Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

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kla87
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Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by kla87 » 2018-12-24, 09:13

Aside from justoffs brilliant archive (I can't currently run a browser that supports it), is there any way to retrieve the lost extensions?

THanks

Legacy Collector

Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by Legacy Collector » 2018-12-25, 23:13

I'm working on setting something up :)

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2018-12-26, 04:29

Later this (next) year I will be launching the famed Phoenix Extensions Archive. The most complete repository of Firefox extensions that will exist on the planet. JustOff and this newcomer will not be able to compare.

Mainly because I have a copy of both late 2014 + Mid 2018 datastores of all extensions. Obviously, I am busy on other things but it will come.. The best thing about it is it won't require an extension to use or be obfuscated by a at least three layers so you have no idea WHERE it is coming from as well as not being dependent on third party good faith hosting that may disappear any time for any reason.

The difficult aspect is de-duplicating 2014 vs 2018 and removing the webextensions and webex versions of established extensions. There is also the aspect of some extensions not having any real metadata beyond install.rdf for those that disappeared from existence between 2014 and 2018.

This will be a service of thereisonlyxul.org sponsored by Binary Outcast. It will have a provision to delist extensions at the original developer or copyright holder's request because they aren't all open source and I must have a good faith method of doing this as to not get slapped with DMCA and other bs. STILL.. There were many extensions lost between 2014 and 2018 and everyone started their efforts in late 2017 while I have the forethought to keep this on the backburner way before everyone else simply because:

I am Tobin.
NO ONE CAN STOP ME!
Last edited by New Tobin Paradigm on 2018-12-26, 04:40, edited 5 times in total.

doofy
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Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by doofy » 2018-12-26, 04:51

I'd like to take this opportunity, again, to thank JustOff for CAA.

A superb piece of work. Thank you.

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2018-12-26, 04:59

Of course JustOff deserves quite a bit of praise for taking up the call to get something out so quickly. I wish I could have but it isn't where the cards fell.. I have all the XPIs but they need deduplicated and minimal metadata collected from those without anyway..

ALSO, the Phoenix Extension Archive is directly blocked by Phoebus development. Both in priority and by needing a stripped down version of the technology. At the very least, no matter the degree, Mozilla's destruction was broadly unsuccessful. THAT is what is important here.. Far more than my grand standing virtue signaling.

Legacy Collector

Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by Legacy Collector » 2018-12-26, 09:36

I think people want something sooner than "somewhere next year" -- people posting extensions on fora everywhere is evidence of that.
At least to breach the gap until this proclaimed superior version of the archive I'm setting up a web site that has at least the versions of the legacy extensions I managed to salvage (which is approximately 9000 of them) and having stripped web extensions from add-ons that had both types (since those are not relevant; they weren't removed).

Also, this is for the benefit of all forks, rebuilds and people on older Firefoxes, not just Pale Moon - in fact, Pale Moon is a secondary concern, and I'd prefer to get word out on Mozillazine as well but they apparently blocked new registrations with an unanswerable verification question (no matter what you answer it is wrong, even if it's right).

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2018-12-26, 10:12

Mozillazine will end you if you advertise your subset of latest versions of xul extensions archive.. Are you serious?!

Also, Pale Moon often requires a non-australis version of Firefox targeted extensions so your subset archive is less useful than JustOff's solution.. ALSO, I am sorry that I can only do so much at one time.. You obviously have no clue who I am or what I do so that can be overlooked but it is still annoying to me personally but let me tell you anyway.

I am responsible for the initial ground work on porting Pale Moon to Tycho (v27) as well as UXP (v28) as well as porting the non-fucked webex infected Add-ons Manager from Tycho and UXP.

I am also the sole creator and coder (but no longer Add-ons Team Leader) of the Pale Moon Add-ons Site and Project Phoebus which I have been working on for a good long while now.. Indeed I have coding on it all evening and night (from 18:23 to 04:45) working on the last major component needed to launch Phoebus 2.0 - The Unified Add-ons Site Software that will serve Pale Moon, Basilisk, Borealis (future), Interlink, and Ambassador. (It's code will also serve as a basic for the Phoenix Extensions Archive on thereisonlyxul.org)

Speaking of I am also the developer of the Interlink Mail & News client and at some point the Borealis Navigator, the extensions ABPrime, The New DOM Inspector, and Profile Switcher. In the past I helped with foundation development of FossaMail 25 as well as worked and continuing development on a fork of the Mozilla Cross-Reference and so much more.

Oh and I also saw the writing on the wall years before anyone else. Which is why I have the late 2014 datastore of extensions from Mozilla.

So yes, I am busy serving the community at large and only recently started doing some of my own projects again after a completely non-productive 2017. What are you doing, hmm? Gonna put a few dozen to a few hundred latest version XPIs which likely don't work on Pale Moon anyway up on the internets? I have ALL the previous versions.

Very few grasp scope like I do and since you are ignorant of Mozillazine and very likely ignorant of this Project and larger ecosystem as well as what I wrote above.. Don't give me shit because I can't throw together a website to serve between 12k and 24.7k extensions over night in a sustainable way with no external dependencies from code, save some libraries, written from scratch.

