Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

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EMH_Mark_I
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Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by EMH_Mark_I » 2019-09-10, 00:29

Would anyone know of a User Agent extension that simply adjusts the browser agent string and has nothing to do with javascript, cookies, canvasing, or anything privacy related? Just simply change the browsers user agent and nothing more. There are some sites that I have to work with (not by my choice) that have ridiculous requirements and demand Google Chrome.

I've used Eclipsed Moon for a long while now, but either by setting the UA to chrome or perhaps the additional privacy settings that it applies, I've realized that it will cause some sites such as GitHub to break in some areas; namely the issue tracker comment box where attaching files stops working as well as the text formatting controls and preview button.

An ON/OFF toggle to switch between the native UA and the false UA would do well enough for me.

Thank-you
Devuan Ceres | XFCE4
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Nigaikaze
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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by Nigaikaze » 2019-09-10, 00:54

If it's a finite number of sites that you're talking about that you want to use a Chrome-ish useragent for, and you know the domains for each of the sites, you don't need an extension for that. You can set up useragent override preferences in about:config for them. Just open about:config, create a new string called general.useragent.override.insertyourdomainnamehere.com (where "insertyourdomainnamehere" is , of course, whatever domain that site uses), and give the string a value of whatever Chrome useragent you want to use for that domain.
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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by John connor » 2019-09-10, 02:18

I use and highly recommend UAControl and its companion Useragent JS Fixer.

Grab this extension to get them: https://github.com/JustOff/ca-archive/releases

Not sure if the JS fixer add-on really does anything, but I have it installed anyway. I need to see how to test it. But UAControl makes PM a lot easier to use with UA sniffing bastard websites. No pref crap to mess with. By default, all websites should think I'm using the latest FF in Win 10 and to a few others where there's an issue I have to use another UA or simply not forge it at all which is the case for Github. You have to use "Normal" for Github. They now don't like my forged UA.
Last edited by John connor on 2019-09-10, 02:21, edited 1 time in total.

doofy
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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by doofy » 2019-09-10, 02:20

That's how I use Eclipsed Moon.
Turn off everything except Static Mode, enter a value there that I want, and use it as a toolbar toggle.

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EMH_Mark_I
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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by EMH_Mark_I » 2019-09-10, 02:52

doofy wrote:
2019-09-10, 02:20
Turn off everything except Static Mode, enter a value there that I want, and use it as a toolbar toggle.
Oh wow I didn't realize I could do that. OK well this solves it for me; thanks!

And thanks everyone else for your help. Eclipsed Moon is here to stay :thumbup:
Devuan Ceres | XFCE4
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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by gepus » 2019-09-10, 12:15

Reminder

All Pale Moon users using an User Agent faker for general browsing are in fact harming Pale Moon.
I doesn't need a genius to understand why! Think about it!

For specific sites which need a faked User Agent in order to work, see the above post of Nigaikaze (SSUAO = Site Specific User Agent Override).

User Agent extensions have only the delimited justification (except you want to harm Pale Moon on purpose) for testing sites which won't work with Pale Moon's default User Agent because of browser sniffing.

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EMH_Mark_I
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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by EMH_Mark_I » 2019-09-10, 12:34

gepus wrote:
2019-09-10, 12:15
Reminder

All Pale Moon users using an User Agent faker for general browsing are in fact harming Pale Moon.
Thanks for the reminder Gepus. It wasn't my intention to fake the UA at all times, which was in part why I was looking for something that was simple with an ON/OFF toggle. I'll give Nigaikaze's recommendation a try though, it should work just as well if so.
Devuan Ceres | XFCE4
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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by vannilla » 2019-09-10, 12:36

gepus wrote:
2019-09-10, 12:15
Reminder

All Pale Moon users using an User Agent faker for general browsing are in fact harming Pale Moon.
I doesn't need a genius to understand why! Think about it!
Native mode or get out! :lol:
(It's a joke of course, don't take me seriously... though I do browse in native mode, instead of Firefox or Gecko compatibility.)

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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by Isengrim » 2019-09-10, 12:51

vannilla wrote:
2019-09-10, 12:36
Native mode or get out! :lol:
(It's a joke of course, don't take me seriously... though I do browse in native mode, instead of Firefox or Gecko compatibility.)
You should use the sarvasm tag for stuff like this. ;)

And now I'm reconsidering switching UA compat from Firefox to Native... though Firefox compat isn't totally harmful, as it still contains the PM and Goanna slices in the UA.
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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by coffeebreak » 2019-09-10, 14:02

Isengrim wrote:
2019-09-10, 12:51
And now I'm reconsidering switching UA compat from Firefox to Native
I've used Native mode for several years and really haven't seen a downside to it.
Yes, sometimes a site does need an override with Native, but that's true of Compat mode as well, and as to which mode needs it more often, it's always struck me as being about equal.

