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Google delays execution of 'older' Chrome plugins
The so-called older plugins in Google's Chrome browser will get a delay in execution, from end-2014 to sometime in September 2015.
Software engineer Justin Schuh said they plan to phase out the old Netscape Plug-in Application Programming Interface (NPAPI) plugins by September 2015.
"Currently Chrome supports NPAPI plugins, but they are blocked by default unless the user chooses to allow them for specific sites (via the page action UI). A small number of the most popular plugins are whitelisted and allowed by default," Schuh said.
A report on PC World said Google initially planned to pull the plug on the NPAPI plugins by end-2014.
Under the new timetable, NPAPI plugins will be blocked effective September 2015. The phases are as follows:
- January 2015: all plugins will be blocked by default.
- April 2015: NPAPI support will be disabled by default in Chrome and Google will unpublish extensions requiring NPAPI plugins from the Chrome Web Store. This is for a "small number" of users who still rely on plugins that haven’t completed the transition yet.
- September 2015: Google will remove the override and NPAPI support will be permanently removed from Chrome. Installed extensions that require NPAPI plugins can no longer load those plugins.
By April, Schuh said Google will provide an override for advanced users via chrome://flags/#enable-npapi and enterprises via Enterprise Policy.
These will "temporarily re-enable NPAPI while they wait for mission-critical plugins to make the transition," he said.
Removing NPAPI
Schuh said removing NPAPI support from Chrome will "improve Chrome’s security, speed, and stability as well as reduce complexity in the code base."
He also noted NPAPI usage has continued to decline in past months.
Alternate browsers
But PC World said Google's removal of NPAPI support may force some users to run an alternate browser such as Firefox, Opera or Safari, which still use the older technology. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News
Tags: google, googlechrome
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