258618 - collapsing radio groups in Updates Found window confusing

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Toolkit :: Add-ons Manager, defect)

Description

[Asa Dotzler [:asa]]

The radio buttons that act like folder twisties are very confusing in the
Updates Found panel of the Firefox Update window. I don't think users will
understand why one collapses when the other is selected. I also don't think
they'll understand that they can only perform one of the updates (either App
update or Extension & Theme update) per session. 

For this reason, I think the two should not be together or we should improve the
presentation. If we're going to use this model for critical security udpates, I
think it's wrong to also present users with theme and extension updates in a
confusing interface. 

Also, there are some issues with the labels and text in this window.  First,
"Optional Components" isn't a good label because it doesn't help distinguish
those as "Application Updates" (official Firefox components and plugins) from
"Extensions and Themes" (3rd party stuff).  We should rename "Optional
Components" to something like "Mozilla Firefox Optional Components or Updates"
and name "Extensions and Themes" to something like "Unofficial Extensions and
Themes".

Also, there's a stray "." below the "Installing these components may
improve...." text within the "Optional Components" group.

Comment 1

[Asa Dotzler [:asa]]

Apart from the stray "." typo, this is a design decision that's completely up to
Ben. He'll have to be the one to make the call on the blocking status or whether
or not this is even a bug. 

Comment 2

[Ben Goodger (use ben at mozilla dot org for email)]

I will nix "Optional Components" altogether because there's no reliable way to
discern whether they're installed or not (due to XPInstalll vreg bugs)... 

There's not too much more alteration that can happen here on our 1.0 schedule
but certainly things may improve in the future. 

Comment 3

[Ben Goodger (use ben at mozilla dot org for email)]

(the intent post-1.0 may include moving a-la-carte EM updating into the EM
itself and use the wizard only for mismatches/app update checking)

Comment 4

[Ben Goodger (use ben at mozilla dot org for email)]

And now they're gone.