262672 - Feature Request: Option to install-at-own-risk when extensions doesn't support current Firefox version

Status: VERIFIED DUPLICATE of bug 258062

(Toolkit :: Add-ons Manager, enhancement)

Description

[David Costanzo]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.7) Gecko/20040514
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.7) Gecko/20040514

I have a feature request.  When the install.rdf in a downloaded XPI does not
include the current version of Firefox, I would like the extension manager to
give the user the option allow users to install the extension at their own risk.

Likewise, when the user upgrades to a new Firefox, I would like the user to have
to option to continue using their current extension (when no update is
available), even if it hasn't been tested with the new Firefox.

Here's why:
I maintain the Dict extension.  My free time does not always coincide with new
Firefox releases.  I use Mozilla, so I don't stay on the cutting edge of Firefox
releases.  I didn't get around to testing and updating the supported version in
update.rdf to include Firefox 1.0 PR until two weeks after its release.  In the
meantime, users who updated to the lastest Firefox were not able to use my
extension.

I don't expect that future updates to Firefox will change in a way that breaks
my extension.  So even if Dict works in the newer releases, users can't use it
until I say they can.  I feel this "big brother" effect goes against the spirit
of free software--the user should be in control, not me.

At some point, I'm going to lose interest in maintaining my
extension--especially if all I'm doing is testing that it works with new
versions of Firefox.  Instead of activly testing that Dict works with each new
Firefox release, I'd rather just respond to bug reports when something breaks.

In closing, I think it's great that Firefox checks the supported versions of
each extension.  It's great that users can download the version of the extension
that matches their version of Firefox.  I just wish the user were empowered to
override Firefox when there was a version mismatch.


Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:
1. Run Firefox 1.0 PR.
2. Download http://downloads.mozdev.org/dict/dict-0.5.8.xpi
3. Click "Install"

Actual Results:  
Firefox displays a message saying that Dict 0.5.8 could not be installed.  Dict
is not installed.

Expected Results:  
(Desired Result) I can click an "install anyway" button.

Comment 1

[:Gavin Sharp [email: [e-mail]]]

I'm almost positive I've seen this filed before. Can't find dupe though.

Comment 2

[Peter van der Woude [:Peter6]]

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 258062 ***