Solving new Hotmail editor-Firefox problem

[Michiel]

In the dutch forum, but after Googling distribution-wide encountered, someone reported that the newer version of Hotmail (e.g. launched from MSN or aMSN) led to problems in Firefox under Linux, e.g. Inbox still visible but shown new messages not readable and new message composing window (the editor) not available, this since Hotmail changed it's layout about a week ago or so.

After some puzzling, atolboo came up woth the definite solution to solve this issue as Pardus linux concerns.

I think it is good to spread this in the worldforum as well to prevent people from re-inventing the wheel and enable people with similar problems to solve them quicker.

This is what atolboo posted (and I translated in english):

The so-called general.useragent.vendor-settings are located in the file
firefox-pardus.js in

Code:

/usr/lib/MozillaFirefox/defaults/pref

.

This file can only be changed with root privileges.

Open Pardus > Programs/Applications > System > More applications/programs > File Manager (in system administration modus).

Enter this in the URL location bar of Firefox:
 

/usr/lib/MozillaFirefox/defaults/pref

Start with making a back-up of firefox-pardus.js e.g. to your desktop (copy here).

Open the original firefox-pardus.js in Kwrite (right mouse click-open with) and change:

pref("general.useragent.vendor", "Pardus");

to
 

pref("general.useragent.vendor", "Firefox/3.0.3");

then save this file.

If all geos well the problem with Firefox handling Hotmail has disappeared now. 

[Mhmrcs]

I don't use Hotmail, I used to however, the fact that Linux users need to change the User Agent of their browser in order to access a Microsoft-service is totally unacceptable, It violates anti-trust and monopolising laws! Microsoft is simply trying to kill competition, isolating those who decide against their commercial ware - It's truely pathetic that this effort couldn't have been put into Windows, and there wouldn't be Linux or Mac to begin with.

[azra]

Mhmrcs

Hum, although I do not disagree with the spirit of what you are saying, I do not think that it contravenes any laws. There is no trust or monopole of M$ on webmail, people can decide to vote with their feet and use yahoo mail or gmail if they want.

I think it is a strategic action from M$ which will have little impact since people who use linux (usually) can fiddle with their settings easily and I further doubt that many people who actually use linux want/have a hotmail account.

But you're right, it is pathetic......

[Mhmrcs]

Yep, I use GoogleMail (That violates privacy lol, but thats a different matter )

Microsoft is making Hotmail harder to access (with intent of not making it usable) by Linux users, I admit I was exaggerated when I said it broke laws - but this is commercially, one of the most propreitary acts they could possibly commit - It's like Google saying you have to use BSD to use their FreeBSD operated engine.

I agree with you though, there are few (should be anyways... lol) that use Hotmail in Linux, but opressing even that minority? Did you hear about Ballmer speaking at some conference, some students starting shouting "GNU-Hurd" (The GNU dream for a totally free system), they were removed by the police - It's like warfare... lol