Many user reviews about problems with A-i-O-S v 0.7.29 https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/all-in-one-sidebar/reviews/

Developer's homepage is here: https://github.com/AddonLab/AiOS https://github.com/AddonLab/AiOS/issues

There's a "fix" of sorts mentioned here: https://github.com/AddonLab/AiOS/issues/112

Sorry to bump an old thread, but the validation for AiOS 0.7.28 apparently expired on 1/1/2017 and no update to the extension seems to be available.

I figured out what the real problem is. Ironically, I have been resisting updating Firefox itself because I did not want my extensions to be disabled without warning.

So please take this as a suggestion at this point: Since many new versions of extensions are not permitted to work with older versions of Firefox, if an extension is nearing the end of its validation period, instead of just quietly disabling it and not explaining anything, perhaps the user can be notified that:

(1) The current version of the extension will be disabled by [date].

(2) A newer version of the extension exists, but Firefox must also be updated in order for it to work.

Finally, maybe the add-ons page could mention this as well instead of just saying "Not Available for Firefox [Version]".

Though this is largely not Mozilla's doing, in recent years many users have grown skeptical over all software updates, even FOSS ones, unless they know why the update is necessary. More to the point: added functionality isn't so important, a link to the latest changelog is plenty; but failure to update that results in an eventual loss in functionality is something all users should be made aware of.

To begin with, I don't know why you are even worrying about version to version loss of extensions. You should be using the ESR (Extended Support Release) version of Firefox. Should be no "extension breakage" or loss for 7 versions of ESR.

Current ESR version started with Firefox 45 (03-08-16) and will get only security updates thru ESR Firefox 45.9.0 on 04-18-17. Nothing that should cause an extension to break. On that date the current Release version will be 53.0; and the new ESR version will be 52.1 . https://wiki.mozilla.org/RapidRelease/Calendar

But of course many more extensions will get "broken" at the same time when moving to the next major version of ESR. I lost 7 when ESR went from 38 to 45; but only 5 got updated for 45, for a net loss of 2 extensions. I stayed with Firefox 38.7 in the Profile where I "need" those 2 extensions.

I'm not sure why A-i-O-S 0.7.28 isn't getting updated for you, unless the version of Firefox you are using is Firefox 43 or 44 - both of which are the versions which 0.7.28 is compatible with. IOW, with a later version of Firefox, AiOS might get automatically updated to the next "compatible" version.

kaitchison said

... Since many new versions of extensions are not permitted to work with older versions of Firefox, if an extension is nearing the end of its validation period ...

There is no"validation period" or expiration date associated with extensions; either for download / installation or for "check for updates". A minVersion and / or maxVersion specified in an extension's install.rdf file determines which version of Firefox is specified for compatibility purposes. It looks like AiOS is "doing" a new version for every new version of Firefox or for two new Firefox versions. IMO, a clear sign that the extension developer is struggling to keep his extension updated as each new version of Firefox is released. I would expect that some day soon that extension might just need a total re-write or become abandoned.

kaitchison said

... perhaps the user can be notified that: (1) The current version of the extension will be disabled by [date]. (2) A newer version of the extension exists, but Firefox must also be updated in order for it to work. Finally, maybe the add-ons page could mention this as well instead of just saying "Not Available for Firefox [Version]".

IMO, that thought process is like opposite of what developers do or think. The system is set up for periodic Firefox updates, and when an extension "needs" to be updated the automatic process of updating a particular extension would happen. IOW, when Firefox would be updated to the latest Firefox 50.1.0 version, AiOS should automatically update to the latest 0.7.30 version; which shows < em:minVersion>48.0</em:minVersion> and < em:maxVersion>50.*</em:maxVersion> as the version that AiOS 0.7.30 is compatible with = "Firefox 49.0 and later" per the "versions" page for that extension. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/all-in-one-sidebar/versions/

A user making their own decision to not say current with Firefox updates is what screws up the way the process works. That type user needs to look further - to the /versions/ page to learn "what works with what".

tl;dr conclusions: 1 - As mentioned, there is no "disabled by date".

2- A check for addon updates should happen every time Firefox is opened; or at least the first time Firefox is opened each day it is used. Thus updates would be installed automatically, unless the user has disabled Update Addons Automatically either globally or for an individual extension.

the-edmeister said

> You should be using the ESR (Extended Support Release) version of Firefox. Should be no "extension breakage" or loss for 7 versions of ESR. <

Thanks for the detailed reply. I do use ESR elsewhere, but since AiOS 0.7.29 and higher requires Firefox 49.0 and higher, I didn't think upgrading to ESR 45 would work.

the-edmeister said

> There is no"validation period" or expiration date associated with extensions; either for download / installation or for "check for updates". <

I understand why check for updates failed; I was running Firefox 43 at the time. What I don't understand is why I got the notification that AiOS 0.7.28 would be disabled when I restarted Firefox. That was my first time using the computer in 2017 though, so I had figured the new calendar year might have had something to do with it.

the-edmeister said

> IMO, a clear sign that the extension developer is struggling to keep his extension updated as each new version of Firefox is released. I would expect that some day soon that extension might just need a total re-write or become abandoned. <

The developer has said as much on his page. However, to my knowledge no other extension does what it does, and I'd anticipate a fork of it before long if it did get abandoned.

the-edmeister said

> IMO, that thought process is like opposite of what developers do or think. <

I agree it was a backwards thought process, but keep in mind it was in response to the belief that extensions would eventually "expire" if the user doesn't update Firefox. You said that this is not actually the case; if not, such advisories wouldn't be necessary either. (Though I wish I could figure out what happened in my situation at least)

AiOS Version 0.7.28 is compatible with Firefox 45, per the AiOS "versions" page - "Works with Firefox 43.0 and later ". Just install that version for Firefox 45 ESR. (Version 0.7.29 - Works with Firefox 48.0 and later)