ANYWAY, for those interested my intended target is hopefully the end of Q3 2019 if not sooner for the Phoenix Extension Archive.
Last edited by New Tobin Paradigm on 2018-12-26, 10:26, edited 14 times in total.

Legacy Collector

Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by Legacy Collector » 2018-12-26, 10:50

Like I said, this is at least to bridge the gap. I understand you are busy. Especially if it's Q3 2019, then having this in the interim will be a good thing.
I'm not entirely sure why you or anyone else would want to dismiss a listing by name of all legacy extensions with most different versions of them that were published listed, with their stated add-on descriptions from AMO.
Yes it means you have to know what you are looking for. It's an archive, and like a library you generally have to know what book you want to be able to find it.

doofy
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Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by doofy » 2018-12-26, 18:16

Legacy Collector wrote:Like I said, this is at least to bridge the gap.
Your work is appreciated.
Please continue to keep us informed, and let us know when you go live.

Thx.

Michaell
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Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by Michaell » 2018-12-26, 19:05

I agree. An alternative could not hurt in the immediate sense, and might even be beneficial long term. I do use CAA but it also is just a temporary workaround in its current extension format. Legacy Collector, any chance you could give us a sample of what you're working on?
Win10home(1709), PM33.0.0-portable as of Feb 1, '24

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2018-12-26, 20:51

You guys are idiots you know that.. Some loser comes out of nowhere and you all just jump on their bandwagon.. He is gonna use JustOff's work and create an inferior solution somewhere and you have no idea what the hell he may be doing to them..

I bet it is either a piss poor html listing page or a page for page clone of what JustOff created. He just wants his 15 minutes of fame and doesn't give two shits about you guys or this project.

I am here for the fuckin long haul and JustOff? Well he did a damn good job with what he had and could get his hands on.. but even he doesn't have what I do and maybe when I get time I will remedy that.

Really makes me want to work 16 hour days nearly every day for free for you people..

Also Mister Legacy Collector.. Dunno if you heard but XUL technology isn't legacy here it is the past, present, and future and only I have the closest definition to "all of them" because as I stated, I have every add-on that was on AMO in 2014 and a lot of them dropped off the face of the planet over the four years before they all went bye bye from AMO..

Additionally, i thought you only had the latest versions of what you had saved? But now you are gonna have all versions of all extensions.. You sir, like I said, are either going to steal JustOff's work or you are simply a glory seeking incompetent.
Last edited by New Tobin Paradigm on 2018-12-26, 21:04, edited 4 times in total.

kla87
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Re: Retrieving -XUL- Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by kla87 » 2018-12-26, 22:34

It's quite honestly awesome to see how members of the community are stepping up in light of Mozilla's blunderous process. It is and will be so very much appreciated.

Long-standing community members who have devoted themselves to progress have gained the community's trust and have contributed greatly. The scope of Tobin's project seems awesome, and justoff's work is also so very much appreciated.

Without a hash record for xul addons, it is indeed a little bit daunting to download from sources that are not as well established in the community. This is not to say such sources will not be totally legit and really helpful, however. I had hoped there was some intermediate workaround that dealt with direct extensions from the original catalog or something of the like. It appears from the responses there is none, and I have been unsuccessful attempting to download from archived pages.

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2018-12-26, 22:56

I have all the hashes from Mozilla's AMO API for the 2018 incarnation but not for the 2014.. Such an extensively exploitable API didn't exist back then.

Eather way, it is not in my best intrest to screw over people in the community since everything about me is public record and easily obtainable because I am a real person who exists.

Here is what I will do in the meantime, I will amass a basic database relating slug name with AMO ID with glob listing links to the 2014 and 2018 xpi files to tide people over until a proper deduplication and webex purging with searching can be done. It will be basic, adhoc, but should serve with a ctrl+f find.

Let me finish the PANEL component of Phoebus first and get 2.0 launched.

Then I will do the adhoc Phoenix site with what I have as-is and make it 10 times better later.
Last edited by New Tobin Paradigm on 2018-12-26, 23:14, edited 8 times in total.

Legacy Collector

Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by Legacy Collector » 2018-12-27, 00:26

Good grief. Do something for a community I get slapped for thanks? :shock:
I'm not sure where this aggression comes from, but I'm not going to sit here and fight with someone who obviously knows nothing about what I've done and feels like I'm somehow creating some sort of great injustice by spending my money setting this up and spending my time collecting all extensions and finding some ways to generate a site from over 9000 entries to provide something to users who now resort to ad hoc posting of extensions on fora.

I'm not seeking 15 minutes of fame. I'm not ripping anyone off, either. And I'm more than happy to forward people to the archive of Mr. "You are idiots" New Tobin Paradigm once it has been set up in all its going-to-be-superior glory. But in the meantime, let people have something they can download from with no frills. Feel free to check every single XPI if you wish; I have no ill intent. if you have all hashes for all add-ons, then by all means check every hash you wish.
But... If you don't trust my site, or if you think I should somehow prove that what I'm mirroring is exact copies of what was on addons.mozilla.org, or otherwise feel you need to bash my generous offer of having something available for those who need it, then by all means, please ignore me.

