Mozilla is Launching Curated Recommended Extensions Program This Summer

An anonymous reader shares a report: However much you love your chosen web browser, you have probably enhanced its capabilities through the use of add-ons. Finding decent, reliable add-ons can be tricky, and this is why Mozilla is launching the Recommended Extensions program. This editor-curated program will surface the very best vetted extensions for Firefox, and it is due to roll out in stages later this summer.

Mozilla says that any extensions it recommends through the program will be highlighted across its portfolio of websites and products, including addons.mozilla.org (AMO) and on Firefox's Get Add-Ons page. The company is already identifying extensions it likes the look of, and will soon be reaching out to developers. Changes should be seen on AMO around June.

The pattern never changes

[TimothyHollins]

I predict using my superior logic that it will go exactly the same way as all other curated programmes in this space. It starts out as a great way to find top quality and vetted addons, then when the community starts to associate that little "recommended" tag with quality Mozilla gets swamped with addons that want to get recommended, and eventually they start to use the tag for financial purposes. The only positive side is that since Firefox isn't dominant on the market it will take longer before they reach the end stage.

Re:

[omfglearntoplay]

I'm fine with Mozilla making some recommendations. I found the Waze app before it became a google thing due to some recommendation.

I mean, in general, yeah, I know what I want and need. But if I'm not looking for something, I am curious about any above average add-ons that might do something that I didn't know was even possible.

Re:

[arglebargle_xiv]

I'm wondering how they're going to do this. Since most of the best extensions are XUL, will it recommend Pale Moon or Waterfox instead of itself?

Classic Addon Archive

[xack]

Along with either Waterfox, Basilisk or Pale Moon. The quality of XUL addons are still superior to Webextentions. You can even Get Mypal and run them on Windows XP. Classic OSes deserve classic addons.

Re:

[tepples]

1. Autoplay of video in web pages including the muted but still being played lameness including streamed GIFs and other hacks - (annoyance, bandwidth)

See for example demonstrations of some of these hacks [pineight.com]. But how exactly would you propose to detect them and block block them, without breaking not only the JavaScript needed for web applications but also the CSS needed for even static HTML documents?

2. Access to the microphone built into Firefox - an exploit waiting to happen - (privacy)

Would you prefer having to use a native voice chat app? That runs the risk of "We're sorry! The voice chat application is not available for your platform."

3. Access to the camera built into Firefox - an exploit waiting to happen - (privacy)

Would you prefer having to use a native video chat app? That runs the risk of "We're sorry! The video chat

Re:

[tepples]

A dedicated audio and video chat app is preferred.

If the person with whom you are attempting to communicate prefers a "dedicated audio and video chat app" exclusive to macOS and iOS, would you buy a Mac, an iPhone, or an iPad for the purpose of communicating with this person?

Blocking autoplay of content adhering to the WW3/ECMA standard as a first pass and then blocking the hacks one at a time.

CSS animations are a W3C standard, and JavaScript animations are the result of an ECMA standard (ECMAScript) interacting with W3C standards (HTML DOM and CSS).

Re:

[JMJimmy]

I want this... with XUL extensions

Apple ruined the word "curated."

[Hillie]

After Tim Cook's Stalinesque speech about how hate has no place on their platform. (ie. anything that disagrees with our political ideology or exposes corruption) the word "curated" leaves a bad taste in my mouth. So I will avoid anything that says it's curated.

It's kinda like how baiscally "free" plugins that provide tons of value and don't charge you anything. I avoid those like the plague. Because basically the way that they are free is they track you and then sell your most personal details to the highe

Great idea!

[DeVilla]

This is a great idea, and I'm ready to contribute.

If you do a lot of reading, paragrasp is excellent for highlighting the current paragragh, list entry, etc. This is a must have! The thought of following my RSS feed without is ... oh wait. Right. It doesn't work any more with firefox. *sigh*.

No matter, I got really good at organizing tabs with the tab group feature that Mozilla build into the browser. Then Mozilla removed it, but the functionally was maintained and improved as an addon. It's not fo