7 ms·

Bypass Paywalls Clean for Firefox

98 points by joker765 7y ago

messi843 7y ago
Very usefull extension indeed. Quick fixes and updates. Adding custom sites is a very interesting feature also.
joker765 7y ago
Refactored extension (no google analytics)/add-on with lots of new sites, bug-fixes, add custom sites and update-notification. https://github.com/magnolia1234/bypass-paywalls-firefox-clean https://github.com/magnolia1234/bypass-paywalls-firefox-clea... https://github.com/magnolia1234/bypass-paywalls-chrome-clean https://github.com/magnolia1234/bypass-paywalls-chrome-clean
- _-___________-_ 7y ago
  Did the original extension have Google Analytics embedded in it somehow?
  - joker765 7y ago
    The original Chrome extension does indeed.
- davidgerard 7y ago
  Any timeline for hitting addons.mozilla.org?
  - joker765 7y ago
    It never will, I guess (removed). But signed by Mozilla anyway.
exogeny 7y ago
For as much as I'd like to receive the utility of such a thing, I don't see how this is anything different than outright theft and therefore it should not be something promoted by any means.
- peteretep 7y ago
  I agree with you. However, if I was going to argue the counter point here, I’d note that I’m pretty happy with the effect that rampant piracy had in forcing adaptation of sensible pricing in the music industry. Enough of this kind of stuff and maybe it’ll force content publishers onto micropayment platforms.
  - TomWhitwell 7y ago
    Musicians would disagree.
    - tareqak 7y ago
      The only way to conclusively prove or disprove your claim would be to have several musicians/singers/songwriters open up their books to show where their wealth came from. From what I have heard over the years, artists and bands make a greater percentage of their wealth from doing concert tours (ticket sales) and selling merchandise than they do from actually selling music via record labels (I have no proof for this claim). My point is somewhat supported by the fact that some successful artists later going on to start their own record labels: if the relationship with the label was otherwise good and the issue was not money, then why make a significant capital investment in creating your own label?
  - KarlKemp 7y ago
    Unlike the music industry, journalism has been decimated, especially on the local level. Even success stories with world-wide audiences often barely break even. And unlike music, professional journalism is a necessity for a function democracy. So I don’t quite see the hook for your Schadenfreude here.
    - tareqak 7y ago
      I think calling 'peteretep’s emotion Schadenfreude is possibly incorrect [0]. I think all that 'peteretep is wishing for is a similar sort of evolution/enlightenment in journalism to that of the music industry. We can all agree that professional and ethical journalism is a necessary part of a well-functioning democracy as you point out. We can also agree that journalism has been decimated, especially at the local level, as you also pointed out. The observation that 'peteretep made about music piracy and its effect upon how music is monetized today is a fact: today, we have multiple streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, among others) and music stores (Apple Music, Beatport, Bandcamp(?) among others. The situation in the music industry remains imperfect, but 'peteretep’s claim that music piracy combined with new technology acted in concert as a forcing function to move the music marketplace closer to where producers and consumers want it to be seems sound. I for one consume the vast majority of my US political news from Hasan Piker knowing full well that he is a leftist [1]. He’s a full-time political commentator that streams on Twitch. Ever since I learned about him a few years ago, other political streamers have started streaming on Twitch and other platforms like YouTube. I bemoan the death of the local newspaper, but only because of the lack of coverage. Why can’t people with cellphone cameras stream a townhall or a city-planning meeting and let viewers decide the value of the livestream and any associated commentary? The long-celebrated journalistic institutions today have all in some way, shape, or form been “captured” by the political forces of the day. Did your organization report too much controversial news concerning the political sacred cows? Well then, you lose access, which is a death knell for such burgeoning organizations with high headcount and fixed costs. One last question: who hands out these press passes anyway because it’s not like you need a license in journalism to report the news? [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude [1] http://twitch.tv/hasanabi http://twitch.tv/hasanabi
daw___ 7y ago
From a developer point of view, wouldn't it be more useful, ethical and financially effective to reach out to these websites and teach them how to implement paywalls right?
- LoSboccacc 7y ago
  but they don't want to, because they want to keep their sweet page rank
- m-p-3 7y ago
  They want their articles to be indexed, but they don't want the end-user to see the content. You cannot have both effectively.
paulintrognon 7y ago
what's "clean" about this?
- _-___________-_ 7y ago
  Apparently the original extension has Google Analytics embedded in it: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22482333 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22482333
  - fwn 7y ago
    I've just searched that and it appears that the Chrome version does have a GA embed, the Firefox version does not. Here is the issue someone filed for it on the original repo: https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-chrome/issues/293 https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-chrome/issues/...
    - joker765 7y ago
      Adam's Firefox add-on supports fewer sites (even compared to his Chrome extension) and has lots of bugs (even more after reduction of permissions) ...
      - fwn 7y ago
        I don't know. Advertising a fork as "clean"ed from something the original project (the ff extension) never had feels a bit disingenuous, marketing-wise. I'll stick with the old one as it requires less permissions. It seems to work as expected. You seem to be very eager to point out the superiority of the fork. Are you involved in the project?
        joker765 7y ago
        Well, goodluck sticking to an 'inferior' repo. It's a free world after all ;-) Btw Clean postfix comes from Chrome extension. I'm just informing users of the new repo which also has an limited permissions release (custom sites not working then).
GekkePrutser 7y ago
Thanks for making this! :D
josh_fyi 7y ago
Is this based on the plug-in by iamadamdev?
- joker765 7y ago
  Yes, major committer switched to clean version. Iamadamdev is just copying his fixes lately ...
fwn 7y ago
What I really do not like about this fork is that it requests permission for all sites while the original version from iamadamdev only requests permission for sites the extension actually affects. They briefly switched to all access (like the linked "bypass Paywalls Clean" above) but came around pretty quick to go back to their less invasive model. See this issue thread on the original repo: https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-firefox/issues/488 https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-firefox/issues...
- joker765 7y ago
  Permission for all sites is needed for adding custom sites. But I also saw a request for a release with limited permissions though (loosing custom sites feature).
  - joker765 7y ago
    New 2nd limited-permissions release was added. Customs sites are not working, but now users have a choice.
- m-p-3 7y ago
  I see General Paywall Bypass entry in the addons setting, wouldn't that require access to all domains in order to work?
  - joker765 7y ago
    You're confused with the old repo (General Paywall Bypass crudely copied from new repo though). Clean one has the option to block 4 general paywall-scripts (TinyPass, Piano, Poool.fr and Outbrain). This only requires permission for those 4 sites (also on old repo).
    - m-p-3 7y ago
      Yeah sorry, I should have specified which repo. I'll stick with the original version for now. Hopefully this quarrel between the two devs can be settled without requiring a permanent hard-fork.
kimi 7y ago
I have mixed feelings about this. My feeling when faced with a paywall is to simply click "back" - if you don't want me to read your content, that's fine to me. You don't expect to be reading a full-text (say) Harry Potter out of a HN link, and I'm good with that, and I paid for my own copy. But a page that looks like content and then won't show it is bait-and-switch, so no thanks.
- WarOnPrivacy 7y ago
  I approve this observation.
Yaa101 7y ago
I am not sure if I want to use this but I am happy to see an extension like this. Of course the sites in question are allowed to try and raise money from me, and I feel I am allowed to try to dodge this. More important however, I feel that these serious news sites with their current behavior are contributing to the fake news proliferation as people keep on reading news but since they cannot read serious news sites they are forced to read facebook's and other crappy sources their gossipy, manipulative and spammy propaganda. I contribute money to The Guardian because of this, they vowed to keep their serious news site open and reward them a contribution for it, I hope more people will for the same reason.

