Major security update recommended to all Microb Adblock Plus port users

Wladimir Palant, the original Adblock and Adblock Plus Firefox web-addon developer, among other complainings, has pointed out an important security hole in initial version of the Adblock Plus Microb port :

"... So I downloaded this Adblock Plus version and soon it was obvious that it is inserting an Adblock Plus button into all web pages the user visits — using my favicon as the image on the button. Which makes me the lucky guy who can track every move MicroB users do on the Internet (at least if I decide to send HTTP headers preventing caching)."

Happily, Andre Pedralho quickly fixed this issue and uploaded the 0.0.2-1 version of Adblock Plus MicroB port in a few minutes. It is highly recommend for all Adblock Plus (maemo port) users to update their packages to the newest as soon as possible. For the other raised issues by Wladimir in the post entry, including changing the addon port name, we are investigation how much we've changed from the original source to take the proper action.

--Antonio Gomes
tonikitoo at gmail dot com

MicroB's spellchecker extension

These past days, I've been testing the just released version of Spellcheck extension for MicroB, and I'd say that even with all MicroB UI constraints for addon development including no XUL, XBL, overlay (no extensible UI) it is a great work.

Follows some usability scenarios that could be improved, though (spellcheck has to be installed).

1. Through "about:config" page, set the "layout.spellcheckDefault" to '2' and go to default browser home page.
2. Install the russian dictionary, and change you default input method language to Russian as well.
   
3. Mistype any word in Russian and it won't get underlined (indication a mistyping), once the default 'en-US' dictionary is the one in use.
   

• It is not possible right now to users to switch the a dictionary w/out having to mistype any word in the currently used dictionary language, double tap it, and change the dictionary from the prompted Select dialog. Suggestions ?
  

1. I am a user and I want to know what is the currently used dictionary , how to do this ? Only going to 'about:config' and searching for 'spellcheker.dictionary' value.
   

• Couldn't it get indicated in any of the dialogs' title that spellchecker prompts out ?
  

--Antonio Gomes
tonikitoo at gmail dot com

A better google search experience on Microb with Greasemonkey

After installing Greasemonkey addon on MicroB, my n800 browsers much better: first I showed how users could better youtube from MicroB, and now just a quick update on how users can also better google search on your device: mine install google greasemonkey script, for example, add videos, images and wikipedia top 5 search results alongside normal google searches.. All this through AJAX !!!! It ends up like:


--Antonio Gomes
tonikitoo at gmail dot com

A better youtube experience on MicroB with Greasemonkey

Some Greasemonkey scripts can help those who use to watch youtube videos from the MicroB Browser to get a better experience on that:

• Download Video: download current video (in .flv format) in one click.
  

• BlockFlash2: blocks/unblock flash.

Video download in yellow and blockflash2 in red.

• YousableTubeFix: let you resize video for better view.

YousableTube options in green.

Btw, to install Greasemonkey itself on MicroB just tap here.

--Antonio Gomes
tonikitoo at gmail dot com

Browser-extras: great project even with all issues.

Better than surfing on the Web from everywhere is doing it all on your way ! On that regard, Firefox is really a pioneer: its robust Addon backend and online support make possible to customize your browsing experience in a few clicks. think that Browser-extras project is a way to go in order to get MicroB closer to Firefox.

From an user point of view, I see it as a really great and promissing initiative but how about from a MicroB extension developer's prospective ?

Some differences between MicroB's Addon system and Firefox' one make extension development for MicroB a bit more painful then it should: Firefox counts on some built-in mozilla technologies that are disabled in compile time in microb-engine:

• XBL (XML Binding Language): "an XML-based markup language used to declare the behavior and look of XUL Widgets and XML Elements".

• XUL: Firefox' UI language.

• Overlay: "XUL files used to describe extra content in the UI".
  

• XPI support: only .deb

• No debugging tools (DOM Inspector, Firebug, Error Console) available.

We lack manpower to improve this development environment specifically ... =/ But the project is on regardless that, work is being done, and some results are already out there.

--Antonio Gomes
tonikitoo at gmail dot com

MicroB community development building

Some nice ongoing work happening around MicroB Browser (mozilla for maemo): Browser-Extras is a good example:

• Nice Firefox extensions for MicroB: follow it here ;)
  

• Chinese and Arabic font packages available.

Arabic

chinese

ps: pics from leoz' blog.

--Antonio Gomes

Trip to São Carlos (SP/Br) and Mozilla Community Build Brazil Event

So, since Monday (Jun/25) I've been in São Carlos (São Paulo) in order to get in touch with Marcio Galli (taboca - thanks for the hospitality) and brainstorm about some ideas we have. In resume, what I can say is it was very productive trip.

Marcio has been involved with web technologies and mainly Mozilla stuff since early Netscape times (back to 1997 or so), so his background in his area is notable. Basically, we talked about some general MiniMo issues, like usability and features, as well as ways of pushing it to Linux devices (maybe OpenMoko ?).

In that sense, I could show him MiniMo running on the n800 device, and I asked him about what could be done (UI-wise) to improve n800 users' web surfing experience. I got good input on this, and I hope to be packing them up in minimo 0.21 for maemo soon.

The last day (Jun/27) was the best one. I got some minimo upstream Linux specific bugs under my responsibility, which is great and will take me definitively to the XUL world. Furthermore, Offline Browsering and OS Firefox were subjects of a nice talk we had in taboca's office. I will be blogging about it specifically soon as well. Loooooots of ideas came up .....

Happily, I could also participate to the Mozilla Community Build Brazil, an community effort event which intends to learn more about Internet habits of specific countries and find out local ways to spread and increase market share of Firefox in them. It is been headed by Asa and JT from Mozilla. Here are some pics of it. They realized, for example, the potential of orkut in Brazil, and so why not making "Firefox as an easier Orkut tool" for almost 20 million users here ;).

Btw, I will be working on a Firefox extension for orkut my free time (more about it later on) !!!

--Antonio Gomes
tonikitoo at gmail dot com