Add-on Compatibility Reporter Turned To Reporting Only Add-on
The Add-on Compatibility Reporter add-on for the Firefox web browser was a useful browser extension to force add-on compatibility in unsupported versions of the Firefox web browser. While it was not able to force compatibility for add-ons that were incompatible due to changes in the browser itself, it managed to enforce compatibility for the majority of add-ons.
Mozilla with Firefox 10 introduced the compatibility by default feature which enforces compatibility natively for the majority of add-ons.
As a consequence, the compatibility enforcing capabilities have been removed from Add-on Compatibility Reporter. The add-on is now only a reporting tool that provides Mozilla and add-on developers with compatibility information about their add-ons.
Firefox users who have installed the extension solely for the reason of enforcing add-on compatibility, can remove it from the browser as it is no longer offering that functionality.
The compatible by default feature does not enable all add-ons by default. Brian King lists the following exemptions from the rule:
- Add-ons marked to work with a Firefox version less than 4.0
- Add-ons with binary components
- Add-ons explicitly marked by the author as incompatible, i.e. opt-out of Compatible By Default
- Add-ons tested and determined to not be compatible with a given version of Firefox, and marked as incompatible by Mozilla
- Themes
Most add-ons currently installed in Firefox 10 or higher should be automatically enabled by the new compatible by default feature. Users who are still running pre-Firefox 4 add-ons on the other hand that they now are working in Firefox 10 and higher are left standing in the rain.
One option for them to make their add-ons compatibility would be to install the Nightly Tester Tools to force add-on compatibility. Another option would be to edit the Firefox add-on file directly. Check out Three Methods To Force Add-On Compatibility In Firefox for information on how to do that.
Please note that this affects Thunderbird and SeaMonkey as well.
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Even with FF 10, I have a bunch of add-ons that are disabled (Bing Bar, D-Link Toolbar. HP Smart Web Printing). The problem is, the Remove option for them has disappeared. How can I revive these items, or at least remove them from the list?
No remove option is usually an indicator that they have been installed by third party software. I’m currently preparing a guide on how to remove third party add-ons