Firefox does not show google geo location map

[Michael B]

Ubuntu 12.04.3 LTS (Kubuntu)
Linux step3 3.2.0-53-generic #81-Ubuntu SMP Thu Aug 22 21:01:03 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Ubuntu; Linux x86_64; rv:24.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/24.0
Firefox 24.0 Mozilla Firefox for Ubuntu canonical 1-0

When browsing the URL https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/examples/map-geolocation
the map is not displayed as in other browsers on the same system.
This happens also when using a fresh profile, all settings in about:config are set to standard values, all extensions and plugins are disabled.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[auxbuss (launchpad-auxbuss)]

This problem still occurs in Firefox v25.

Mozilla reported some changes to Google's API requirements that might be the issue:

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=919153

To test:

https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/examples/map-geolocation

and

http://mozqa.com/data/firefox/geolocation/position.html

First, displays grey box. Second returns: "Position acquisition timed out"

[Michael B (a-b-c)]

After update to Firefox 25.0 the problem stays. Tested also with a brand new new account on the system.

[auxbuss (launchpad-auxbuss)]

I installed firefox v23.01 to /opt. It picked up my settings from ~/.mozilla and everything, including geolocation worked fine.

I then let it upgrade to v25. No problems, everything, including geolocation, worked fine.

So, I swapped back to Ubuntu Firefox v25. Sadly, geolocation stopped working. Swapping back to Mozilla's Firefox, all is good.

Since both version are using ~/.mozilla, I conclude that this indicates an Ubuntu packaging problem.

[auxbuss (launchpad-auxbuss)]

Looking here:

  https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=919153

It seems that each distro needs a new key from Google for location tracking, er, discovery. Presumably this is at the root of the problem.

[auxbuss (launchpad-auxbuss)]

I just upgraded Ubuntu's firefox from the repos. It is now on version 25.0.1. Geoloacation is still not working in the Ubuntu version.

The identical version from Mozilla works flawlessly.

[Josh Matthews (joshmatthews)]

I'm one of the Firefox developers working on the geolocation code. Comment 5 is correct; the Ubuntu releases of Firefox need a key provided by Google in order to access the service. Note that this also impacts safebrowsing requests. The key can be added to the build with the configure flag --with-google-api-keyfile=file.

[Josh Matthews (joshmatthews)]

I believe that https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/business/geolocation/ is the relevant information page for obtaining a key.

[auxbuss (launchpad-auxbuss)]

This is really astonishing, I just upgraded Ubuntu's Firefox to version 26.0 and geolocation is still not working. The identical version from Mozilla works flawlessly.

I am very disappointed that there has been no acknowledgement of this bug by Ubuntu.

[Michael B (a-b-c)]

The problem stays after update to firefox 26.0. For all that need geo location maps and therefor need to change to the mozilla/firefox release please note that a 64bit version is available at http://download.cdn.mozilla.net/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/.

[Stephen Atty (posty-5)]

Echoing #9 - I'm disappointed that Ubuntu just seem to be sitting on this bug and doing nothing which is hard to understand when you realise that its not a huge problem to fix it. Manually installing the Official Mozilla release fixes the problem but then means I have to manually keep that updated.

[Benjamin Kerensa (bkerensa)]

Chris,

Do we know why this is disabled in Ubuntu's Firefox builds?

[Stephen Atty (posty-5)]

Still not working in Firefox 27

[Stephen Atty (posty-5)]

Another new version of Firefox but still no geolocation....

You know what the problem is - so why isn't it being fixed?

[blaamann (baggetun)]

I tested on latest daily-live 14.04 build and it is still a bug in Firefox.

As I personally know nobody as a very good Ubuntu developers I have faith in that this will be fixed soon (fingers crossed).

[Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson)]

Fixed in Trusty

[Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson)]

This should work on all releases with today's update

[auxbuss (launchpad-auxbuss)]

Thanks, Chris.

It's sad for me, but this event was the straw the broke the camel's back, and I have abandoned Linux on the desktop after ~15 years (Debian hamm). If a so-called LTS release could not support an essential function in one of the handful of its most important applications, then I can no longer trust it. There were other problems, but this was the final nail in the coffin.

It was a difficult and sad choice to make, but it's done and I've moved on. I wish you well.

I'm still 100% Linux on my servers.

[Mossroy (mossroy)]

It's still not working on Precise (amd64), with package version 28.0+build2-0ubuntu0.12.04.1.
But the symptom is a bit different.
Before, the geolocation API was never responding. Usually, the website ended up on a timeout.
Now, the goelocation API always returns an error :
Error code : 2
Error message : Unknown error acquiring position

I did not see more information in the console or stdout.

I checked this same behavior in a guest session (no plugin, no specific config)

[Michael B (a-b-c)]

@Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson): Thanks, with the actual update (28.0, Mozilla Firefox for Ubuntu, canonical - 1.0) google geo location maps seem to display again.

It took about 6 months (not days!) to correct this bug; disappointing. As i am also developing i wish, e.g., to be able to choose the PHP version rather than to take the Canonical-PHP-compilation without a(nother) choice. (Surely, like with the Firefox from mozilla.net i can install what i wish myself. But i want a distro that allows that without extra action.)

I understand that Canonical is a company and as such is interested in profits so that projects like including amazon pages in search results have a higher priority. Ok, Ubuntu is for free and it's love it or leave it. Seems Canonical want to create a desktop Linux for the "common users", including commercial "commons".

Similar to auxbuss (launchpad-auxbuss) i will leave Ubuntu (but switch to another Linux distro).

@auxbuss (launchpad-auxbuss): As much as i remember, Bill Gates, once confrontated with a Windows-bug, said that no software is error free. Statistically, the more Windows and Apple users there are, the less Linux users will be victims of viruses.

[blaamann (baggetun)]

Thanks. I see this as an improvement, but there are some issues.

1) LAN Ubuntu Firefox version gives no location.
2) LAN Mozilla Firefox downloaded from Mozilla gives no location.
3) LAN Chrome at times give no location (even reports a 404 in the positionError 2 text). When given it is not accurate as it is probably IP based.
4) WLAN Mozilla Firefox/Ubuntu Firefox/Chrome all works in all my few test cases.

So this time around, it may be a mistake on Mozilla parts, or as I suspect, the Google Geolocation service is not reliable at the moment. Or a combination.

[blaamann (baggetun)]

Update:
1) LAN Ubuntu Firefox works at times for me know.

[Mossroy (mossroy)]

I confirm it must have been a temporary failure of the Google geolocation service
The computer I was using has no Wifi so it must be an IP-based geolocation.
Now it's working on this 64bit ubuntu precise.

I also tested on another computer with Wifi (32bit, also Precise). Geolocation also works (and is, of course, more accurate)

In the end, I think the issue is really solved, at least on Precise. That's good news!
I also regret it took so long, but I'd like to thank Chris for this fix.