Firefox Extensions still needed?

[David Barth]

We have audited the extensions again. Even the simpler
xul-ext-websites-integration
requires quite a rewrite to support the convergence case.
It still uses greasemokey internally and though it doesn't do much anymore,
either the code audit or the rewrite will be painful.

We are now considering the alternative chrome extension using the cleaner
PPAPI protocol, as a way to signal the existence of webapps inside a
browser. The code already lives here
https://code.launchpad.net/~webapps/unity-chromium-extension/15.04 and we
should be able to extend it quickly to work with our own browser first, and
confined webapps (read clicks and snaps).

Once we reach this point, we should be in a better position to propose a
new Firefox extension.

Long story short: we are going to drop the old webapps extensions for
Firefox.

David

On Wed, Aug 12, 2015 at 4:44 PM, Bryan Quigley <gquigs+u at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi David,
>
> So if I'm understanding correctly, than xul-ext-webaccounts and
> xul-ext-unity could be dropped for 15.10?
>
> Thanks!
> Bryan
>
> On Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 10:25 AM, David Barth <david.barth at canonical.com>
> wrote:
> > You're right: not all of them actually make sense in the new world
> order, as
> > we have a better solution on touch devices in particular. That's why we
> > started with just the one that signals the existence of webapps. The
> better
> > integration points and OA links are now directly with webapp-container.
> >
> > Still the main one makes sense to keep around.
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 3:30 PM, Bryan Quigley <gquigs+u at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> Hi David,
> >>
> >> Are those extensions still needed for our Unity vision or does the new
> >> Ubuntu browser make them obsolete?  Already the Chromium part of those
> >> extensions no longer works, could the Firefox part be dropped too?
> >>
> >> What specifically is each one supposed to do?
> >>
> >> Kind regards,
> >> Bryan
> >>
> >> On Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 8:48 AM, David Barth <david.barth at canonical.com
> >
> >> wrote:
> >> > On Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 12:41 PM, David Barth
> >> > <david.barth at canonical.com>
> >> > wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> On Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 12:02 PM, Chris Coulson
> >> >> <chrisccoulson at ubuntu.com>
> >> >> wrote:
> >> >>>
> >> >>> On 10/08/15 22:21, Xavier Guillot wrote:
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Hi,
> >> >>>
> >> >>> I can't answer to this specific question, but as an user with
> Firefox
> >> >>> as
> >> >>> default browser on Ubuntu 15.04 Desktop, if those addons are kept,
> >> >>> perhaps
> >> >>> they need to be signed.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Today when I updated to the latest FF Nightly 42.0a1 on the daily
> ppa,
> >> >>> Mozilla activated the obligation to use only officially signed
> >> >>> extensions:
> >> >>> https://support.mozilla.org/fr/kb/add-on-signing-in-firefox
> >> >>>
> >> >>> All 3 Ubuntu addons were automatically desactivated.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> On the nightly version, there is an option in About:config to
> restore
> >> >>> the
> >> >>> old behavior (xpinstall.signatures.required set to false), but on
> >> >>> future
> >> >>> normal and beta versions of Firefox, it will not be possible anymore
> >> >>> normally.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Even if the addons are provided directly in the packages and not on
> >> >>> Mozilla site, it is still also possible to validate them.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Best regards,
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Xavier
> >> >>>
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Ubufox was signed a few weeks ago and will be shipped with the
> Firefox
> >> >>> 40
> >> >>> update tomorrow. However, it's only been through preliminary review,
> >> >>> and
> >> >>> future Firefox versions disable side-loaded addons that haven't had
> a
> >> >>> full
> >> >>> review.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> I'm not sure about the status of the other addons (cc'ing dbarth).
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> Yup, we've started submitting webapps extensions as well, starting
> with
> >> >> the main xul-ext-websites-integration.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Hmm, actually there is a problem, but thanks for the reminder.
> >> >
> >> > David
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > ubuntu-desktop mailing list
> >> > ubuntu-desktop at lists.ubuntu.com
> >> > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-desktop
> >> >
> >
> >
>
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