Microsoft Updates Firefox?

Have you read this?

 

What the hell?!?

 

Hmm.

I don't see this in my add-ons.

 

I got it last night with a .net framework service pack from the microsoft updater. I just disabled it in firefox. There is not an uninstall option.

 

I decided not to do the .net update. And I am seriously reconsidering the future viability of Vista and Windows 7 in my usage.

 

Nothing is wrong with it!

Java has updated Firefox with its special prefetcher since 6.11 - The NET add on is just part of the advantages that Firefox makes available to 3rd party apps. Just like Google tool bar, Foxit reader with its Askcom, and Yahoo and etc ...

I am still testing out the advantage of having the NET extension, and so far, I do not see anything that "spies" on the comp yet or "feeding" back to Microsoft as Google does. By the way, the NET extension is not compatible with the new 3.2pre FF in the work.

cheers ...

 

As I understand what I have been able to find out about this forced install add-on, it is spyware, plain and simple. It reports to Microsoft the installed versions of .net.

 

Care to point us (me) to the finding?

Why should MS bother using FF for reporting just what version of NET the user is having, since it can be done via updates check and other windows built in functions?

Furthermore, with FF extension installation security check, if any addons not conforming to the rules, they will be disabled - just in the case of 3.2pre version.

Also, nowadays, every single app will send back some sort of report as to what/where the app has been installed - this action is not spyware.

cheers ...

 

I thought the notes for the update might about to help you guys understand what went on.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/951847

 

Isn't the .NET Framework Add-On Assistant needed for sites that use Silverlight?

Silverlight is Microsoft's answer to Adobe Flash...

 

Overreaction FAIL.

This just affects Windows XP, and it's just an add on that enables smoother operation of Microsoft online technologies.

 

A couple of hypothesis:

• They cannot use ActiveX in Firefox
• IE8 is imminent

Maybe on your machine

I disable Flash (unless I explicitly want to enable it one-time on a site-specific basis), and I did not bite on the download/install of SilverLight, either.

 

I think you're overreacting AKAJohnDoe.

What are you so concerned about?

Also, it hasn't shown up for me yet though I'm on XP.

 

Perhaps.

Still, it aggrieves me to have one software vendor poaching in another's patch. Particularly without notification or prior consent and especially when without recourse.

 

Well said!

Just to clarify what this add on is all about, it is a good tool from Microsoft in helping ClickOnce support, and what is ClickOnce support all about?

It's for a browser such a Firefox to download and install .Net solutions from a Web site that develops/supports .NET solutions, and it allows the .Net client running the .NET client software to install the solution from the Web site.

Furthermore, within the Options of this addon, users can choose to send feedback/report back to Microsoft if one so chooses. Nothing to spy or to intrude.

I personally think that it is great that Microsoft takes the direction in working with open source products.

cheers ...

 

cheers ...

 

Java 6.11 installed "Java Quick starter" within Firefox addon - this is not poaching!

MS 3.5 NET installed "ClickOnce support" within Firefox addon - this is not poaching!

Both of the above are helping Firefox browser developers/users in making the browser more attractive and becoming more robust.

cheers ...

 

My point is that all other add-ons, whether they be extensions, themes, or plug-ins, are installed explicitly by the user and the user is notified of all actions. Furthermore, they can be uninstalled. The choice is the user's.

 

Does it really matter though, when the user does't really understand that those programs are installing other "addons" anyway?

 

Hummm, i don't remember Java notifying me about such thing upon installation))) Probably I looked away when it did))))

Come on, people, paranoia is taking over? Relax)))

 

You know, I was recently getting intermittent problems going to a specific web-site: www.thestar.ca

Since I have removed this MS add-on, the problem is gone!

Co-incidence?

 

co-incidence.

it is for clickonce deployment of .net 3.5 applications to be finally compatible with firefox. i use this as my main deployment so i'm happy microsoft released that addon as firefox was still too slow to implement it on their own (which btw was requested since years).

it's in the .net framework 3.5 sp1, not in any windows update per se. the .net framework is optional but highly suggested.

for anyone not knowing what clickonce is (and most don't).

it allows you to develop a .net app and then host the setup on a file share or a web server, users can run the app from there, or install it from there (depending on how you set it up). the application is per user installed and thus doesn't need any admin right. the applications have no right to impact your system and are easily uninstalled again.

it's similar to what adobe air tries to create (and google with it's crap offline thingy), but working since years. now finally it's working directly in firefox, too. the addon only cares about .application files and creates a filehandler for it.

and, btw, this is all documented by microsoft. it's nothing evil.

 

1. You have NET 3.5 installed? When?

2. Your intermittent problems with the site - did they start happening after the 3.5NET installation?

Coincidence? It depends on your review and input of the 2 questions above.

cheers ...

 

My Firefox has this add-on and I'm running Windows Vista?

 

Reason why it can't be uninstalled

the update obviously installs the sp1 to the system, not to a specific user. as such, it has to install the addon in a way that it works for every user. to do that, it installs it in the programs folder, which is readonly by the user. ergo, he can not uninstall it directly.

that's not microsofts fault, nor really firefox's fault. but firefox could have an elevation point to allow uninstalling of 'system wide addons'.


microsoft is now working more and more cross-browser compatible, and people start crying. what ever they do, people always just have to cry.

it's a tiny addon, it makes life for developers much more easy. it's part of the framework. is it really that bad?

 

It has nothing to do with the OS level/version. It is part of the .NET3.5x

cheers ...

 

Thank you for the explanations guys. I reenabled it on my computer.

(KarenA- it is on my vista computers too)

 

The proper way to implement this would have been as an Add-On Plug-in not as as an Add-On Extension.

All Add-On Extensions should be Uninstallable by the user.

Oh, and BTW, it does also install an Add-On Plug-In for Windows Presentation Foundation.

 

hm right it could/should be a plugin. it can't install per user => plugin. there are several microsoft plugins in my firefox actually

 

Partial Uninstall Instructions (does not remove the Windows Presentation Foundation add-on Plug-in).

UPDATE: Full uninstall instructions here.