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An enhancement request I submitted to Bugzilla 15 years ago was just closed

bugzilla.mozilla.org

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Re: An enhancement request I submitted to Bugzilla 15 years ago was just closed

#61

Post by mqnfred »

BoppreH wrote: post #56
TBurette wrote: post #53

I remember that the introduction of the new WebExtension API to replace the existing extension system was heavily criticized. The old system gave extensions deep access to the browser and the new extension API (copied over from the Chrome browser) was seen as a limiting dumbing down. It was a painful transition but very much needed. Now extensions don't clash with one another. The browser code can be modified more fr…

My two most important extensions were my adblocker, and Vimium (enable Vim-like control in Firefox). The new WebExtension API broke Vimium, with no replacement possible[1]. Meanwhile, I never had problems with extension clashes. I appreciate that this improved the code base quality for Mozilla folks, but it was a significant step down in features for me. I even switched to Vivaldi (which has built-in Vim keybindings)…

I know you might not be interested in anything chromium-based since this thread is about firefox, but qutebrowser[1] is a great solution for anybody looking for vimium/pentadactyl-like experience.

[1] https://qutebrowser.org/

Re: An enhancement request I submitted to Bugzilla 15 years ago was just closed

#63

Post by krageon »

TBurette wrote: post #53

I remember that the introduction of the new WebExtension API to replace the existing extension system was heavily criticized. The old system gave extensions deep access to the browser and the new extension API (copied over from the Chrome browser) was seen as a limiting dumbing down. It was a painful transition but very much needed. Now extensions don't clash with one another. The browser code can be modified more fr…

> but very much needed

We've never recovered from there. Addon functionality is strictly worse, and nothing that was gained is something I feel is a net positive in my life. It's nice that the engineers feel better, but as a user it was absolutely a bad choice that was never recovered from. Honestly, for folks creating a product this attitude is unacceptable.

Re: An enhancement request I submitted to Bugzilla 15 years ago was just closed

#64

Post by ZeroGravitas »

BoppreH wrote: post #56
TBurette wrote: post #53

I remember that the introduction of the new WebExtension API to replace the existing extension system was heavily criticized. The old system gave extensions deep access to the browser and the new extension API (copied over from the Chrome browser) was seen as a limiting dumbing down. It was a painful transition but very much needed. Now extensions don't clash with one another. The browser code can be modified more fr…

My two most important extensions were my adblocker, and Vimium (enable Vim-like control in Firefox). The new WebExtension API broke Vimium, with no replacement possible[1]. Meanwhile, I never had problems with extension clashes. I appreciate that this improved the code base quality for Mozilla folks, but it was a significant step down in features for me. I even switched to Vivaldi (which has built-in Vim keybindings)…

There are workarounds for many of these things, to differing degrees. The genius of open source is that you can even fork the browser if your target audience is geeky enough, while not exposing your friends and family to malware in their standard browser.

Re: An enhancement request I submitted to Bugzilla 15 years ago was just closed

#66

Post by krageon »

juloo wrote: post #60
BoppreH wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My two most important extensions were my adblocker, and Vimium (enable Vim-like control in Firefox). The new WebExtension API broke Vimium, with no replacement possible[1]. Meanwhile, I never had problems with extension clashes. I appreciate that this improved the code base quality for Mozilla folks, but it was a significant step down in features for me. I even switched to Vivaldi (which has built-in Vim keybindings)…

I've been using Vimium since I use firefox (for around 3 years). It's annoying that Vimium can no longer control the browser UI and is limited on some pages (New Tab, mozilla.org) but this is necessary for security.

> this is necessary for security

Why? You can't read the source of this addon and evaluate whether or not it should have this access? This should be a permission that you can grant to an addon, we're not children that must at every juncture be managed so they don't burn their fingers.

Re: An enhancement request I submitted to Bugzilla 15 years ago was just closed

#67

Post by einpoklum »

TBurette wrote: post #53

I remember that the introduction of the new WebExtension API to replace the existing extension system was heavily criticized. The old system gave extensions deep access to the browser and the new extension API (copied over from the Chrome browser) was seen as a limiting dumbing down. It was a painful transition but very much needed. Now extensions don't clash with one another. The browser code can be modified more fr…

> I remember that the introduction of the new WebExtension API to replace the existing extension system

Actually, the existing system is still alive and kicking, since the internal components of firefox, above a C++'ish core, are (more or less) like traditional extensions. It's just that you're not allowed to load your own anymore. In Thunderbird they've created a loophole of sorts, so we can still load normal extensions.

> It was a painful transition but very much needed.

On the contrary, it was the opposite of what was needed.

> Now extensions don't clash with one another.

1. Many important extensions simply aren't allowed to run now.

2. They don't interact, so in particular they don't clash.

> The browser code can be modified more freely without impacting extensions

1. It still impacts the internal extensions.

2. Since webextensions can do very little, they're not impacted by much.

Re: An enhancement request I submitted to Bugzilla 15 years ago was just closed

#68

Post by ZeroGravitas »

krageon wrote: post #66
juloo wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been using Vimium since I use firefox (for around 3 years). It's annoying that Vimium can no longer control the browser UI and is limited on some pages (New Tab, mozilla.org) but this is necessary for security.

> this is necessary for security Why? You can't read the source of this addon and evaluate whether or not it should have this access? This should be a permission that you can grant to an addon, we're not children that must at every juncture be managed so they don't burn their fingers.

Some browser users are literally children.

Re: An enhancement request I submitted to Bugzilla 15 years ago was just closed

#70

Post by willbudd »

shp0ngle wrote: post #52
maxbaines wrote: post #3

I found this amusing too. If anything great to see mozilla keep issues active for so long.

No activity for 15 minutes. Stalebot closed this issue.

Upvote me if you absolutely detest stalebot.

Closing issues after a while if the reporting user fails to follow up on a request for additional information can be useful. But more often than not these stalebots kick in because the maintainer(s) never chimed in. Don't use a bot that can't distinguish between those two cases unless your only aim is to wage war on your users and sweep everything inconvenient under the rug.

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