My rules - v.1.30.0 for Firefox.png

Colours are added, but I am not sure what's going on with the sorting. Perhaps there is no separate sorting, as in "Trusted sites" or perhaps I should have added more user rules to see what happens. This discussion seems relevant but again, not 100% sure:
Add ability to view changes only in My Rules

Haven't noticed any other changes up to current Firefox version (v.1.63.2), although I only had a single user rule in this "My Rules" example/test session.

EDIT: For complex features, that may have required more than one uBO for Firefox versions to implement, fine-tune, bug-fix etc. please be as detailed as possible. This will help both:

a) Those capable to implement them
b) Those wishing to learn

...by having as much relevant information as possible, readily available. Thanks.

[moonbat]

I'd like the logger to be replicated from upstream. Proper filtering of entries and showing page structure (which is broken in the legacy/PM version)

[Pelican]

I would like to include Ublock Origin in a custom PM build, not as an "extension", but included in source for the build.

Is that possible?

[Moonchild]

I would like to include Ublock Origin in a custom PM build, not as an "extension", but included in source for the build.
Is that possible?

Possible but against our project's premise. It's not up to us to decide for our users which ad blocker to use and when.

[UCyborg]

Scriptlet injection should be done differently, currently those scripts are under mercy of websites' CSP and can be blocked this way.

[Pelican]

Possible but against our project's premise. It's not up to us to decide...

It can be optional (in Preferences). In any case, the custom browser is used by students and its limitations prevent it from ever being a popular/default browser. The removal of ads can be blessing. Students do not have the option of installing extensions, so any features like ad blocking will need to be added to browser source. If anyone is interested as a paid job... PM me for further discussion.

[moonbat]

Students do not have the option of installing extensions, so any features like ad blocking will need to be added to browser source

No, they won't, what you're talking is extreme overkill for a simple case of deploying the browser installation with an extension.

[Moonchild]

In addition, in a student environment, IT may additionally want to use custom deployment configuration to set it up properly for student use.
See Mike Kaply's set of documents for autoconfig which applies to Pale Moon.

[BenFenner]

I would like to include Ublock Origin in a custom PM build, not as an "extension", but included in source for the build.

Is that possible?

Go for it. Just make sure to call the browser something else (not "Pale Moon") and don't use any of the Pale Moon trademarks (images, icons, etc.). Basically, come up with your own branding and have a ball.

[moonbat]

Go for it. Just make sure to call the browser something else (not "Pale Moon") and don't use any of the Pale Moon trademarks (images, icons, etc.). Basically, come up with your own branding and have a ball.

It's all extreme overkill for his situation. which is merely to deploy an extension in a restricted environment.

[Pelican]

It's all extreme overkill for his situation.

I wasn't asking if anyone liked the idea. If anyone knows how to do it and wants a paid job, PM me.

[moonbat]

You'd be wasting your money for a needlessly complex solution that reduces rather than enhancing the end product's overall security, but it's your choice

[suzyne]

It can be optional (in Preferences). In any case, the custom browser is used by students and its limitations prevent it from ever being a popular/default browser.

I am most likely misunderstanding or short on imagination, but I am finding it challenging to think of a student or academic context where Pale Moon is being used? Would love to know more details!

[Pelican]

a needlessly complex solution that reduces rather than enhancing the end product's overall security

Imagine this... you have a custom browser that uses new language strings not available in PM. Then consider that to change language in PM that one needs to install a new extension each time if the browser is distributed with en-US as the default. Alternatively one could distribute a different browser for each language which would be a RPIA every time the browser is updated. But whoa! Lets create new extensions for each language... all 25 languages?

Either way, if the user needs to change language, they need to either download a different release of the browser or install their preferred language extension, which is beyond the scope of most users. In many cases they may be faced with a language that they do not understand. But my way works best for everybody because we release only one browser that already includes all languages. Then the tutor only needs to explain how to get to Preferences and select their preferred language.

This solution may have been complex to implement but it added less than 2 MB to the installer. So how is doing the same for recommended extensions like UBlock any different when considering that the user is not able to install any cheats that may be in the form of extensions or plugins?

[moonbat]

you have a custom browser that uses new language strings not available in PM

I don't understand - have you already forked PM, or are there languages you're customizing for that it doesn't support currently? You can distribute language extensions the same way using the <install folder>/distribution/extensions mechanism described earlier, and if it's about separate language extensions for different sets of users, that's something an external script can determine during deployment. To switch languages the user only has to restart the browser after choosing the language pack, no installation on their part involved.

The reason why adding extension functionality to the browser core isn't recommended is it increases the attack surface and maintenance requirements. This is a limitation Firefox faces thanks to their castrating XUL support; it's the reason you find all kinds of bloat from Pocket to built in PDF reader (that is a huge source of vulnerabilities) to popout windows for videos that would have better been served as separate extensions for only those who want these features. Pale Moon doesn't have this problem.

[back2themoon]

Somewhat expectedly, not a single post adhered to my proposed "format", and this quickly turned into yet another "talk about anything uBO" topic. That's ok I guess, so here's a recent experience.

Starting to see increasing blank/white spaces lately on some websites and also a novel anti-adblock message. My filterlists are carefully selected and updated. These issues do not appear on FF. Could be wrong, but I had to assume these were due to uBO Legacy limitations.

So, I resorted to AI. DeepSeek looks quite smarter on this. Visit this page:

https://techblog.gr/internet/ypochreoti ... epireazei/

You should see this at the bottom:

antiad.png

Couldn't remove it with the Element Picker because it kept regenerating. These two filters were suggested, and they worked (I asked for non-CPU intensive filters):

Code: Select all

techblog.gr##div[style*="position: fixed"][style*="bottom: 0"]
techblog.gr##div[style*="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0"]

This was also suggested for blank spaces:

Code: Select all

techblog.gr##.adsbygoogle:style(height: 0 !important; min-height: 0 !important; visibility: hidden !important)

I know, I should be able to figure these out myself (I want to) but for now, I'll have to resort to this as well.

[Gemmaugr]

Starting to see increasing blank/white spaces lately on some websites and also a novel anti-adblock message. My filterlists are carefully selected and updated. These issues do not appear on FF. Could be wrong, but I had to assume these were due to uBO Legacy limitations.

So, I resorted to AI. DeepSeek looks quite smarter on this. Visit this page:

https://techblog.gr/internet/ypochreoti ... epireazei/

You should see this at the bottom:

antiad.png

I don't see that at the bottom (nor on any other site*): https://files.catbox.moe/wk26wz.png

I'm using uBO with no special rules for that site (but could have more filterlists in place than you), but I also use eMatrix and blocking a lot of google third party stuff from that site which could be another reason I'm not seeing the same as you: https://files.catbox.moe/u5gdlz.png

*The only anti-adblock message I've seen at all is from https://www.raccoons.space/

[back2themoon]

Thanks for checking. Yes, a few times I might not see it too but it is fairly consistent here. Also using eMatrix, but it seems irrelevant in this case. At least for me.

[person45]

Version 1.16.6b1 doesn't work for me unless I log off youtube.

Can you make it work when someone is logged in? This allows a person to subscribe and write comments on youtube.

[back2themoon]

Version 1.16.6b1 doesn't work for me unless I log off youtube.

I doubt this is a uBO issue. It should work (or not), whether signed in or not. It does here. So, my suggestions:

1. Create a new topic about your issue.
2. Include this information: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2094
3. Include your list of enabled/disabled filterlists. One or some of them could be the cause of your issue.
4. Strangely enough, you haven't updated your uBO version to the latest, non-beta release. Do that.