Re: Firefox: recommendations – Pocket

[Graham Perrin]

Spun off from 
<https://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-current/2019-November/074873.html>

On 27/11/2019 04:17, Jan Beich wrote:

 > Graham Perrin writes:
 >
 >> For a few months I got recommendations from Pocket.
 >>
 >> No longer.
 >
 > Check browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.section.topstories …

I received the same hint, privately, from Pocket Support in response to 
<https://twitter.com/pocketsupport/status/1199323725465837570> – "… a 
way to manually force them to show on locales that are not supported by 
default. …".

 >> Is the code removed? Or has Mozilla become stricter about enforcing
 >> regional restrictions?
 >
 > No clue. Wrong list. gecko@ doesn't touch Pocket code/prefs.

Cool. Good to know that there's no interference.

(Removal of functionality, such as Pocket, is my only complaint about 
development of Waterfox Current.)

 >> (I'm in the UK.)
 >
 > VPN or did you define the following?
 >
 >   pref("browser.search.region", "US");
 >   pref("browser.search.countryCode", "US");

No VPN.

browser.search.region was the magic ingredient. Thanks!

Previously set to GB. Changing to US then quitting Firefox was enough to 
enable recommendations – including sponsored content – for the next run 
of Firefox.

browser.search.countryCode did not exist, I can get recommendations 
without it.

I'll make Pocket Support aware of the gap in their advice.

With the appearance of sponsored content: I can add a closing note under 
<https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/pocket-forcing-appearance-of-sponsored-content/28324/11?u=grahamperrin>

The more interesting private part(s) of the response from Pocket, I'll 
keep private …