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Firefox 57.0 Released

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Re: Firefox 57.0 Released

#281

Post by Yoric »

wpietri wrote: post #248
Yoric wrote: post #238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, this would have meant no Firefox Quantum. As a Firefox dev (I'm still working at Mozilla, although not much on Firefox atm), I have seen many, many occurrences in which I couldn't optimize codepaths, or even in some case fix bugs, because the old extension mechanism made it impossible. Consider the necessary steps: 1. realize that an internal API is broken; 2. come up with a new non-broken API; 3. port…

I'm sure you'll hear a zillion complaints, but I really appreciate you folks doing this. I've been using a beta version for the last few months on one of my computers and it's so very much better. I can't wait to have it everywhere. As long as you're here: I was told that the old extension API was way too broad, locking in a lot of design choices that were not really considered from the "do we want to maintain this f…

(thanks :) )

> As long as you're here: I was told that the old extension API was way too broad, locking in a lot of design choices that were not really considered from the "do we want to maintain this for years and years" perspective. And that the new one is much more focused and considered. Is that the case?

Definitely. The old extension mechanism was basically "here is the toolkit we are using to build Firefox, come and plug anywhere/replace anything". If my memory serves correctly, at the time, Mozilla Browser/Firefox was (almost) the only browser doing any kind of extensions (I'm not counting M3 and a few experimental/academic browsers), so there was no real precedent on how to do this.

For a time, it worked extremely well. After all, much of today's Firefox is built from add-ons that were progressively integrated in the browser. And then, progressively, we realized that there were drawbacks to this "anything goes" approach, but we couldn't fix things because that would mean breaking thousands of add-ons.

So, after many years trying to postpone the inevitable for the sake of our users, we finally switched to a much better defined API. This WebExtension API is much smaller, much better documented, and does not expose internals-only stuff. Which means that now, we can fix internals-only stuff without breaking the API. Which should make the life of both Firefox developers, add-on developers and users much better :)

Re: Firefox 57.0 Released

#282

Post by yellowapple »

m1r0 wrote: post #179
barrkel wrote: post #7

Hopefully most of the missing extensions will be developed sooner rather than later. I have 15 extensions installed, 14 of which are "Legacy". The most critical one, Tree Style Tabs, has been converted. That was the key blocker that prevented me from seriously using Chrome. But many more remain; Cookie Controller, RefControl, some kind of Classic Theme Restorer equivalent (to get a menu bar back for Bookmarks, at a m…

There is a similar plugin(like Tree style tabs) for Chrome - Tabs Outliner https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tabs-outliner/eggk... I was a Firefox zealot before they decided to go in this direction. For me Chrome does all the things FF does but much faster(at the moment).

Looks like it still uses a separate window, which is less than ideal, for me at least.

Re: Firefox 57.0 Released

#283

Post by karrotwaltz »

barrkel wrote: post #7

Hopefully most of the missing extensions will be developed sooner rather than later. I have 15 extensions installed, 14 of which are "Legacy". The most critical one, Tree Style Tabs, has been converted. That was the key blocker that prevented me from seriously using Chrome. But many more remain; Cookie Controller, RefControl, some kind of Classic Theme Restorer equivalent (to get a menu bar back for Bookmarks, at a m…

Alright. Is anyone else here using Firefox's master password and found a solution in FF57?

I have been using Master Password+ extension for a very long time, but without it using a master password is hell. I had a lot of other modules, but this one was the reason I was still using firefox.

The annoying password prompt taking focus like popups in IE every time you open the navigator or a website you are not logged in is just crazy. It is annoying enough that I am asking myself if anyone at Mozilla even using Firefox accounts and master passwords.

Does anyone have a nice sync alternative to firefox accounts that include bookmarks and passwords (and it would be even better if I can sync using a git repo)

Re: Firefox 57.0 Released

#284

Post by developer2 »

nicoburns wrote: post #113
iterati wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The right thing to do would have been to work on those extensions BEFORE breaking users' experience.

Totally agree with this. I think it was a mistake on Mozilla's part not to put more effort into extension parity before the switch-over. But I'm relatively optimistic for the future.

