Firefox and extension issues

[danielson]

Just now, i was wanting to do a backup of Firefox (was procrastinating) and noticed that for some reason, FEBE wasn't restored at sync time with Mozilla server.
So, went over to the extension depo and FEBE would not install!!!
Even developper editions failed.
So, took a ride over to devs homepage and for some reason, it installed from his page!

Now, i have come to use FEBE for ages, and if Firefox does away with this extension, it is a dead end, once and forever with this browser!!

[EldonW]

I just installed FEBE from within Firefox 45.0.1.

[Anupam]

FEBE 8.9.2 was working great with Firefox. Yesterday night, I just performed a check for updates of add-ons, and FEBE was updated to version 8.9.3, which is the latest, and available on Mozilla add-on site.

However, my installed version of Firefox, the latest 49.0.2, says that FEBE is incompatible, and disabled the add-on.

The version available on FEBE home page is 8.9.2, and therefore, it must have worked when danielson installed it, since older version seems to be working fine.

EldonW is using an old version of Firefox, so FEBE must have worked for that version somehow.

I had a look on FEBE forum, and someone did complain about 8.9.3 not working on Firefox, although the version that person has is 49.0.1. Still, it seems like the latest version is incompatible with latest version of Firefox 49.

The developer is aware of the issue and is working to resolve it, as per his forum post here:

http://www.customsoftwareconsult.com...php?f=5&t=5053

The issue should be resolved soon, and the latest version of FEBE should continue to work with latest version of Firefox 49 (49.0.2).

FEBE is an essential add-on for me too. The developer works hard to keep it updated and bug-free, and should be able to resolve this issue too. Meanwhile, patience.... or, install the older version of FEBE, 8.9.2.

[danielson]

Point is.

For the last three years, quite a few extensions have been playing hard to catch up with updated versions of Firefox and from what i've been reading, Mozilla isn't done yet at making changes.

Maybe they should hire someone from the so-called open source "Google Chromium" to give them a hand at settling this issue once and for all.

[Burn-IT]

The issue is security.
And quite rightly so.
It is no good having a browser that is secure if it allows extensions/add-ons that have not been checked.
FF is a community product and does not have the money behind it that Chromium has.

[danielson]

Can't agree with you more on that Burn-IT

Thing is.
Quite a while back, Mozilla was warning add-on devs and users about new protocol to come.
Many add-ons were no longer compatible with forthcoming versions of Firefox.
Didn't this all start with the advent of Australis edition?
Haven't they finished implementing the new protocol yet or, is this just an ongoing thing, a perpetual work in progress?

[Anupam]

Change is a part of life, and whenever some changes occur, it is bound to have some amount of inconvenience. That does not mean that Mozilla stop doing development, or making changes. Whenever and wherever necessary, they will have to do it.

Recent change was not to allow unsigned add-ons on Firefox, and that was a really good step from point of security. It is necessary to have such a system in place to secure the users from malicious add-ons. Mozilla gave plenty of time for developers to do that.

Next is the big change in how extensions will be implemented that danielson is talking about. That is yet to be implemented, but developers have been notified about it in advance, and I think the add-on developers might be working for it too. That too is quite an important and significant change, which will be good for the future.

Regarding FEBE not working, this might be due to some changes in latest version which might have made FEBE incompatible somehow. I am sure this issue will be resolved soon since the developer is working for it.

[Anupam]

The developer posts about resolving the matter here too:

http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewto...41e38&start=30

Look at the latest posts.

[Anupam]

FEBE 8.9.3.1 is now available, and is compatible with the latest release of Firefox 49.0.2.

It was disabled when I had last updated it, because of the incompatibility issue. I saw just now and it was updated on its own to the latest version, and enabled again. Didn't had to do a thing.

[danielson]

Update came through browser itself.
Back to normal!