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There are no extension program en IE, but sometimes, you are asked if you want to install a toolbar. The two browsers don't rely on the same technology, and they must have different internal methods and conventions, but I was wondering if you can still convert a Firefox extension through some toolbar installation.
BenoitParis
Posted 2010-01-22T13:11:25.730
Reputation: 257
9
No. Apart from API differencies, Firefox toolbars are based on XUL and Javascript which is fully interpreted (by Gecko, Firefox' rendering engine) and portable code, and IE toolbars are pieces of native code executed by OS and CPU. There cannot be more incompatibilites between two than they are.
whitequark
Posted 2010-01-22T13:11:25.730
Reputation: 14 146
0
The Mozilla ActiveX Control can be used to run Firefox extensions. Here are the installation steps:
Safe or allow ActiveX full rights in the IE security configPreinstalled Chrome extensions combined with GCF may allow the same portability for crx files as well.
References
Paul Sweatte
Posted 2010-01-22T13:11:25.730
Reputation: 613
0
No, it would require a rewrite of the interface since Firefox and IE are written in different ways.
Daniel A. White
Posted 2010-01-22T13:11:25.730
Reputation: 3 428
It's not just the interface...it's two completely different AddOn-Systems. – Bobby – 2010-01-22T13:35:12.443
Ok, thanks. But wouldn't it be possible to have a toolbar on IE (written in native OS code) that could interpret some XUL and javascript (not necessarily from firefox extensions)? – BenoitParis – 2010-01-22T13:20:13.510
2Theoretically yes, but then you will need to embed almost full Gecko engine into your toolbar, and it will be relatively large both on disk (around 10Mb) and in RAM (isn't 50 Mb a bit too large amount of memory for a small toolbar) – whitequark – 2010-01-22T13:27:15.177
... You make a good point. Too bad IE is dominant :( – BenoitParis – 2010-01-22T13:44:08.493
@BenoitParis: Not really...not anymore. They're close up the same (IE/Firefox). And you can still play the game the other way round "You need Firefox to do this". – Bobby – 2010-01-22T14:52:53.313
1"There cannot be more incompatibilites between two than they are" - As a developer working to rewrite a firefox extension for IE, I could not agree with you more. – BlueRaja - Danny Pflughoeft – 2010-01-22T17:05:15.957
One neat consequence of Firefox extensions being XUL/Javascript based is that they are cross platform. You can literally copy your Firefox profile from a Windows system to a Linux system, including extensions, and assuming it's the same Firefox version, it will work. Some Firefox extensions call external executables though if I'm not mistaken. – LawrenceC – 2013-10-10T16:24:07.117