I think this is bad for the general population. Chrome is already planning to disable uBlock origin and many folks I know were ready to move browsers to Firefox to keep uBlock functionality. Now if uBlock is removed from Firefox extension store as well, there is no clear path to execute it from Github on managed machines. Sure if you are a developer and have admin rights, you can get it to work on Firefox, but a lot of people don't.
Gorhill pulls uBlock Origin Lite from Firefox store
231–240 of 442 posts
Re: Gorhill pulls uBlock Origin Lite from Firefox store
#232Earlier quoted context omitted.
Exactly. And this is why we need paid browsers. If the ad-supported/donation-supported browsers like Firefox need to apply low-quality automated solutions to approving/rejecting even their most popular addons, then clearly the business model isn't working.
...except there is no evidence that paid, manual review works. Closest thing we have is Apple's App Store, which infamously has manual review cycles worse than an automated malware checker: https://www.pcmag.com/news/beware-theres-a-fake-lastpass-app... This is why you should be happy that you don't pay for a browser.
Anecdotes are not data, and requiring perfection is a really odd bar for working or not working.
Re: Gorhill pulls uBlock Origin Lite from Firefox store
#233Earlier quoted context omitted.
But now it's not even possible to use the add-on in Firefox for Android, as only add-ons from AMO can be installed.
I was curious if trying to load it via file:///storage/emulated/0/Download/... would work (as my recollection is that .xpi installation is content-type: sensitive) but insult-to-injury is that FF Nightly for Android searches for the string "file:///storage...", so they seemingly have nuked even the file: protocol handler for Android. Good times over there at Mozilla
file:/// is gone in Firefox Android since at least 2 years ago. I discovered it a few days ago https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1806171
It works in Chrome on my Android 11 phone.
Re: Gorhill pulls uBlock Origin Lite from Firefox store
#234If I understand the timeline correctly here, it seems that gorhill overreacted, and I say that as someone who is usually harshly critical of everything Mozilla has done in the past 5+ years. It's hardly practical for Mozilla to manually review every add-on revision for safety in a timely manner, so they had the choice between automation and delays that would make add-on development a slog; automation though inevitabl…
I think it’s reasonable to expect that one of Firefox’s most popular extension publishers gets a higher tier of review service. Gorhill (and other top extension devs) are providing real value to Firefox, and have demonstrated good behavior for years. This doesn’t mean they should get to publish whatever they want, but if a reviewer is about to reject a high profile plugin, they should get a second set of eyes on it.…
Firefox is a thick wrapper around the core functionality of uBlock on Android. Without uBlock, the case for using Firefox is very weak.
Re: Gorhill pulls uBlock Origin Lite from Firefox store
#235I manage a medium-sized browser extension at work. We also offer(ed) it on Firefox. But I have spent the past year struggling to get back into Mozilla store after a manual review. As far as I can tell, there are maybe two reviewers that are based in Europe (Romania?). The turn around time is long when I am in the US, and it has been rife with this same kind of "simple mistake" that takes 2 weeks to resolve. "You need…
Also had these issues when working on my previous job's extension. The Firefox review process was a real nightmare to work with. Same heavy delays and misunderstandings your mentioned. Eventually the company just stopped updating the Firefox extension as often since usage was low and the review process was such a pain. Unfortunate for me, as the only engineer (maybe employee) at that company that used Firefox.
Same here. We even had a special "mini" Firefox version that didn't require any additional Javascript build step, to make the review easy. But there were so many issues with the review and so few users that we just decided to give up.
Re: Gorhill pulls uBlock Origin Lite from Firefox store
#236I think this is bad for the general population. Chrome is already planning to disable uBlock origin and many folks I know were ready to move browsers to Firefox to keep uBlock functionality. Now if uBlock is removed from Firefox extension store as well, there is no clear path to execute it from Github on managed machines. Sure if you are a developer and have admin rights, you can get it to work on Firefox, but a lot…
Per the article, uBlock Origin is still in the Firefox store at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ublock-origin... ; it's the lighter MV3-based uBlock Origin Lite that was removed. So the general population can continue to use the full Origin.
And because the original non-lite uBlock Origin supports much more complicated rulesets, it should be effective even without code updates... but it still is concerning that the same Mozilla errors that caused Origin Lite to be flagged might extend to time-sensitive updates to the original Origin as well.
Re: Gorhill pulls uBlock Origin Lite from Firefox store
#237Earlier quoted context omitted.
> But this is not about a high profile plugin. The high profile plugin is "uBlock Origin", and this is about "uBlock Origin Lite", which is a big thing for Chrome, but not for Firefox. Why would anyone want to use uBOL, when they have the option to use uBO? uBlock Origin requires giving the extension full read and write permissions on every site you visit, which is a huge liability, security-wise. uBlock Origin Lite…
To have a reviewer under your employ that doesn’t know what UBO is or it’s dev, makes me feel pretty confident in siding with gorilla on this, but I hope that he does calm down a bit and put the extension back up.
> in siding with gorilla on this
Off topic, but this is such a funny autocomplete accident :)
Re: Gorhill pulls uBlock Origin Lite from Firefox store
#238Is it even possible to connect to the public Internet in a way that isn’t completely compromised by a corporation or state? TOR is busted at this point DNS have been MITMed Almost all hosts are under the control of a few players who are compelled by their respective states for ubiquitous and server monitoring Any advertised IP has to have tons of routing info and local pointers so local hosting is just as risky if no…
Nostr.
Re: Gorhill pulls uBlock Origin Lite from Firefox store
#239Without Gorhill's uBlock Origin, the internet would be a really awful place. Thank you, Raymond!
Re: Gorhill pulls uBlock Origin Lite from Firefox store
#240The sooner people realize Mozilla is not your friend, the better. They’ve been compromised by the Google money. Want an alternative to Chromium? Go support Servo or Ladybird, Firefox can’t be saved.
Seems a bit extremist. I get being mad at microsoft for trying to charge for their software (gasp). I also get being mad at Chrome for trying to monetize their software (gasp) with ads. But now if you somehow get upset at Mozilla, it's more likely that you are the problem.
According to your argument, if Gorhill gets upset at Mozilla, then Gorhill is the problem? Who is the extremist here?