1110209 - Firefox 34 updates may override search defaults set in Partner builds

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Firefox :: Search, defect, P1)

Description

[Kev Needham [:kev]]

Still verifying, but we have reports of the 34.0.5 updates overriding search defaults defined in partner distributions in the en-US locale. Partner distributions make use of a distribution.ini file in the /distribution directory where a browser.search.defaultenginename preference is set. 

Firefox 34.x added (I believe) a localized preference (browser.search.defaultenginename.US) in profile.js which may be trumping the distribution default on update. Looking to determine if our default checking routine accounts for defaultenginename prefs set in a distribution, or if overriding a distribution-set default engine is a possibility.

Waiting on access to an archived build of 33 to put steps in to replicate, but we may need to filter partner updates for en-US that set a default search engine.

Comment 1

[:Gavin Sharp [email: [e-mail]]]

I can't think of a better way to fix in the short term than just ensuring that all the partner repack configs have duplicated equal values for the .US prefs.

Comment 2

[:Gavin Sharp [email: [e-mail]]]

That would also avoid us needing to re-spin, and instead only re-pack.

Comment 3

[Kev Needham [:kev]]

The only problem is it doesn't address the existing builds. We'll probably have to look at either hotfixing or custom updates for affected distributions, but I'm open to suggestions there.

Comment 4

[Mike Connor [:mconnor]]

I'd like to propose the following:

* Stop pushing 34.0.5 to partner builds
* Start pushing 34 to partner builds (doesn't have the getIsUS call)
* Fix logic in getIsUS for 35 to only do the override if there isn't a /distribution directory.

We'll have some screwups, but those will resolve themselves in 35.

Thoughts?

Comment 5

[Joanne Nagel]

Can we determine how many partner ADI's have been affected?  The partner's message is consistent - they had a cost to acquire these users and by accidentally switching them to Y! has an impact on them.  I'd like to be able to tell them what the actual damage might be.

Comment 6

[Kev Needham [:kev]]

Mike, could you get a list of distIDs affected to Coop and his team for the update server updates?

Comment 7

[Mike Connor [:mconnor]]

Not yet, but we'll be about to do it after the fact.  The ideal is that the updates to 35 will restore some/all of those users.

Comment 8

[:Gavin Sharp [email: [e-mail]]]

FIXED, I guess.