Firefox vs. Iceweasel

I've just came across a link to the FireFTP Firefox plugin. It should be a nice ftp-client for Firefox, so I thought, I could try it.

But fortune is against me today:
/upload/you_need_firefox.png

Hey! I AM using Firefox! Or maybe not? I'm using Iceweasel 2.0.0.1, which is a Firefox with all trademarked stuff removed. And it uses Iceweasel in it's User-Agent string, so this nice JavaScript works too good:

<script type="text/javascript">
<!--
if (navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Firefox") != -1) {
document.writeln("<a style=\"color:#040\" href=\"http:\/\/ftp.mozilla.org\/pub\/mozilla.org\/extensions\/fireftp\/fireftp-0.94.6-fx.xpi\"> <b>Download FireFTP<\/b><\/a><br\/>");
document.writeln("<span class=\"smaller\">0.94.6 beta, English (only 100KB!)<\/span><br\/>");
document.writeln("<span ><a class=\"smaller\" style=\"color: #666\" href=\"all.html\">Other Languages and Versions<\/a>");
} else {
document.writeln("<span class=\"smaller\">You need Firefox to use FireFTP.<\/span><br\/>");
}
//-->
</script>

Guys, why do you check such shit?
But there seems to be a solution in Debian Bug #399633:
Just a short note to add that changing the value (in about:config) of
'general.useragent.extra.firefox' from 'Iceweasel/2.0' to 'Firefox/2.0'
(or 'Iceweasel Firefox/2.0') should be enough to work around most of
these broken websites.

This one works for the FireFTP site, but it's IMHO a hack and the reason is also in the Debian BTS:
If sites require that "Firefox" is present in the user agent string,
they are likely to fail with Epiphany, Kazehakase, Galeon, Seamonkey,
Iceape, and any new browser based on Gecko that would appear.

So yes dear Lazyweb, please check for Gecko or completely leave this browser hacks.

Comments

christian mueller - systemhelden.com COO wrote on 2007-02-02 15:27:

hi teranetworks blogger,

erstmal willkommen im blogger-kreis der systemhelden – euer blog ist eine echte bereicherung für uns!

allerdings haben wir auch festgestellt, dass manchmal anscheinend euer blog längere feed zeiten hat – und dann ziehts uns die ganze seite runter. wir arbeiten gerade daran das auszuschalten. ansonsten kleiner tipp: sun server fürs blogging, die feeden schneller :-)

schönes wochenende

Send your comments to evgeni+blogcomments@golov.de and I will publish them here (if you want).