Obsolete Firefox in repo

[Member scruffyeagle]

What I write here is stuff happening in an antiX v22 installation, in a multiboot setup, on a Dell Latitude E6400 laptop.

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The Firefox browser available from the repo is v102.9.0 ESR.

The fact that the repo version is so terribly obsolete became an issue for me, when my bank refused to connect, demanding that I upgrade my browser.

I was able to download Firefox v109.0 from an MX repo – but, I discovered it couldn’t play the sound from YouTube videos. There must be some incompatibility there, after MX tweaking…

The Firefox I recently download from Mozilla is v111.0.1. I haven’t tried to install it yet, but that’s next on my agenda for tonight.

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Okay,.. Updating.

I uninstalled the MX Firefox (v109.0).

I expanded the v111.0 tarball into my /home/spirit directory, and it created a new directory named “firefox-111.0.1”

So far, so good – except it wasn’t really installed. If I go to the /spirit/firefox-111.0.1/firefox/ directory, I can start the v111.0.1 Firefox by opening a terminal window there, and typing “./firefox” as a command. It will start Firefox in that manner, but it also prints an error message into the terminal:

[GFX1-]: glxtest: VA-API test failed: no supported VAAPI profile found.

Firefox v111.0.1 seems to function normally while it’s active. I’m able to adjust the settings, load a bookmarks file, and it all gets retained from one usage to the next.

Then, when exiting Firefox, there’s a 2nd error message printed into the terminal window:

[ERROR viaduct::backend::ffi] Missing HTTP status

Does anybody know how I can create a one-click startup for Firefox v111.0.1, and get rid of those error messages?

[Member sybok]

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Sadly, Firefox ESR 102.9 is currently the *latest* ESR (102.10 to be released on 2023-04-11), the fact that your bank institution claims it to be obsolete and blocking you access is ignorance on their part.
Debian has decided to maintain ESR instead of keeping with the rapid-release cycle.

Suggested reading:
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/enterprise/
https://wiki.mozilla.org/Release_Management/Calendar

[Member scruffyeagle]

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The repo version 102.9 is 2 months, and 2 points behind the release schedule, as per the info at
https://whattrainisitnow.com/calendar/

Attachments:

1. 

   230405-screenshot-current-FF-versions.jpg
   

[Member scruffyeagle]

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This is odd…

After refreshing Synaptic’s data, I find the v109 FF has been replaced by a v111 FF. I’m going to shut this current copy down, and try installing the repo v111.

Update:

Managing 3 different copies of FF got a little confusing, but I’ve got it figured out now.
The repo v111 was from MX – but, I don’t know why the MX repo doesn’t show up in my repos list. I found that neither of the v111 copies (MX or Mozilla) would play sound for YouTube videos. I don’t have a clue, why this is. I’ve uninstalled the MX copy, and left the Mozilla copy in place.

According to the calendar, v102.12 ESR should be released on April 10th. At that point, the antiX repo will be 3 months & 3 points behind, still stuck at v102.9.0 ESR.

It’s worth mentioning, that the v102.9.0 ESR copy is still able to play the YouTube vids’ sound.

[Member Xunzi_23]

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my bank refused to connect, demanding that I upgrade my browser. Ignorant, maybe point out that is ESR. You can also
probably just spoof the user agent but LibreWolf wins the race.

Firefox needs a lot of work to stop pinging, telemetry geolocation and passing data to
google, and cloudflare its business partners. Some data seems to go to apple too.
As well as the lousy, users want it this way, interface.

Firefox monthly release cycle is spiced with confusing changes to preference names plus experimental changes and added hidden
extensions, I am convinced intended to wear out those devoted to enhancing the browser google finances for privacy.
Anyway Michelle Bakker takes pretty much all the money…

I have not, as jet had any site refuse Librewolf or ungoogled Chromium except google 🙂 glad of that..

[GFX1-]: glxtest: VA-API test failed: no supported VAAPI profile found Graphics error message, just ignore.
I get it too due old card.

Second error message. You have HTTPS active. Ignore.

Activating HTTP as standard is not secure or in any way privacy and security enhanced.
You can easily make a starter for the packages using the menu tool in controll center Maintenance tab, add
to personal menu.
If you are unable ask, it is described in the depths of the forum but maybe as often, hard to find.

Second so called error. You have HTTPS active. Ignore.
Activating HTTP as standard is not secure or in any way privacy and security enhanced.

