Disable checking for updates on 85.0.1?
I want to disable checking for updates, but the setting to do so has been removed. After updating fairly recently, I noticed that the setting located in:
about:preferences#general
Was changed to "Check for updates but let you choose to install them" WITHOUT my permission. As a result of this change, I get nagged while I am working ALL THE TIME. Like, several times a day. Not just when the browser first starts, but while I am working. I am getting sick of it! It's become spam at this point, drawing my eyes away from work. and if you think spamming people will make them do it, think again.
In Windows 10 I got so fed up with the automatic updates disrupting work that I outright destroyed my computer's ability to EVER get a system update. If the nuclear option is available for Firefox I am prepared to do so if only to make it shut up already.
So anyway, please tell me, how do I make it stop nagging me about updates? and while I am at it, how do I kill the notification system entirely? because I never want any type of notification ever disrupting me while I am working.
Obviously Mozilla understands this sentiment, since the default behavior now is to hide notifications as described here:
https://blog.mozilla.org/firefox/block-notification-requests/
So why be so in-your-face about updates?
NOTE: I am not against updates in general, but back in the 90's when software updates was optional I updated things far more often because I enjoyed having the ability to do research on an update before accepting it. This personal policy has resulted in me avoiding lots of bad updates that damaged other people's computers, but software that updates without permission like Chrome, for example, would constantly introduce bugs or change behavior without my permission in such a way that makes it largely unusable to me. On my chromebook computer I was able to temporarily block chromebook updates by manually setting the version number to a maximum value but the moment google found a way around that an update was pushed that screwed up touch screen functionality, so, realistically speaking, the heavy handed approach to updates is ultimately what causes me to stop updates. Ironically. While I understand a desire for security, these big companies just don't seem to realize that my computer is my own personal property so they can't treat it like it was under the authority of their IT department. I just want control over what my computer is doing. If and when I update it will be because I am ready to, not because someone else decided to force it on me.
Wszystkie odpowiedzi (4)
How do you completely turn off update checks in Firefox v64? You can use a policies.json file to disable updates for all users. https://github.com/mozilla/policy-templates/blob/master/README.md or https://winaero.com/blog/disable-updates-firefox-63-above/
You can use a policies.json file in the distribution folder in the Firefox installation folder instead as also listed in the article, so no need to use GPO keys in the Windows Registry. • https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customizing-firefox-using-policiesjson
Note that if would block updating via a policy like posted above, the only way to update is by downloading and installing the full version.
In a lot of cases updates are about patching security vulnerabilities, see:
I tried the registry edit, but it didn't work.
A big problem is not simply that the annoying notification comes up all the time drawing my eyes away, it's that it comes up WHILE I am typing which that causes the typing to stop until I stop what I am doing to click to dismiss it. I wouldn't care so much if it wasn't so frustratingly disruptive.
I really hate it when people point to "Security" as a reason to FORCE people to update. And yes, forcing people to stop working to respond to an annoying notification several times a day is little better than forced updates. When users have this type of experience that makes them feel bullied they look for ways to stop being bullied. Being allowed to update when I have time to update will result in me updating far more often than forcing me to kill the ability to check for updates entirely JUST to make the bullying stop.
I will try policy updates next, since the registry change isn't working. I understand that this means I will never be able to click the update button again, which means I will update far less often than I otherwise would, but it is clearly the lesser evil. If you want people to update more often stop bullying them. I'm getting tired of having to stop what I am doing to make the notification go away.
Would it have killed Mozilla to have a simple, "Do not remind me again for X days" feature?
Unfortunately, not only did none of the suggests work, but it eventually updated on it's own WITHOUT MY PERMISSION which significantly escalates the severity of this problem.