98 points by joker765 7y ago

Very usefull extension indeed. Quick fixes and updates. Adding custom sites is a very interesting feature also.

Refactored extension (no google analytics)/add-on with lots of new sites, bug-fixes, add custom sites and update-notification. https://github.com/magnolia1234/bypass-paywalls-firefox-clean https://github.com/magnolia1234/bypass-paywalls-firefox-clea... https://github.com/magnolia1234/bypass-paywalls-chrome-clean https://github.com/magnolia1234/bypass-paywalls-chrome-clean

_-___________-_ 7y ago
Did the original extension have Google Analytics embedded in it somehow?
- joker765 7y ago
  The original Chrome extension does indeed.
davidgerard 7y ago
Any timeline for hitting addons.mozilla.org?
- joker765 7y ago
  It never will, I guess (removed). But signed by Mozilla anyway.

exogeny 7y ago

For as much as I'd like to receive the utility of such a thing, I don't see how this is anything different than outright theft and therefore it should not be something promoted by any means.

peteretep 7y ago
I agree with you. However, if I was going to argue the counter point here, I’d note that I’m pretty happy with the effect that rampant piracy had in forcing adaptation of sensible pricing in the music industry. Enough of this kind of stuff and maybe it’ll force content publishers onto micropayment platforms.
- TomWhitwell 7y ago
  Musicians would disagree.
  - tareqak 7y ago
    The only way to conclusively prove or disprove your claim would be to have several musicians/singers/songwriters open up their books to show where their wealth came from. From what I have heard over the years, artists and bands make a greater percentage of their wealth from doing concert tours (ticket sales) and selling merchandise than they do from actually selling music via record labels (I have no proof for this claim). My point is somewhat supported by the fact that some successful artists later going on to start their own record labels: if the relationship with the label was otherwise good and the issue was not money, then why make a significant capital investment in creating your own label?
- KarlKemp 7y ago
  Unlike the music industry, journalism has been decimated, especially on the local level. Even success stories with world-wide audiences often barely break even. And unlike music, professional journalism is a necessity for a function democracy. So I don’t quite see the hook for your Schadenfreude here.
  - tareqak 7y ago
    I think calling 'peteretep’s emotion Schadenfreude is possibly incorrect [0]. I think all that 'peteretep is wishing for is a similar sort of evolution/enlightenment in journalism to that of the music industry. We can all agree that professional and ethical journalism is a necessary part of a well-functioning democracy as you point out. We can also agree that journalism has been decimated, especially at the local level, as you also pointed out. The observation that 'peteretep made about music piracy and its effect upon how music is monetized today is a fact: today, we have multiple streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, among others) and music stores (Apple Music, Beatport, Bandcamp(?) among others. The situation in the music industry remains imperfect, but 'peteretep’s claim that music piracy combined with new technology acted in concert as a forcing function to move the music marketplace closer to where producers and consumers want it to be seems sound. I for one consume the vast majority of my US political news from Hasan Piker knowing full well that he is a leftist [1]. He’s a full-time political commentator that streams on Twitch. Ever since I learned about him a few years ago, other political streamers have started streaming on Twitch and other platforms like YouTube. I bemoan the death of the local newspaper, but only because of the lack of coverage. Why can’t people with cellphone cameras stream a townhall or a city-planning meeting and let viewers decide the value of the livestream and any associated commentary? The long-celebrated journalistic institutions today have all in some way, shape, or form been “captured” by the political forces of the day. Did your organization report too much controversial news concerning the political sacred cows? Well then, you lose access, which is a death knell for such burgeoning organizations with high headcount and fixed costs. One last question: who hands out these press passes anyway because it’s not like you need a license in journalism to report the news? [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude [1] http://twitch.tv/hasanabi http://twitch.tv/hasanabi