Start browser prefixed minus minus apulse should then give sound.

Mozilla and presumably MX compile sound flag to need Pulse.
I have not tried sound with ungoogled and Librewolf but expect the apulse flag to work.
on top of alsa. antiX, debian ESR uses alsa.

Mozilla does not want users to have ESR, it is highly configurable, means the user can break the business
and privacy lies model using CSS and userjs such as from arkenfox.

Do remove the hidden screenshot form autofill crap from browser features. They are not to your advantage.
Never ever save passwords with any browser.

• This reply was modified 1 month ago by Xunzi_23.

[Member sybok]

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1) START THE ALTERNATE FIREFOX:
I have simply downloaded the tar, unpacked it and I use it as is; this means I have two firefoxes in my system – the one installed in system and a local copy.

You can create an alias in your ‘~/.bashrc’ such as
alias binfox='<path to the locally downloaded firefox executable|binary> --private-window 2>/dev/null &'
This would allow you to start it easily from the terminal.

2) FAKE YOUR BROWSER’S VERSION:
You could use some user agent switcher so that your ESR pretends it is the latest Firefox.
On the other hand, I am not sure if using any add-on when accessing internet banking is security-wise.

3) LATEST OFFICIALLY RELEASED VERSIONS:

The repo version 102.9 is 2 months, and 2 points behind the release schedule, as per the info at

The last column in the link you posted clearly states the official release date for 102.10 as April 11 in 2023, i.e. not yet.
The column with “nightly” means the date when (testing pre-release) nightly builds become available, this is not a release!
Hence 102.9 is simply currently the latest ESR version.

EDIT: Ha, @Xunzi_23 was faster with the spoofing.

• This reply was modified 1 month ago by sybok.

[Member Xunzi_23]

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Just a further note on LibreWolf, problematic code is removed. That is analog development to UngoogledChromium.

Wishout removing the code Mozilla, Google or others with API access can remotely change settings without
information or user consent. I have seen the behaviour with Firefox, extensions have access, I use uBlock
Origin and Privacy Badger that is all and I am semi unsure if Privacy Badger is really harmless.

Ungoogled Chromium and LibreWolf have now been security audited many times, the only so called security problem
is lag in releases, In a recent case where known exploits for the upstream were in the wild devs were, in both cases
very fast.

[Forum Admin anticapitalista]

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To be clear.

antiX defaults to firefox-esr from Debian. We do not do anything except follow Debian’s upgrade path for firefox-esr.
antiX also provides Firefox via Package Installer. We get the debs from MX and put them in our repo as soon as we can.
If user ‘needs’ the very latest version of firefox, then user can install directly from Mozilla at your own risk.
Same applies for all other browsers.

We simply cannot support more than what we do.

Philosophers have interpreted the world in many ways; the point is to change it.

antiX with runit - leaner and meaner.

[Moderator Brian Masinick]

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anticapitalista wrote:

To be clear.

antiX defaults to firefox-esr from Debian. We do not do anything except follow Debian’s upgrade path for firefox-esr.
antiX also provides Firefox via Package Installer. We get the debs from MX and put them in our repo as soon as we can.
If user ‘needs’ the very latest version of firefox, then user can install directly from Mozilla at your own risk.
Same applies for all other browsers.

We simply cannot support more than what we do.

I understand that and appreciate everything our small team is able to do.

Personally, I happen to download, install and maintain Web browsers myself. Debian is, and has always been, a solid base upon which to build a system and I’ve used it for over twenty years as a foundation for many of my personal systems and if there’s one thing I never count on, it’s the latest software.

To some degree I can chase newer software with siduction, based on Debian Sid, but when it comes to Web browsers, they’re only slightly better and therefore for a long time I have downloaded and managed many programs myself, ESPECIALLY Web browsers.

Once your personal methods are established it’s not difficult at all. The use of short alias names, associated with commands and scripts can simplify most any repeated task and frequently that’s what I do. Grabbing and reusing old command history is another handy technique for saving typing. Also when you begin to recognize things you do repeatedly, first copy history, then script it, and third, if you repeat similar things you can enter parameters to replace the variables and use common steps for the rest.

It’s a good way to build up and improve script writing skills, even if you are not an expert, start simple and gradually build up the skills to do it better.

