Would be nice if they would ASK.....

[DanRaisch]

the millions who switched to Chrome once Mozilla made it policy to break add-ons every week.

Right...

[johnkm]

I totally agree! It would have been of considerable help to know that 57 was going to trash all my add-ons after the update. In particular, I suddenly found I was again getting a load of wretched graffiti in the form of that really stupid EU cookie message, which had previously been blocked by "I don't care about cookies" and "Element hiding helper for Adblock Plus". In addition, none of the other add-ones that I rely on will work now.
Wouldn't it have been a good idea BEFORE auto updating our computers to 57, to have ensured that all the popular add-ones were available in a compatible format for the new version?
Frankly, I don't care how fast 57 is, if it doesn't do the basic job that I require it to do, consequently I have now restored my computer to the previous months OS back up with FF56 and locked it to prevent further updating and have also locked our laptops as well. However, I am well aware that there will eventually be security issues with 56, so I am now looking to see if Chrome has the add-on functionality that I need.
I have been with Firefox almost from the beginning, so it will be a great pity to find I have to leave it now

[DanRaisch]

Wouldn't it have been a good idea BEFORE auto updating our computers to 57, to have ensured that all the popular add-ones were available in a compatible format for the new version?

No, because Mozilla is not and has not been responsible for keeping extensions compatible with the most current version of the browser. That's on the independent authors of the extensions.

[johnkm]

OK, I get that, but one of the key things that has made Firefox so popular with users, is the add-ons. Therefore, as many of us rely on these to assist in providing a good browsing experience, it would have been prudent to have warned users of this issue, before auto updating our computers. At least then, users would have had the opportunity to wait until compatible add-ons were available before installing the new version.
I am perhaps lucky, in that I had a recent Acronis back up of my OS, which made it a simple matter to restore to FF56. In fact I wish that I had a back up to take me back to FF55, as I there is a bug in 56 that prevents the UK standard speed test from running correctly (see 'Firefox 56 bug causes UK broadband speed test to fail').

[DanRaisch]

Um, there have been warnings around on this for a couple of months (maybe several months). All XUL based extensions were listed in the Addons page of Firefox as "LEGACY" in version 56.x and there have been on-line articles and forum discussions on the subject ad nauseum for weeks.

[johnkm]

I cannot disagree with that, but unless a user has a reason to be looking in the right place (such as on the forum, or needed to look at installed add-ons), they are unlikely to be aware of any of this and, I don't remember it being highlighted on the start up page after an update (but I could have missed it).
Therefore, I seriously doubt if I am the only user to be totally unaware that this was going to happen and even so, knowing about it clearly doesn't help if there are no replacements for the add-ons that I have!

[DanRaisch]

Too many users are absolutely casual users. They have things set for automatic update but then complain when something is different but they don't realize why because they didn't realize that one or more update have been applied since they last paid any attention. Not referring to present company.

[Sugoi]

OK, I get that, but one of the key things that has made Firefox so popular with users, is the add-ons...

That argument is understandable. But what's the point in your and your fellow-minded ones' ongoing complaints?
Mozilla is not going to bring back the old system no matter what. So either adapt and live with it or move on and use a different browser.

Oh, and btw., life's a bitch!

[therube]

The point is you should not be glad to get less, you should not be accepting of less.

You may not have a choice (or much of one), & one's complaints may not make a difference, but by the same token you don't just idly sit their & say, OK. Sometimes you have to bitch!

[toolong]

This is REALLY getting old!

You used Firefox and thousands of extensions for years? And Mozilla changed Firefox and it is different, new and shinny, and many of your thousands of extension died?

Really> Your options, IMHO, are adapt to the new Firefox system or find something else that suits you better. Pick one.

It's a done deal. Bit*hing won't help. Unless it makes you feel better. Me? It annoys the cr*p out of me.

I suggest that the 'green names' come up with a special sub forum just for you. A place where you can share you
whines and complaints.

And this post will probably get me a reprimand but I no longer care.

Everyone have a wonderful day.

[mightyglydd]

This is REALLY getting old!

Yeah it is.

I use two extensions. Both from before and now We-Ex. I don' t have any "fancy settings" in any config files. I don't have any "tweet" of any kind. Nothing that interferes with the general operation of Firefox.

= None of these Extension discussions require your smug remarks.

[DanRaisch]

Keep it civil, people, or I'll be happy to lock this down.

[toolong]

Keep it civil, people, or I'll be happy to lock this down.

Understood. Outta' here.

[Sugoi]

The point is you should not be glad to get less, you should not be accepting of less.

Whether one gets less or not is solely a matter of opinion. Sure, something has been sacrificed but that was to gain something in return.

[PrimusUltimo]

Xaelai
Unless my portable version of 56 and 57 are different that installed versions you should see in Options and area where you can control how Firefox updates... have you checked that?

People have pointed out other problems with that. Let me point out one more: Automatic updates make sens, 99% of the time. The exception is when huge and dramatic changes are made. When that happens, it would make more sense for Mozilla to ask, than for every single user to follow news from Mozilla, and then, at the exact right time, remember to change their settings. It's just common sense, and the polite and considerate thing to do. Of course, all that is out of fashion, and one wouldn't want to be outdated...

Xaelai

If you're going to break addons, how about not auto-installing it, mmh? That just seems like common sense to me.

...also, we are not part of Mozilla... some into on that is on the RHS of this forum.

He clearly knows that MozillaZine isn't Mozilla. It's a rhetorical use of the second person pronoun, which is quite common, both in spoken and written form. It's an alternative to the much drier and more archaic "one", as in "if one is going to...".

How come so many posters get into a frenzy pointing out that "this isn't Mozilla", every time someone is critical, yet keeps quiet about that when it's praise to be had?

"FF57 sucks!"
- Hey, get out of here, this isn't Mozilla!
- We're just here to help each other, so stop pointing out problems!
- Off-topic, move on!
- Don't be rude to the developers, who don't read this!
- You're a n00b who can't even script!

"FF57 is great!"
- Yes!
- Love it, love it, love it!
- Everybody should use it!
- Finally, FF looks just like Chrome. This is progress! Hooray for creativity!
- Yes! Now FF looks so fashionable, it'll outcompete all the browsers who look exactly the same!
- It's absolutely brilliant! Why, I've managed to get it working almost as well as before!
- It's great, loosing so much functionality in one go! I'm so relieved, being freed from freedom!
- It's sooooo pretty! I love pretty things...