Charlie does not let Lisa near those scary ultra loud crinkly biodegradeable Sun Chips bags.

Stories
 
Browser Extension uMatrix Ends Active Development
from the needing-an-extension dept.
Slashdot reader Hmmmmmm quotes Ghacks:
Raymond Hill, known online as gorhill, has set the status of the uMatrix GitHub repository to archived; this means that it is read-only at the time and that no updates will become available.

The uMatrix extension is available for several browsers including Firefox, Google Chrome, and most Firefox and Chromium-based browsers. It is a privacy and security extensions for advanced users that provides firewall-like capabilities when it is installed... 

Hill suggests that developers could fork the extension to continue development under a new name. There is also the chance that Hill might resume development in the future but there is no guarantee that this is going to happen.

For now, uMatrix is no longer in active development.
Posted by EditorDavid 10 hours ago
privacy software opensource
Close Ad

18 Comments
Help
All
Outstanding
Funny
Noo... (+4, Interesting)
Fly Swatter 10 hours ago
That is my most used extension, although I can see where it overlaps with uBlock Origin, I still use both. The control when u need it is superb.
Reply  Share
 Flag
Re: Noo... (+1)
AmiMoJo 9 hours ago
What sort of stuff does it do that uBlock doesn't with the advanced mode turned on?
Reply  Share
 Flag
Re: Noo... (+4, Informative)
Anonymous Coward 9 hours ago
uMatrix is more granular. You can allow/deny cookies/css/images/media/scripts/xhr/frames per subdomain.
Reply  Share
 Flag
Re: Noo... 
Anonymous Coward 5 hours ago
Raymond Hill is the author of uBlock Origin, don't confuse it with uBlock.
Reply  Share
 Flag
Re: Noo... (+1)
Aighearach 2 hours ago
It is shocking that you still don't know, it has been explained numerous times just in slashdot comments, and all over the web.
If you don't know what it does, that means you allow cross-site scripting all the time, by everybody.
The good news is, it doesn't need active development, it is already complete. If the browsers break it, a fork with minor fixes will be needed.
Reply  Share
 Flag
Re: Noo... (+1)
Black LED 9 hours ago
It's one of my most used extensions too and certainly my most interacted with extension since I have everything but first party resources (minus cookies) blocked by default, so there are usually a few things I need to enable for each new site I visit. I don't really see a problem in development being halted though as it's already complete and has been for some time.
Reply  Share
 Flag
Re: Noo... (+1)
Anubis IV 4 hours ago
Same. Not sure what I’ll fall back to. I already have uBlock Origin for easier rules about specific DOM elements. I guess I’ll have to do my best to transcribe my filter settings from uMatrix into it, since I currently block everything by default except for first-party content.
Reply  Share
 Flag
noooo (+2)
GrahamJ 9 hours ago
I love this extension, it's the only one I know of that can do what it does. Being able to block per resource type and domain is critical.
Reply  Share
 Flag
Fa1lzors (-1)
Anonymous Coward 8 hours ago
non-fucking-existant. I've never 5een we need to ad3ress as fittingly
Reply  Share
 Flag
Alternatives? (+1)
szy 8 hours ago
I love umatrix - it works very well with Ublock Origin and gives great control. Anyone can recommend an alternative that would be as easy to use and provide a similar level of fine grained control?
Reply  Share
 Flag
Re: Alternatives? (+4, Informative)
Shane_Optima 7 hours ago
I've heard some people talk about using NoScript for similarly fine-grained control beyond what uBlock Origin offers, though I think it's just for JS stuff, not domain access in general. 