--
Brian Masinick

[Member Rantanplan]

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Hi @scruffyeagle,

you can read this interesting post : https://www.antixforum.com/forums/topic/firefox-downloader-and-installer-interesting-scripting/

Also, you’ll may download the latest Firefox version, at your own risk, of course 🙂

Best regards

Vive antiX !
Vive le Groland !

[Member scruffyeagle]

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<You can easily make a starter for the packages using the menu tool in controll center Maintenance tab, add to personal menu.>

Not true. Control Center Maintenance tab allows the user to add & remove starters found in the provided lists for Applications & Personal menus (what’s the difference?) – but NOT create new starters; i.e., you can NOT modify those lists, just display or hide existing entries.

<Start browser prefixed minus minus apulse should then give sound.>

Starting from the terminal, “./firefox –apulse” did not make sound functional in the Mozilla downloaded v111 copy.

I also tried modifying settings in about:config, with various combinations of apulse=true/false, and pulse=true/false. No sound from any such combo.

[Member scruffyeagle]

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< this is not a release!>

I stand corrected. I failed to catch that there was more of the chart off screen to the right. The horizontal scroll bar is so low contrast, and thin…

Maybe I’ll give the alias trick a try – but, there’s still the problem with v111 being unable to play the sound in YouTube vids. I’d want to find a solution for that, before installing an alias for the defective software.

The banking problem has ceased to be an issue, because I closed down the associated account. I did this because physically reaching the bank had become inconvenient when I moved 37 miles away, not because using their online banking had become problematic. I just opened an account someplace closer to home… The new bank’s online banking works without problem, using the v102 FF.

[Member scruffyeagle]

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Thanks to both you and your team, for this wonderful OS, anticapitalista! I understand, that the flaws are from Debian’s repo contents, not your tweaking.

I still experiment with other OS’s in my HD’s free space – and, always come back to antiX for my daily tasks. The others have severe flaws. For example, I installed a copy of MX recently – and when I returned to use it the next day, the OS couldn’t connect to any IPv5 services; only IPv6. I’ve run into this before in Linux Mint, and Debian. I’ve posted in their forums, and none of the experts were able to fix it. I ended up abandoning use of both of them. I haven’t posted about this into MX forums, because I’ve been busy with other things. So, MX21 has been sitting there unused in my partition #6 for at least 2 weeks. Lucky for me, I have antix! (It would be awful, if I had to use Windows constantly, from partition #1.)

[Member Xunzi_23]

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@ scruffyeagle,
If instead of posting a slur, i.e. accusing me of lying

You ignore the titles of the checkboxes and read the application code, read old forum posts from moddit or just try things out yourself you will find your post is innapropriate.. The titles of the shown interface boxes belie the power of the tool.

<You can easily make a starter for the packages using the menu tool in controll center Maintenance tab, add to personal menu.>

Not true. Control Center Maintenance tab allows the user to add & remove starters found in the provided lists for Applications & Personal menus (what’s the difference?) – but NOT create new starters; i.e., you can NOT modify those lists, just display or hide existing entries.

I have been using the control center tool to add personal menu entrys for a long time.

Ignore the titles of the checkboxes except for

show item in personal menu.

change the displayed name of any application, change the path to chosen application, choose pick an icon
so you can select one of choice, click the box to continue, select your icon, continue by clicking the check box.
The item will be added.

[Member scruffyeagle]

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“lying”? That’s YOUR word, not mine. What I wrote includes the case where you’re simply mistaken – which was my intended meaning.

Thank you for the instructions, explaining how menu items can be altered. I tried it out, and it worked like a charm for adding a new menu item named “FF v111 from Mozilla”. What I didn’t realize, is that once a list item is chosen, the utility provides the chance to edit its parameters before completing & exiting. I haven’t tested the new starter yet, because I think I should shut down the current FF 102.9 before starting up the v111. Which means, logging out from the forum first.

Note, that in my antiX22, the personal menu option is to “add”, not “show”. But, it still worked.

And of course, in what I wrote, I was mistaken too. You showed me that it IS possible to modify those lists – but only via tweaking existing entries.

Update: The new menu item worked like a charm. The only small inconvenience, was that the v111 browser started via the new menu item had lost all of the personalizations I’d done to the same browser during previous usages, when starting it from the terminal. So, I had to re-tweak all the settings I’d previously adjusted, and restore my list of collected bookmarks.

But unfortunately, it still can’t play the sound from YouTube videos.

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