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How The Tables Have Turned, TenFourFox Is Currently More Compatible With Loading Links Then Current Firefox

alex_free

alex_free

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 24, 2020
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Sorry about the click bait title, but this is something interesting to me and technically true (until TLS 1.4 rears it's ugly head). Firefox 88 disabled FTP links by default, and FireFox 90 completely removed the ability to access FTP links.

Sure FTP is quite obscure, but for example, an IBM 5110 emulator (the IBM 5100 is the first PC ever released, in 1975, the 5110 was released in 1978 but is mostly the same) is only accessable via FTP for direct download through the authors very old website that hasn't been updated in years.

So TFF can at least load all current TLS connections and FTP, while the latest Firefox can't load any FTP anymore.
 
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alex_free said:
Sorry about the click bait title, but this is something interesting to me and technically true (until TLS 1.4 rears it's ugly head). Firefox 88 disabled FTP links by default, and FireFox 90 completely removed the ability to access FTP links.

Sure FTP is quite obscure, but for example, an IBM 5110 emulator (the IBM 5100 is the first PC ever released, in 1975, the 5110 was released in 1978 but is mostly the same) is only accessable via FTP for direct download through the authors very old website that hasn't been updated in years.

So TFF can at least load all current TLS connections and FTP, while the latest Firefox can't load any FTP anymore.
Click to expand...
I was wondering why FF90 was asking me to open filezilla when I tried downloading a file from the Macintosh Garden..with the FTP link.

Why the hell did they do that?
 
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Amethyst1 said:
That's what an ftp client is for. :)
Click to expand...
But that's really inconvenient. When I've been able to go to a websites FTP section to quickly download a file from a browser.

Perhaps I'm just nostalgic for when a lot of websites allowed FTP. As it was so much faster than browsing the site for downloads. Especially for old versions of software.
 
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Amethyst1 said:
That's what an FTP client is for. :) I don't remember when I last used FF to get stuff via FTP, I just paste the link into Filezilla.
Click to expand...

velocityg4 said:
But that's really inconvenient. When I've been able to go to a websites FTP section to quickly download a file from a browser.

Perhaps I'm just nostalgic for when a lot of websites allowed FTP. As it was so much faster than browsing the site for downloads. Especially for old versions of software.
Click to expand...
I second this. It’s a lot more convenient. Also most FTP clients feel clunky in comparison.

I’m pretty sure even Safari supports FTP still.
 
Last edited:
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Project Alice said:
I second this. It’s a lot more convenient. Also most FTP clients feel clunky in comparison.

I’m pretty sure even Safari supports FTP still.
Click to expand...
Exactly my thoughts. I don't use it enough anymore to matter that much I suppose. Besides clicking the odd link that goes to FTP. I know I went to some random FTP server in the last few months. But don't remember where.

I haven't tried Safari. But it doesn't look like Chrome supports FTP either. Just tried opening an FTP site and Chrome just wanted me to open a program for FTP like Firefox does.
 
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velocityg4 said:
I haven't tried Safari. But it doesn't look like Chrome supports FTP either. Just tried opening an FTP site and Chrome just wanted me to open a program for FTP like Firefox does.
Click to expand...
I don’t use Chrome. Never even got on that band wagon. Anything involving Google I avoid. Yeah, I’m one of those people. I have FireFox setup almost like TOR minus the actual TOR part obviously.
I’ve been using Firefox since probably version 2.something maybe even before. I vaguely remember referring to it as just “Mozilla”.
 
Thanks for the correction. I thought it handed off to Finder the whole time, but clearly I'm mistaken!
 
Project Alice said:
I don’t use Chrome. Never even got on that band wagon. Anything involving Google I avoid. Yeah, I’m one of those people. I have FireFox setup almost like TOR minus the actual TOR part obviously.
I’ve been using Firefox since probably version 2.something maybe even before. I vaguely remember referring to it as just “Mozilla”.
Click to expand...

