[Mozilla Enterprise] Mozilla To Stop Supporting Sideloaded Extensions In Firefox

[Stephen Dowdy]

On 11/1/19 9:21 AM, Mike Kaply wrote:
> You can deploy extensions as a part of Firefox by putting them in the distribution/extensions directory and then locking them via policy.
> 
> This has always been a better way then putting them in system directories where they might not get updated properly.

Mike, i composed the below before this current response from you came out, but it
sounds like, firefox will STILL support APPDIR extensions deployment, but not user
PROFDIR deployments  (this changes the extensions.*scopes preferences functionality
i would assume.)   So, is there a guide on how the old-school stuff should now be
done with Policies?

To be blunt:  I really still am puzzled by the entire Policies thing, as the autoconfig
stuff (to me) seems to be more useful/functional and stuff like locking/defaulting
Policies was bolted on after it was discovered they didn't offer the same functionality
of defaultPref() lockPref() etc...  (i.e. it seems to be playing catchup rather than
offering me something of value.  Security? Maintainability? ?)

There seems to be a lot of chaos for what i don't see as a benefit.  It appears a lot
of us are getting frustrated over having to bang our heads on just maintaining status-quo
operations, and if there is some well-defined reasoning, getting some better P.R.
out on that might help.  (for me, the camel that broke my back was removing 'user.js'
functionality for one freakin' stat() call of "performance".  this is just insane)
(i have been cursing Mozilla for the past year over these types of things, though)

I really appreciate you *personally* being so engaged and responsive, however. So
a big Thank You for that.

--stephen


-----  (previously composed message) -----

This is totally unclear to me what's happening (from the blog post). Does this
apply to the APPDIR 'extensions' folders? (it seems clear it applies to PROFDIR
extensions folders). If so, PLEASE tell me how i am supposed to support an
enterprise install that has preloaded extensions in a SYSADMIN controlled space?
(at least for linux)

I don't presently do this for *firefox*, but i do for 'thunderbird' (yeah,
the announcement doesn't say tbird, but i presume it'll hit there sometime) I
load 'mailredirect' because thunderbird fails to offer that function. (into
/usr/local/thunderbird/extensions/{..}.xpi) and presently, until 'enigmail' is
replaced by builtin PGP functionality, i add that, too.

Replacing a programmatic install with site-selected addons with
a request for interactive action:
     "Hey, user, please go to A.M.O. and download this addon
      after you start the app the first time",
is totally untenable.


thanks,
--stephen