If I were a user (personally, I'm not motivated enough to go beyond uBlock Origins, though perhaps I should've, at least for my most heavily-visited websites), I'd continue to stick with uMatrix and hope someone forks it at some point. Assuming it wasn't discontinued due to imminent compatibility issues--and it didn't sound like it was--I'd assume it would continue to work for at least a few more years. And regarding security bugs, I doubt its attack vector potential is very high, especially vs. the security gains its offers.
Reply  Share
 Flag
My favorite! (+2)
GameboyRMH 7 hours ago
uMatrix does everything I used to need a fleet of addons to do in one convenient interface, if I could only have one Firefox addon, this would be it.
Reply  Share
 Flag
Re: My favorite! (-1)
Anonymous Coward 5 hours ago
The problem is FireFox, Pale Moon is much better and runs Raymond Hill's add-ons too.
Reply  Share
 Flag
billionaires 
nullchar 7 hours ago
Where is the money to fund these amazing projects?
Reply  Share
 Flag
Re: billionaires (+1)
Actually, I do RTFA 6 hours ago
Billionaires tend to be financially hurt by ad blocking and loss of central control that uMatrix and its siblings provide.
Reply  Share
 Flag
Why is it important? (+3, Insightful)
Actually, I do RTFA 6 hours ago
I'm not sure why it's important the uMatrix is updated. The software works and is stable, there hasn't been a real update since 2019 (Since then all that happened was shifting the default list feed and adding autoupdate functionality to Firefox.). .
Basically, this is people bemoaning the lack of new shineys in something that works and doesn't need them.
As long as security isn't at risk and no browser updates force compatibility issues, it should continue to work, and need updates, just as often under this new no-maintenance plan as otherwise.
Reply  Share
 Flag
Re: Why is it important? (+4, Insightful)
Shane_Optima 5 hours ago
I agree that people treating this as an immediate death knell is a bit silly. I don't see any rush to abandon or replace it. 

That said, Mozilla has been cavalier about breaking extensions in the past and there could be bugs (security or otherwise) moving forward. Bit rot is a thing. It's not an immediate threat, but it is a long term threat.
Reply  Share
 Flag
Re: Why is it important? (+2)
Too Much Noise 2 hours ago
I'm not sure why it's important the uMatrix is updated.
Perhaps, for instance, because it stopped working for mobile Firefox after the last major update?
Reply  Share
 Flag
Too bad... (+1)
Malays2 bowman a minute ago
That these extentions have to exist because even big reputable companies can't be trusted to not abuse their users in every which way possible.
Yes, "trusted", the same guys that expect us to let them hold all of the keys. The only one I trust is myself, and I view anyone who tries to usurp my control and force me to "trust" them as a hostile threat.
"Trust" has been perverted and twisted into "We are in control, not you".
Reply  Share
 Flag
Re: Too bad... (+1)
Malays2 bowman in a few seconds
reputable - forgot the 's around that word.
Reply  Share
 Flag
by TaboolaSponsored LinksYou May Like
Man Throws Giant Effervescent Ball Into A Pool
Daily-Story
40 Animals That Live So Long, They're Almost Immortal
Give It Love
Hilarious Photos Of Strange Absurdities Caught On Airplanes
Amomedia
30 Historical Events That Never Actually Happened
Past Factory
Submit Terms Privacy Feedback Non-mobile
follow us
 Copyright © 2020 SlashdotMedia.All Rights Reserved.
×
Exercise Your Consumer Rights

Do Not Sell My Information
Opt out of campaigns and programs that require the sale or disclosure of information to our partners. View our Privacy Policy.
Submit Request
Opt Out of Targeted Advertising
Turn off online tracking by opting out of cookies and the transfer of data to third parties.
Submit Request
Exercise your consumer rights via other methods including: 
By e-mail: [email protected]
By phone: 1-800-552-9000
Or by mail at: 
Slashdot Media
PO Box 2452 
La Jolla, CA 92038
Attention: Privacy Compliance

Trump Asks Social Media Companies To Develop Pre-Crime Algorithms
Tucson Motorcycle Lawyers Could Resolve Your Motorcycle Accident (And Get You Paid!)
Accident Attorney | Search Ads
|
Sponsored
Lung Cancer Signals Many May Wish They Noticed Earlier
Lung Cancer | Search Ads
|
Sponsored