Mozilla absolutely made the right decision to dump a decade's worth of legacy code to improve performance, and make the future happen now. Let's be real: had they supported legacy extensions, extension developers would ignore porting until Mozilla finally said "that's been long enough, we're removing legacy support". The result is simply that the rough transition happens now instead of a couple of years down the line.

Every popular extension will be ported within a matter of weeks, worst case scenario 2-3 months for those that are unabanonded, but less popular. If you are missing a deal-breaker extension, then don't upgrade yet... how is that a bad thing? "But I want the latest and greatest, super fast Firefox now - with all my extensions!". Talk about wanting to have one's cake and eat it too. The new Firefox wouldn't be new and improved if it was backwards-compatible with the stone age.

Re: Firefox 57.0 Released

#286

Post by gschier »

seanalltogether wrote: post #229
Mizza wrote: post #65

I just upgraded. It completely changes the chrome of the browser on OSX and it is _absolutely hideous_. There are a lots of unnecessary animations that I find very jarring. I don't know if there's a way to change it back yet. UPDATE: There is a "Customize Firefox" button which allows modifying the theme, which fixes the colors, but not the shape of the tabs or the animations. UPDATE: In about:config, you can disable…

I'm a bit annoyed by the dark header bar now, they previously only used that for private windows, now it appears they use it for both.

You can change it to "light" in the prefs :)

Re: Firefox 57.0 Released

#287

Post by disconnected »

Tomte wrote: post #128
iterati wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The right thing to do would have been to work on those extensions BEFORE breaking users' experience.

Mozilla doesn't create all those extensions. And the extensions' authors had, what, two years advance warning or so? Criticize the real culpits, not Mozilla.

Look at this from a user perspective:

The user diligently updates Firefox, optimistically hoping that this new version will be as awesome as the previous ones that vastly improved performance. Firefox starts and, suddenly, a bunch of things that used to work stop working.

Why?

Well, essentially, something that they can't hope to comprehend and that they never asked for and had no input on just ruined their browser.

What do you think they are going to conclude? That extension developers are to blame?

Nope.

Their conclusions are going to be something along these lines:

"Those idiots (Mozilla) broke Firefox... again"

"Firefox 57 is a buggy piece of Turd"

"I'm tired of dealing with this shit. I'm switching to Chrome"

Users won't blame the extension developers. They will blame Firefox.

Mozilla should have done a better job with this transition. "Upgrading" an extension to use the new API requires a complete rewrite, AFAIK.

It is TOTALLY unreasonable to expect that a bunch of developers - who probably are doing this for free - are going to be able to quickly migrate their extension to the new API - especially considering that the API isn't even stable yet, and is missing a ton of functionality.

This is the mother of all breakages. Mozilla should've tried to smooth this transition, not just simply pull the pin on the web extensions grenade and yell "Catch!".

They screwed this up big time. Time will tell what this will do to their ever shrinking market share.

Re: Firefox 57.0 Released

#288

Post by wickawic »

barosoa wrote: post #209
Exuma wrote: post #93

I trashtalked Firefox being slow forever, I just tried it out and I must say it's definitely very fast. Great work to the Firefox team.

Blisteringly fast. Great job FF team!

And apparently not all of the performance improvements are even integrated into the browser yet!

Re: Firefox 57.0 Released

#289

Post by wpietri »

Santosh83 wrote: post #156
SnowingXIV wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is what's holding me back from changing mostly. Honestly, lastpass is great for me but I almost wish built in browser password managers were better. I used to use Google Chrome's password manager but one time I synced with another computer or phone and everything got erased and there was no undoing it. I lost everything. Maybe syncing is better now but after that sync that thought "hey let's make sure everything…

High time that passwords management was integrated into the OS, where it belongs. These days its not just sites, but hundreds of apps too that want your passwords, and browser based extensions can't interface with other apps. On the other hand a standalone password manager has at best a flaky interaction with web pages inside a browser window, and often has to be supported by an in-broswer extension, adding to comple…

I use multiple OSes on a daily basis. I think most people do. The right time for OSes to solve this problem was circa 2000. After the mainstreaming of the smartphone in 2007, it was too late.
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