Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

Option to use "outdated" plugins

  • 1 reply
  • 0 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by Matt

Sim Architect
Sim Architect
more options

Hi! I love that you are always updating Thunderbird but it's a lot of work to have to navigate through advanced settings to trick Thunderbird into running plugins that suddenly become "outdated" frequently.

Can we please have a regular setting we can turn on so "run outdated plugins" no matter the version number?

Many plugin creators don't update their plugins, which are just fine and sometimes do very simple things and work perfectly well even if not tested.

Take it as a suggestion, of course.

Hi! I love that you are always updating Thunderbird but it's a lot of work to have to navigate through advanced settings to trick Thunderbird into running plugins that suddenly become "outdated" frequently. Can we please have a regular setting we can turn on so "run outdated plugins" no matter the version number? Many plugin creators don't update their plugins, which are just fine and sometimes do very simple things and work perfectly well even if not tested. Take it as a suggestion, of course.

All Replies (1)

Matt
Matt
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Thunderbird was forced to move to the same web extension API that Firefox use, by virtue of actually using the Mozilla platform under the hood. This occurred with the V68 release and all addons that were not updated simply did not work. Unfortunately for Thunderbird the web extension API was slanted to the web and was not a good fit for Thunderbird and it's data centric approach to emails. SO the web extensions were "renamed" as mail extensions and extended over the ensuing years to make then more suitable to mail and calendar management rather than manipulating web pages. These moves have been enhanced by a move to using XHTML internally in Thunderbird as user interface elements instead of XUL which Mozilla are removing from the platform.

All that to say anything written before V68 is not just unworkable. No trick, small change or simple cade modification will allow it to work. Most things since should "just work", however it is up to the addon author to determine which versions of Thunderbird they think their addon will work with, and that information is included in the downloaded XPI file. As the remaining XUL elements are removed (the entire three pane folder mail list page is next I understand) addons that manipulate them will simply fail, spectacularly in some cases if forced to load. One of the efforts that have occurred with, and since, V68 was to try and ensure at least the most popular addons were either incorporated into the program or rewritten for the post V68 environment. This has included having a paid developer assisting those that wanted to recode actually getting help with the changes. Some took the offer, others actually basically took their bat and ball and walked away. Major change has that sort of effect on people.

All that to say I think your hope is completely doomed as there is a myriad of issues with allowing folk to run outdated extensions. This forum has plenty of mysterious issues that come back to "compatible" addons, let alone force loaded stuff. However you are welcome to put in an idea in the feedback forum. https://connect.mozilla.org/