I do also use an extension (in my case, PrefBar) for quick testing, and it's a considerable time-saver and convenience.
Personally I wouldn't discourage anyone from using a similar extension. It's merely a question of how it's used.
For anyone interested, there is a thread with several recommendations + relevant links here.

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adesh
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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by adesh » 2019-09-10, 16:17

I only use Native mode for advocacy reasons and haven't experienced any issues with websites. But then I don't visit "popular" websites except GitHub. (I know that there are some user agent overrides built in Pale Moon by default and I don't fiddle with them.)

Having said that, Firefox Compatibility mode is default for a reason and should be used by the average computer user. Native mode is for people who know what they are doing.

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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by back2themoon » 2019-09-10, 17:04

Default mode is probably preferred "for advocacy reasons". Because many more people would be using it.

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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by gepus » 2019-09-10, 18:14

Native compatibility mode would be ideal but it might complicate life for average users.
By harmful I meant an User Agent with absolute no reference to Goanna and Pale Moon like those of User Agent extensions.
Pale Moon's default compatibility setting should be fine for most users and for most of the time.

An User Agent extension (I have myself one installed) is fine as long as it used only for quick testing.
Unfortunately, many average users
- out of naivety use an User Agent faker to increase their privacy forgetting about other much more important vectors like their IP address to begin with
- change their User Agent for whatever reason but forget to revert to the default one

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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by doofy » 2019-09-10, 18:32

I run in native mode nearly all the time. Very occasionally a site might not let me in, so I hit a toolbar button and am immediately latest firefox.
And Eclipsed Moon's button is very clear about what state it's in.

Another thing about U/A switchers is that their lists are hopelessly out of date. EM's latest ff for example is 52.
If anyone's interested - this is the best resource for up to date U/A's I've ever found:
https://techblog.willshouse.com/2012/01 ... er-agents/

Herb_

Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by Herb_ » 2019-09-11, 06:30

uMatrix contains a cute user-agent function under privacy settings.
You can edit the list of agents as you like and define an automated switch time in minutes.
Simply cool :)

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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by coffeebreak » 2019-09-11, 11:17

Herb_ wrote:
2019-09-11, 06:30
uMatrix contains a cute user-agent function under privacy settings.
This feature of older uMatrix (for constantly rotating UA strings) isn't really designed to do what EMH_Mark_I asked for in the original post: > a User Agent extension that simply adjusts the browser agent string and has nothing to do with ... anything privacy related? Just simply change the browsers user agent and nothing more. There are some sites that I have to work with (not by my choice) that have ridiculous requirements and demand Google Chrome.

More generally... Gorhill reconsidered the viability of that UA spoofing feature and removed it from uMatrix almost two years ago (since v1.1.14).

Herb_

Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by Herb_ » 2019-09-12, 14:49

The one offered at caa, just does what the the thread starter is requesting.
You define which single dedicated agent you want and you can even put the change time to 20000. In fact nothing rotates.
Everything is up to yourself.

If Gorhill changed his mind about this, thats fine, however it's available.

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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by coffeebreak » 2019-09-13, 01:07

Herb_ wrote:
2019-09-12, 14:49
The one offered at caa...
That would be v1.1.4 & earlier.
I'm familiar with the feature and realize that it can be edited in uMatrix' dashboard and repurposed to use a single dedicated UA. Nevertheless that's not the kind of use the feature was designed for and this is reflected in how it is accessed.

What's lacking is the ease of access of alternate tools that allow to just toggle a button that is always in sight.
Both to edit and to turn it on/off require going into the dashboard. The lack of convenience increases the risk that a person will forget to change the UA back to its original state after leaving the problem site, and even of forgetting entirely that the UA was ever changed. It happens.

As a final point...
People who happen to have uMatrix 1.1.4 installed will already be familiar with this feature and have their own opinions on how/whether to use it. But for those who don't have it installed (probably most people), this very secondary and deprecated user agent feature is not a reason to install a content blocker.

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Re: Looking for a very simple User Agent extension

Unread post by vannilla » 2019-09-13, 06:50

Off-topic:
There is a version of uMatrix available directly from APMO/ABO, so I don't see why one would use CAA... ;)

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