I have work accounts with Google. I only use Chrome for that and the occasional web page which doesn't work in Firefox. I'll try Chrome to see if it's a Firefox issue or website issue. So, there isn't much useful data they can gather on me for advertising. Even if there was there isn't a way for them to use it. As I don't browse with Chrome and block any ads.

Firefox is used with Duckduckgo, Privacy Badger and Unblock Origin. Which provides enough privacy to keep me happy. Even then I also use Private Windows for any browsing outside sites I login to and visit regularly.
 
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velocityg4 said:
Firefox is used with Duckduckgo, Privacy Badger and Unblock Origin. Which provides enough privacy to keep me happy. Even then I also use Private Windows for any browsing outside sites I login to and visit regularly.
Click to expand...
I do that too lol along with the containers addon. My home network has pfblockerng running blocking ads and known trackers, squid doing it as well for certain things.
 
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B S Magnet said:
After reading here how Firefox has dropped FTP support from Firefox 90 (what even in the name of… smdh), I decided to flex by grabbing the OverbiteFF extension and adding it to Interweb so that I have both FTP and GOPHER protocol accessibility from my web browser, just as Tim Berners-Lee intended!
Click to expand...
I am half serious about attempting to make my own Firefox fork with the following changes:
1) uBlock origin by default
2) Remove the default start page which has all those ads, as well as all the other mozzilla vpn/suggested/pocket junk.
3) Add back in FTP support exactly as it last was in FF88, but enabled by default.
 
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alex_free said:
I am half serious about attempting to make my own Firefox fork with the following changes:
1) uBlock origin by default
2) Remove the default start page which has all those ads, as well as all the other mozzilla vpn/suggested/pocket junk.
3) Add back in FTP support exactly as it last was in FF88, but enabled by default.
Click to expand...

Go for it! The more variety is all the more healthy for the vintage Mac community.

Throw in uMatrix along with uBlock origin, with the former being a checkbox opt-in preference for folks who know what it does, and you’ll have me testing your flavour of Mozilla/TFF/IW in a hurry. :)
 
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alex_free said:
I am half serious about attempting to make my own Firefox fork with the following changes:
1) uBlock origin by default
2) Remove the default start page which has all those ads, as well as all the other mozzilla vpn/suggested/pocket junk.
3) Add back in FTP support exactly as it last was in FF88, but enabled by default.
Click to expand...
If you do I'll be using it.
 
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alex_free said:
Sorry about the click bait title, but this is something interesting to me and technically true (until TLS 1.4 rears it's ugly head). Firefox 88 disabled FTP links by default, and FireFox 90 completely removed the ability to access FTP links.

Sure FTP is quite obscure, but for example, an IBM 5110 emulator (the IBM 5100 is the first PC ever released, in 1975, the 5110 was released in 1978 but is mostly the same) is only accessable via FTP for direct download through the authors very old website that hasn't been updated in years.

So TFF can at least load all current TLS connections and FTP, while the latest Firefox can't load any FTP anymore.
Click to expand...
until TLS 1.4 rears it's ugly head - this won't be out until you are over 50. I am assuming you are 20 or 30.. for me, that will be 60.. By then, PowerPC may not be in existence anymore.
 
Project Alice said:
I don’t use Chrome. Never even got on that band wagon. Anything involving Google I avoid. Yeah, I’m one of those people. I have FireFox setup almost like TOR minus the actual TOR part obviously.
I’ve been using Firefox since probably version 2.something maybe even before. I vaguely remember referring to it as just “Mozilla”.
Click to expand...
I just have to respond to this - anything Google I HATE with passion. So, you and i are alike there. FF is the best ! I remember there was a TOR for PowerPC macs ?
 
Macbookprodude said:
until TLS 1.4 rears it's ugly head - this won't be out until you are over 50. I am assuming you are 20 or 30.. for me, that will be 60.. By then, PowerPC may not be in existence anymore.
Click to expand...
TLS 1.1 came out in ‘06, 1.2 in ‘08, and 1.3 in 2018. I think 1.4 will be out in five years or less at this rate. 1.3 for decades would be nice however. Also good guess.
 
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