Firefox 57 as the first release where only WebExtensions will be supported

Re:Firefox 57 as the first release where only WebExtensions ... by bad_user on Saturday February 18, 2017 @11:46AM (#13675421)

I've developed extensions. Chrome and the WebExtensions API is by far the easiest way to do it.

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Re:Firefox 57 as the first release where only WebExtensions ... by falcolas on Saturday February 18, 2017 @11:56AM (#13675478)

They may be easier to write but they aren't as powerful. There are a number of examples of addons in sibling comments which won't exist any more because Mozilla wanted to make it "easier".

Even PG has remarked in an essay that success isn't easy - the people who will really succeed are the ones who put in the effort to do the hard things.

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Re:Firefox 57 as the first release where only WebExtensions ... by kibwen on Saturday February 18, 2017 @12:23PM (#13675620)

Er, designing an honest-to-god specified extensions API is harder than just telling addons developers to run wild with your undocumented and unstable browser internals. Appealing to PG makes no sense here.

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Re:Firefox 57 as the first release where only WebExtensions ... by falcolas on Saturday February 18, 2017 @01:52PM (#13676075)

> designing an honest-to-god specified extensions API is harder

Of course it's hard. Doesn't mean it shouldn't be done.

> Appealing to PG makes no sense here.

When the argument is being made that it's better to make it easier on Firefox developers at the cost of the user base, the argument made in PG's essay is pretty relevant.

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Re:Firefox 57 as the first release where only WebExtensions ... by Manishearth on Saturday February 18, 2017 @02:12PM (#13676149)

> Of course it's hard. Doesn't mean it shouldn't be done.

What? kibwen is saying that that is exactly what Firefox is doing!

Bear in mind that this is not just "copying Chrome's API", it's copying the base design (how the manifest works, etc), and adding new Firefox-specific APIs on top of it. The whole idea is that most of the APIs addons need will be added to firefox's webextensions API.

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Re:Firefox 57 as the first release where only WebExtensions ... by kibwen on Saturday February 18, 2017 @02:08PM (#13676130)

> Doesn't mean it shouldn't be done.

It is being done. That's what people are up in arms about.

> When the argument is being made that it's better to make it easier on Firefox developers at the cost of the user base

As far as I can tell, you're the only one making that argument?

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