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Keep that consumer browser tat away from our software says Oracle

Big Red decides it will only support Firefox's Extended Support Releases

Oracle has announced that it has certified four versions of Firefox's Extended Support releases, but can't be bothered even trying to keep up with the open-source browser's consumer version.

Mozilla describes Firefox Extended Support Release (ESR) as “intended for groups who deploy and maintain the desktop environment in large organizations such as universities and other schools, county or city governments and businesses.” In other words, those for whom the new bits that appear in the each version of Furefox are a threat, not an opportunity. Each ESR release is supported for about a year. Mozilla does do point updates to Firefox ESR, but confines updates to “high-risk/high-impact security vulnerabilities and in rare cases may also include off-schedule releases that address live security vulnerabilities.”

Oracle clearly likes this plan, because it has let it be known that henceforth “Oracle E-Business Suite is certified only with selected Firefox Extended Support Release versions.”

“New personal versions of Firefox are released roughly every six weeks,” writes Oracle's Steven Chan. “It is impractical for us to certify these new personal versions of Firefox with the Oracle E-Business Suite because a given Firefox release is generally obsolete by the time we complete the certification.”

The good news is that Oracle isn't forcing users to adopt Firefox ESR 31, the current version. Big Red is happy for you to use ESRs 10, 17 and 24, in case 31 includes something you'd rather not run. Also welcome will be Oracle's policy of certifying any point releases of ESR on the day of their release.

Oracle's decision will almost certainly give Firefox ESR a nice little boost, as The House of Larry is reputed to be quite firm when it comes to the terms of its support contracts and the nature of the E-Business Suite means users will be keen to avoid any complications. ®

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