Unsupported Browser nag

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1

When I wanted to reply to a post, I followed the link in the e-mail and got a page declaring that my browser was unsupported, and that I would have to switch to a supported browser to log in.

I usually use Firefox. I do not update it every time they release a new version.

Just what is the web site testing to declare that my browser is unsupported? If it is a specific version of Firefox, maybe I’ll update. If the web site is going out of its way to test for the latest version of Firefox, and is changing that target version every time Mozilla releases a new version, then I will not. And constantly moving the target is not “ensuring that the web site will be good for the next ten years”. What do you change on the web site every time Mozilla releases a new version?

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You say you’re using Firefox. What version?

Whatever test there is comes from Discourse, our forum software.

3

I’m on Firefox 88.0 (64-bit).

You’re right, I see now that it is Discourse that proudly proclaims that it is “designed for the next 10 years of the Internet”, and so " supports the latest, stable releases of all major browsers and platforms". Their wording reinforces my suspicion that they stupidly require, literally, “the latest”.

Nothing you can do. Thanks for your time.

4

Firefox 88 is quite old at this point—it’s from April 2021. By using it, you’re opening yourself to all sorts of security vulnerabilities which have been patched since then as well as foregoing bug fixes and support for newer web standards.

My recommendation is to keep your browser current.

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Supporting something is quite different than requiring it. There is precious little upside to resisting browser upgrades and a whole lot of downside.

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There’s likely something between 88 and 108 (which I’m using to type this) which is new enough—but finding it is a waste of your time without a specific reason for needing to remain on an older version.

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 I have no intention of searching for a less than latest Firefox.  Especially not to satisfy Discourse.
 I didn't see exactly what they wanted -- they buried the test in their HTML -- so I suppose we will never know if they have decreed a specific version to be acceptable, or if, as I suspect, they are stupidly checking for the absolute latest at this moment version.  It's always possible that they are querying some specific capability -- I'll probably never know.

 I resent being badgered to update every time somebody releases a new version.  At least with Firefox, I am not forced to accept unstoppable automatic updates.

 I'm sorry I missed the detail that the fault lies in Discourse, and not in the Vassal web site.