daw___ 7y ago

From a developer point of view, wouldn't it be more useful, ethical and financially effective to reach out to these websites and teach them how to implement paywalls right?

LoSboccacc 7y ago
but they don't want to, because they want to keep their sweet page rank
m-p-3 7y ago
They want their articles to be indexed, but they don't want the end-user to see the content. You cannot have both effectively.

paulintrognon 7y ago

what's "clean" about this?

_-___________-_ 7y ago
Apparently the original extension has Google Analytics embedded in it: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22482333 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22482333
- fwn 7y ago
  I've just searched that and it appears that the Chrome version does have a GA embed, the Firefox version does not. Here is the issue someone filed for it on the original repo: https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-chrome/issues/293 https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-chrome/issues/...
  - joker765 7y ago
    Adam's Firefox add-on supports fewer sites (even compared to his Chrome extension) and has lots of bugs (even more after reduction of permissions) ...
    - fwn 7y ago
      I don't know. Advertising a fork as "clean"ed from something the original project (the ff extension) never had feels a bit disingenuous, marketing-wise. I'll stick with the old one as it requires less permissions. It seems to work as expected. You seem to be very eager to point out the superiority of the fork. Are you involved in the project?
      - joker765 7y ago
        Well, goodluck sticking to an 'inferior' repo. It's a free world after all ;-) Btw Clean postfix comes from Chrome extension. I'm just informing users of the new repo which also has an limited permissions release (custom sites not working then).

GekkePrutser 7y ago

Thanks for making this! :D

josh_fyi 7y ago

Is this based on the plug-in by iamadamdev?

joker765 7y ago
Yes, major committer switched to clean version. Iamadamdev is just copying his fixes lately ...

fwn 7y ago

What I really do not like about this fork is that it requests permission for all sites while the original version from iamadamdev only requests permission for sites the extension actually affects. They briefly switched to all access (like the linked "bypass Paywalls Clean" above) but came around pretty quick to go back to their less invasive model. See this issue thread on the original repo: https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-firefox/issues/488 https://github.com/iamadamdev/bypass-paywalls-firefox/issues...

joker765 7y ago
Permission for all sites is needed for adding custom sites. But I also saw a request for a release with limited permissions though (loosing custom sites feature).
- joker765 7y ago
  New 2nd limited-permissions release was added. Customs sites are not working, but now users have a choice.
m-p-3 7y ago
I see General Paywall Bypass entry in the addons setting, wouldn't that require access to all domains in order to work?
- joker765 7y ago
  You're confused with the old repo (General Paywall Bypass crudely copied from new repo though). Clean one has the option to block 4 general paywall-scripts (TinyPass, Piano, Poool.fr and Outbrain). This only requires permission for those 4 sites (also on old repo).
  - m-p-3 7y ago
    Yeah sorry, I should have specified which repo. I'll stick with the original version for now. Hopefully this quarrel between the two devs can be settled without requiring a permanent hard-fork.

kimi 7y ago

I have mixed feelings about this. My feeling when faced with a paywall is to simply click "back" - if you don't want me to read your content, that's fine to me. You don't expect to be reading a full-text (say) Harry Potter out of a HN link, and I'm good with that, and I paid for my own copy. But a page that looks like content and then won't show it is bait-and-switch, so no thanks.

WarOnPrivacy 7y ago
I approve this observation.

Yaa101 7y ago

I am not sure if I want to use this but I am happy to see an extension like this. Of course the sites in question are allowed to try and raise money from me, and I feel I am allowed to try to dodge this. More important however, I feel that these serious news sites with their current behavior are contributing to the fake news proliferation as people keep on reading news but since they cannot read serious news sites they are forced to read facebook's and other crappy sources their gossipy, manipulative and spammy propaganda. I contribute money to The Guardian because of this, they vowed to keep their serious news site open and reward them a contribution for it, I hope more people will for the same reason.