changelog: v53-alpha

[earthlng]

• date: 29-April-2017
• foreword: Here are the changes since the last changelog (v52-alpha 13-March-2017). While we are continually improving and making changes, rest assured all the important 53 bits and bobs have been covered
• note: the comments in the code snippets below are for this changelog's commentary

---

changelog: [all changes (click on "13 changed files" then user.js)]

• worked through the 133 pref-changes for Firefox 53.0 here
  • you can find some links, quotes and my monologue our discussion there
  • a few new FF53 prefs didn't make it to the user.js yet, but were added to this sticky
• revamped Section 0800 and added the [SETUP] tag for the whole section (discussion: redo 0800s location bar etc #32)

/*** 0800: LOCATION BAR / SEARCH BAR / SUGGESTIONS / HISTORY / FORMS [SETUP]
     If you are in a private environment (no unwanted eyeballs) and your device is private
     (restricted access), and the device is secure when unattended (locked, encrypted, forensic
     hardened), then items 0850 and above can be relaxed in return for more convenience and
     functionality. ...
 ***/

• revamped Section 1000: CACHE and added the [SETUP] tag for the whole section (discussion: redo 1000s cache #51 something something something dark side: favicons #48)

• revamped Section 1200: HTTPS (discussion: redo 1200s https etc #50)

• new section (1100) for Multi-Process Firefox (e10s) [used to be 2650+ and 2660] (discussion: create 0050 e10s #82)

• new Prefs for Firefox 53.0

user_pref("browser.storageManager.enabled", false);
user_pref("browser.urlbar.decodeURLsOnCopy", true); // !! default value in FF53 is false !!
user_pref("dom.IntersectionObserver.enabled", false);
// user_pref("extensions.webextensions.remote", true); // default is false in FF53 so maybe not quite ready yet to enable

/** we already had the following prefs in the user.js but we now commented them out **/
// user_pref("browser.tabs.remote.separateFileUriProcess", true); // default is false in FF53 so maybe not quite ready yet to enable
// user_pref("svg.disabled", true); // it breaks youtube player controls

• other new additions since user.js_v52.0-alpha

user_pref("browser.crashReports.unsubmittedCheck.autoSubmit", false);
user_pref("browser.crashReports.unsubmittedCheck.enabled", false);
user_pref("webextensions.storage.sync.enabled", false); // !! default value in FF53 is true !!
user_pref("webextensions.storage.sync.serverURL", "");

/** 4 new prefs in a new subsection for Favicons **/
user_pref("browser.shell.shortcutFavicons", false);
// user_pref("alerts.showFavicons", false);
// user_pref("browser.chrome.favicons", false);
// user_pref("browser.chrome.site_icons", false);

/** for completeness' and transparency's sake these are mentioned here too,
     but they contain deliberate data mismatches and syntax errors **/

/* 1110: set sandbox level. DO NOT MEDDLE WITH THESE.
 * They are included to inform you NOT to play with them. ... ***/
   // user_pref("security.sandbox.content.level", "donotuse")
   // user_pref("dom.ipc.plugins.sandbox-level.default", "donotuse");
   // user_pref("dom.ipc.plugins.sandbox-level.flash, "donotuse");

• moved item 2025: enable/disable various media types to the personal section,
  commented them all out and set all values to false, so you can easily un-comment the media formats you want to disable. Previously they were all active and enforcing either true or false. discussion: move 2025 media types to personal section #67

// user_pref("media.flac.enabled", false); // prev: true
// user_pref("media.mp4.enabled", false); // prev: true
// user_pref("media.ogg.enabled", false);
// user_pref("media.ogg.flac.enabled", false);
// user_pref("media.opus.enabled", false);
// user_pref("media.raw.enabled", false);
// user_pref("media.wave.enabled", false);
// user_pref("media.webm.enabled", false); // prev: true
// user_pref("media.wmf.enabled", false); // prev: true

• activated previously commented-out prefs

user_pref("browser.sessionstore.interval", 30000);

• changed values : see privacy.clearOnShutdown.sessions #69

user_pref("privacy.clearOnShutdown.sessions", true); // 52alpha: false 
user_pref("privacy.cpd.sessions", true); // 52alpha: false
user_pref("security.dialog_enable_delay", 700); // 52alpha: 1000
user_pref("security.mixed_content.use_hsts", true); // 52alpha: false
user_pref("ui.submenuDelay", 150); // 52alpha: 75

• commented out : see 0850 location bar dropdown #63 , dom.event.contextmenu.enabled - description needs updating? #61 , Why disable Reader view? #84

user_pref("browser.urlbar.maxRichResults", 0);
user_pref("dom.event.contextmenu.enabled", false);
user_pref("reader.parse-on-load.enabled", false); // also moved to section 3000 (PERSONAL SETTINGS)

• moved to 9997: DEPRECATED / REMOVED (some or all of these may still be used in Firefox ESR)
  • dom.beforeAfterKeyboardEvent.enabled
  • media.getusermedia.screensharing.allow_on_old_platforms
  • plugin.scan.Acrobat
  • plugin.scan.Quicktime
  • plugin.scan.WindowsMediaPlayer
  • security.tls.unrestricted_rc4_fallback

---

• plus we also ...
  • prepended all links with numbered tags and made links the last lines in the description blocks
  • fixed some typos and other minor things

Thanks to everyone who contributed !

Any and all help, suggestions, recommendations, links, tips and tricks, questions, thank you's or whathaveyou - signup/login and start typing - thanks