But it is completely unacceptable that it disables the Uninstall button! Who is thinking of these ideas at Microsoft? Also, why does Firefox let an extension decide whether it is uninstallable or not?
---------- Unfortunately, this is only partially Microsoft's fault. Firefox makes it easy for applications to ship their own browser extensions - they only need to add a registry entry that points to the extension's directory. But Firefox cannot uninstall extensions that were installed like this (because it didn't install them in the first place, because it might require administrator rights and because doing that would affect other Firefox profiles as well). So while this feature is great for application developers, it is rather flawed from user's point of view. -----------
The way they did it is sneaky, disarming and opt-out.
"Extensions that are installed this way include the Java Quick Starter extension for Firefox (see above), the Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant [13] [14] the RealPlayer Browser Record Plugin extension, [15] and the Lenovo ThinkVantage Password Manager extension for Firefox [16] [17]. Although you can disable the extension in the Add-ons manager, the Uninstall option may not be functional (it will be "greyed out). In such cases, experienced users can uninstall the extension by removing the associated Registry entry and/or the contents of the folder containing the extension; otherwise, simply disable it."
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Uninstalling_add-ons#Windows_Regis...
Microsoft has an article about how to remove this extension:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/963707/
From the same KB article,
"In Windows 7 and in a forthcoming update for the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1, the .NET Framework Assistant will be installed on a per-user basis. As a result, the Uninstall button will be functional in the Firefox Add-ons menu."
I am using Windows 7 right now and I can verify that I do see that Uninstall button is functional.
BTW, this just goes to show the kind of reputation Microsoft has achieved in the marketplace. When the uninstall button was disabled, no one thought that it could be problem in the way Firefox works. Everyone (including me) just assumed that it was Microsoft who is deliberately doing this. I don't know how can they possibly fix their image.
Regarding your other point, I think 1 high profile FOSS project (eg webkit, hadoop, V8 ) or would do a lot for microsoft's image among techies.
Saying that it isn't MS' fault if they followed an easy but wrong to do something is like saying it's not my fault if I rob a liquor store since "it's easier than earning money".
Firefox should provide more control over extensions but that's a different point.
From that post, someone states that Firefox may not have the access required to remove the registry key for application extensions (because that is all it is for extensions installed this way) and thus the Uninstall button is disabled. I think that given that circumstance, a reason should be explained to the end-user of WHY.
Marketdroids who hold their customers in contempt. People like this guy:
In the OP, commenter WladimirPalant says that's a side effect of a Firefox feature which allows plug-ins to be registered via the Windows Registry. But disabling will have the exact same effect: the plugin is not loaded.