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Google to reject Chrome extensions outside of Chrome Web Store

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Re: Google to reject Chrome extensions outside of Chrome Web Store

#31

Post by taway2012 »

ender7 wrote: post #24
taway2012 wrote: post #18

I am displeased by this change. Although the Firefox version of my extension is more work to develop, I will be pouring most of my resources into that in the future. I currently have a product that uses a Chrome extension to work. I am privately beta'ing it out by hosting it on my own website. Because I don't want to be killed with negative reviews of my unpolished first version in the Chrome store. Now I am forced t…

IIRC, the CWS allows you to distribute alphas and betas to a specific set of users.

Yeah, I looked into that. There doesn't seem to be a way to have a "hidden" extension whose URL isn't public, but which can be downloaded without signing into a Google account.

That sucks for people in my network who are being kind enough to test my software.

Instead of just messaging them on Facebook/Twitter/Skype/Email/SMS/iMessage/Linkedin with a URL, I need to find out their Google account and add it to a dashboard and they need to be logged in before they download.

Re: Google to reject Chrome extensions outside of Chrome Web Store

#32

Post by jeorgun »

SudoNick wrote: post #20
zobzu wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Firefox, Chromium.

I think Mozilla may be headed in the same direction. Add-on File Registration System: http://www.ghacks.net/2013/11/01/mozillas-add-file-registrat... Merging of AMO with Firefox Marketplace: http://www.ghacks.net/2013/10/26/thunderbird-seamonkey-kicke...

In Firefox's case, at least, it's clear that the only motive in doing so would be genuine concern for the safety of their users— Mozilla wouldn't have any incentive to stop people installing extensions that hurt their own business model.

Re: Google to reject Chrome extensions outside of Chrome Web Store

#34

Post by itcmcgrath »

Newky wrote: post #25

So for normal (non-admin) users there is no way to opt-in to this. I can't understand that. I don't think anyone would have a problem if this was a simple opt-in system like downloading unofficial apk's on android. Only a select few would be opting in, and those are not the core audience that Google is pretending to be security conscious about. Giving no ability to switch on this ability for a normal user makes Googl…

Agreed. You would think for security you would stop driving technical people to have to use admin for everything...

1 step forwards, 2 steps back.

Re: Google to reject Chrome extensions outside of Chrome Web Store

#35

Post by Touche »

jack-r-abbit wrote: post #21
Touche wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Presumably Chromium has no such restriction.

I'll admit I don't fully understand the Chromium Chrome relationship. (I believe that Chrome is Google's browser built on the open-source Chromium code.) But isn't this an announcement made on the Chromium blog? It would appear to me that this is going to be in the Chromium source... not just Chrome. Am I missing something?

Not sure if the Chromium binaries have this restriction turned on but it doesn't matter as someone will compile it without it (probably the official Linux channels, for instance).

Re: Google to reject Chrome extensions outside of Chrome Web Store

#36

Post by Jochim »

Newky wrote: post #25

So for normal (non-admin) users there is no way to opt-in to this. I can't understand that. I don't think anyone would have a problem if this was a simple opt-in system like downloading unofficial apk's on android. Only a select few would be opting in, and those are not the core audience that Google is pretending to be security conscious about. Giving no ability to switch on this ability for a normal user makes Googl…

Don't you usually want to limit non-admin users from installing things you don't know about anyway?

Re: Google to reject Chrome extensions outside of Chrome Web Store

#37

Post by hayksaakian »

recuter wrote: post #30
Oletros wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Developer mode only allows installing unpacked extensions, no?

No. If that's the case I think that's new.

this was the case at least a year ago when I was making a chrome app/extension

Re: Google to reject Chrome extensions outside of Chrome Web Store

#38

Post by zmmmmm »

Very disappointing if there is no workaround available to the "ordinary" user. Enough to make me fully question whether I want to use Chrome at all.

Question: what is the situation with ChromeOS? If this applies to ChromeOS then it is essentially in the same locked down, anti-competitive state that the Apple app store is in. It is the main reason I avoid Apple devices and would pretty much put ChromeOS devices on the same blacklist as well for me.

Re: Google to reject Chrome extensions outside of Chrome Web Store

#39

Post by jfoster »

Deeehem wrote: post #29

This has made me very, very irritated. I was quite upset at the initial change to preventing installation of third party extensions via a download, but then I realised it was for the best. However, to fully remove the ability to install third party extensions is just ludicrous. I develop a small Chrome application for internal use at my workplace. The staff love it, it helps them do their jobs a lot quicker. I don't…

Private extensions are possible via the Chrome Web Store. You can make it available to anyone with the link, or a list of "trusted testers".

Re: Google to reject Chrome extensions outside of Chrome Web Store

#40

Post by Newky »

Jochim wrote: post #36
Newky wrote: post #25

So for normal (non-admin) users there is no way to opt-in to this. I can't understand that. I don't think anyone would have a problem if this was a simple opt-in system like downloading unofficial apk's on android. Only a select few would be opting in, and those are not the core audience that Google is pretending to be security conscious about. Giving no ability to switch on this ability for a normal user makes Googl…

Don't you usually want to limit non-admin users from installing things you don't know about anyway?

If this was something that a lot of admin users wanted to restrict from their users surely Google could have made the complete disabling of this feature from all users available in the admin panel.

But that should be an opt in feature for the admin.

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