For those who do want to check it out or appreciate it, without further ado: http://legacycollector.org/firefox-addons/

P.S.: What you may not call "legacy", the publishers who have abandoned it do. Just because something is called legacy doesn't mean it's obsolete or useless, but they choose to call it that way.
Last edited by Legacy Collector on 2018-12-27, 06:35, edited 2 times in total.

doofy
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Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by doofy » 2018-12-27, 00:46

Legacy Collector wrote:Do something for a community I get slapped for thanks?
Only by one poster. Stick around here for a while; you'll soon see the pattern...
Legacy Collector wrote:For those who do want to check it out or appreciate it, without further ado: http://legacycollector.org/firefox-addons/
Thx. Bookmarked.

Michaell
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Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by Michaell » 2018-12-27, 00:51

Thanks. Although simple and lacking details, it'll give people a place to which to share links for specifc extensions. Maybe even allow posting of updates?


update: checked a few files and the hashes all match :thumbup:
Last edited by Michaell on 2018-12-27, 03:11, edited 1 time in total.
Win10home(1709), PM33.0.0-portable as of Feb 1, '24

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2018-12-27, 00:52

Welp, that is a thing now.. No point to my basic solution to the situation.. I'll return to my original schedule for next year then.

Not like anything I could throw together in a few days could beat that except for a lot more than 9000 or so.. Plus those lost.

JustOff's extension is superior to that cloudflare obfiscated site with privacy whois info. It has search and ~13k extensions.

So nevermind. I have work to do to provide a living Add-ons Site to five or so applications. Archive later this year.

EDIT - This Anti-Tobinism is getting really old guys. I have kept or in the active process of keeping every promise and commitment I have ever made going on five years now. Show some fucking gratitude once in a while. Two years after I tried to quit and move on. But no all you want is instant gratification handed to you on a silver platter.

It takes little skill to do what this Legacy Collector has done but I want to do more and do it right. Not to swoop in out of nowhere and save the day and get instant praise for doing a half-assed job and then either disappear into the ether or spam my shit all over the place which are the only two outcomes to this for him..

I am angry because I knew this would be half-assed and I knew it would be praised never the less and I knew that doofy or others like him would do what they do best.

I know how this always goes the moment I criticize anything or anyone.

My time and work really is too good for you selfish diluded overly vocal malcontents. Luckily for every one of you who goes against me at every turn there are hundreds of others who appreciate the work we all have spent years doing with little to no compensation for our collective efforts.

To those who are lurking about who have to read this (because you still have the capability of reading and understanding) I am sorry to draw your attention to yet another spectical of bullshit you could have done without in your lives. I will continue working on your behalf for the benefit of everyone even those who surely don't deserve it.

And posting less of course.
Last edited by New Tobin Paradigm on 2018-12-27, 01:40, edited 7 times in total.

Thehandyman1957

Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by Thehandyman1957 » 2018-12-27, 02:27

Don't take it too hard Tobin, it is the way of the world these days.

In the RV solar business, there are lots of cheap solar and inverter systems on the net.
And lots of back door installers to install em, and lots of people buy that junk.
But there will always be those who understand quality has a price.
I install huge systems every day and sadly, most customers don't
have a clue of the amount of work that goes into making it all work.

Sometimes it is frustrating to see how little some folks care about some of
the best installs in the industry. But the biggest deal for me is knowing it
was the best they could get, and that I did it. And then there are those
who are truly appreciative and understand and give the atta boys (and tips) :thumbup:

So keep doing what you do best, and know that there are those who truly
appreciate what you do here. If folks want a cheap burger, then let them eat
cheap burgers. If they want a steak, then they have to wait! :mrgreen:

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2018-12-27, 03:53

You make a delicious point Thehandyman1957 thanks.

Legacy Collector

Re: Retrieving Legacy Extensions from the Digital Void

Unread post by Legacy Collector » 2018-12-27, 06:50

Tobin: you might show some fucking gratitude yourself once in a while. You set out to bash me one way or another (either claiming I'd rip off Justoff or, failing that being the case, deeming it bad) and that is what you've done. Congratulations.

As far as I understand, JustOff's solution might be fantastic but won't work unless you install an extension for it, so it won't work for other browsers or for people who just want to download copies and not install it.

If it's about numbers, I'll be happy to add more -- this is what I could put together on short notice. The hardest part was grabbing thousands of extensions and their descriptions. If anyone is actually interested in seeing more added that are missing and that actually matter to have, since most of what's there is very old as it is anyway, then e-mail me or send me a private message on here.

Also, I already said this is a solution in the interim. People can eat cheap burgers or go hungry at this point while they wait for the glorious steak in Q3.
People have been asking for this kind of thing everywhere for weeks, ever since Mozilla pulled the content -- I provided something. You don't have to like that something for it being simple in execution, but it's better than trying to find it somewhere on fora, if someone has actually posted it anywhere, or otherwise being out of luck or needing to scrounge it off of a friend's drive if they happen to like the same ones.
Last edited by Legacy Collector on 2018-12-27, 07:10, edited 5 times in total.

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