Firefox Sync

User Help for Mozilla Firefox
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Red_Dwarf
Posts: 73
Joined: February 14th, 2004, 10:45 am

Firefox Sync

Post by Red_Dwarf »

Why does Firefox sync not stay signed in and keep requiring sign in all the time? This is a real damn nuisance that I do not need. I previously used Xmarks which never required sign ins after initial setup.

Also what is with all this confirm sign ins? Why the hell would I want that because it is also a damn nuisance on top of the ridiculous need to keep signing in. It's not as if the information is top secret, it's just a set of bookmarks.

It's all totally OTT IMO. Just sign in ONCE and keep everything updated. That is all I ask.

Is this how Firefox works or is there a way to make it work better?
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the-edmeister
Posts: 32249
Joined: February 25th, 2003, 12:51 am
Location: Chicago, IL, USA

Re: Firefox Sync

Post by the-edmeister »

Are you automatically clearing any Firefox as it closes?
Or are you using an application to clean up after Firefox after you use Firefox or for a daily "clean up"?



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A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Mine has wandered off and I'm out looking for it.
Red_Dwarf
Posts: 73
Joined: February 14th, 2004, 10:45 am

Re: Firefox Sync

Post by Red_Dwarf »

I rarely clear any firefox data such as cookies or cache so that should not be a factor. I sometimes delete individual cookies when it is required rather than clearing everything.

I do not use any third party applications with Firefox except for Sandboxie to sandbox my browser and most internet facing applications. Everything is contained in the sandbox folder ie profile, cookies, cache etc apart from the phishing database.

I am starting to suspect that it is Mozilla's doing. An attempt to "encourage" people to upgrade (downgrade) their browser to Quantum which I do not like and will not use. I do have it installed and after running it, it is still signed into sync. My current Firefox 52.9 has the reconnect to sync in the Tools menu once again.

Mozilla also seems to block placing extension reviews on any none Quantum browser. Even extensions which are not compatible with Quantum cannot be reviewed by earlier Firefox versions.
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the-edmeister
Posts: 32249
Joined: February 25th, 2003, 12:51 am
Location: Chicago, IL, USA

Re: Firefox Sync

Post by the-edmeister »

Sorry, that's all I can think of regarding your needing to sign in to Sync often; not something I have had to deal with. As far as needing to "confirm" the sign to Sync, I haven't experienced that procedure since it added to Firefox Accounts late in 2017. I am "playing with" Sync on this one PC using Firefox 47.0.1 and the latest Quantum version just to be able ti try to help other users; I have been a "fan" of Sync since Dec 2007 as thew Weave extension for Firefox 2.0 [iirc] but in Dec 2010 when Mozilla was getting Weave ready to become Sync as a built-in feature for the upcoming Firefox 4.0 release they killed backward compatibility with the Weave extension and eliminated my real use for Weave / Sync. My EeePC netbook just couldn't handle Firefox 4.0 even with a newer Linux OS. Similar situation with what users are going thru now with Australis to Quantum but different parameters as what users are having trouble with or complaining about. Mozilla gives and then takes away, pissing off some long term users.

As far users providing add-on reviews for Legacy extensions, that horse has died and the barn will be cleaned out very soon. IOW, all Legacy extensions will be removed very soon, I will be surprised to see ant at AMO on Oct 1 - although I don't what the exact date for removal of Legacy extensions is. The ones I may need in the future are all saved to my hard drive, something I have done for many years wince the fiasco with the release of Firefox 1.0 in 2004 when the Extensions website was shut down completely for many months (3 or4 months as I recall) and a website named Extensions Mirror NL was setup by an individual who probably had a "hook" to the Mozilla Extensions website drive to upload extensions to the "Mirror" they created. Just speculation on how the Extensions Mirror NL got the Firefox extensions that they hosted, but it sure made life a lot easier for Firefox users who knew about it. And IMO that was just the 1st major cock-up that Mozilla has subjected us Firefox users to over the last 14 years.

As far as Firefox 52 ESR. never used it - I got off the update Firefox "bandwagon" / "kool-aid" party in the early Firefox 40's (for the 2nd time, Firefox 4.0 being the first time and stayed pat until Firefox 10 or 11 back then) and I reverted to ESR 38.3.0 once "signing" of extensions was mandatory as of Firefox 48. I always have the latest Release version installed with a "bare" Profile to "test" so then I can see what's been going on with changes and to be able to judge when Quantum has enough to update to for at least some of my usage on the web because I expected this debacle with Quantum.

I have seen this happen with Firefox 3.0, then with Firefox 4.0 (Blue Firefox button UI), again with Firefox 29 (Australis UI), so my worst fears were confirmed with Firefox 57 (Quantum UI & the loss of all Legacy extensions).
A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Mine has wandered off and I'm out looking for it.
Red_Dwarf
Posts: 73
Joined: February 14th, 2004, 10:45 am

Re: Firefox Sync

Post by Red_Dwarf »

I agree with what you are saying about all the problems with Mozilla and Firefox. 52.x still works with essential extensions which is why I use it, plus being an extended support release it has until 3 months back in June, been updated with security fixes. That is not really a big problem for me because my browsers are sandboxed and therefore cannot affect my system.

Mozilla extension website does not even recognise supported browsers half the time. It would not allow me to install extensions which do successfully install on 52.x. I have had to disable scripting to enable me to download extensions. I will have to get and make sure that I have copies of everything I need ASAP. I have been bitten by that in the past when two extensions, show parent/go parent for searching for bookmarks stopped being supported by the developer and the extensions got removed. That was a big loss to making Firefox usable IMO because Firefox has nothing that works effectively when searching for bookmarks. The closest thing, bookmark manager is pretty awkward in comparison to go/show parent.

What they have done to Firefox Profiles is another thing that I do not like about Quantum. I use profiles and like being able to select a profile from profile manager which runs every time I start Firefox. That has been removed from Firefox quantum and now a default profile needs to be selected from within Firefox using about:profiles.

I have been using Firefox since pre v1, I remember using 0.7. I have used Pale Moon for a while but returned to Firefox due to their extension compatibility and only supporting FF v27 extensions which is still present with the latest PM even though that is supposed to be based upon FF 52 source code. It is still the same, the latest PM still only supports FF v27 extensions which prevents me from using certain shopping enhancements because the latest extension builds which are compatible with the shopping sites will not install on PM.

Tab Mix Plus will not install on Quantum either and Quantum tab handling does not work well for me. I like having large amounts of tabs and search for the ones I want using tab hunter extension but an old version because newer versions do not work well, they are just too slow.

I have copied my Quantum sandbox folder, renamed and created a new Sandbox and run FF 52.9 in it. It did ask to reconnect to sync once again but did not ask for email confirmation. I will see how long that stays connected.
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