1272162 - Remove ability to set Firefox as the default browser from the stub installer and installer

Status: NEW

(Firefox :: Installer, defect, P3)

Description

[Verdi [:verdi] Best to slack me]

Attachment: opt-out-checkbox.png

We should remove the default browser opt-out checkbox in the stub installer for Windows XP, Vista and & 7. This opt-out checkbox doesn't exist in the stub installer for Windows 8 or Windows 10. In Bug 1129070 we learned that not having the checkbox reduces the instances of people setting Firefox as their default browser, but it doesn't affect how much they use it which is what we're really concerned about. In addition, in user testing this checkbox was sometimes seen as "a gotcha moment" or like we were "sneaking it in." That is definitely not the kind of impression we want to make on people.

Comment 1

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

Just to make sure, this is to remove setting Firefox as the default from the stub installer? Setting as default would be entirely in the browser code then which I am fine with since doing it in the installer can cause other issues.

Comment 2

[Verdi [:verdi] Best to slack me]

(In reply to Robert Strong [:rstrong] (use needinfo to contact me) from comment #1)
> Just to make sure, this is to remove setting Firefox as the default from the
> stub installer? 

Yes that's correct.

Comment 3

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

Attachment: patch rev1

I'm going to wait on bug 1261140 landing first.

Comment 4

[Terrell Kelley]

Users will still be prompted on the first run of Firefox, correct?

Comment 5

[Verdi [:verdi] Best to slack me]

(In reply to Terrell Kelley from comment #4)
> Users will still be prompted on the first run of Firefox, correct?

Yes. Although we are considering some other method and/or time than the current modal dialog on first run (Bug 951627).

Comment 6

[Verdi [:verdi] Best to slack me]

(In reply to Verdi [:verdi] from comment #5)
> we are considering some other method and/or time than the
> current modal dialog on first run (Bug 951627).

I meant this - Bug 1143116

Comment 7

[Terrell Kelley]

Ah. I asked because I still think it maybe should be handled differently in Developer Edition and regular Firefox, due to their different targets.

Comment 8

[Molly Howell (she/her) (mostly inactive)]

Comment on attachment 8754694 [details] [diff] [review]
patch rev1

Review of attachment 8754694 [details] [diff] [review]:
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Looks good.

When you land this, please add a note to the commit message about why the NSIS functions that actually set the default weren't removed (the in-browser setting uses that code indirectly by invoking the helper). Took me a minute to figure that out, so it would be nice to have it recorded.

Comment 9

[Justin Dolske [:Dolske]]

Comment on attachment 8754694 [details] [diff] [review]
patch rev1

Removing this is premature.

We've been having problems getting a final analysis of the funnelcake data, but from the digging Jared's done there _is_ a significant impact on usage from disabling the default browser prompt on startup.

So we shouldn't remove this mostly-harmless checkbox until we've established we're not shooting ourselves in the foot WRT to user retention.

Comment 10

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

mverdi, see comment #9, it would be a good thing to have these types of issues worked out before the filing of the bug to perform the work so we don't spend cycles doing the work.

Comment 11

[Verdi [:verdi] Best to slack me]

(In reply to Justin Dolske [:Dolske] from comment #9)
> Comment on attachment 8754694 [details] [diff] [review]
> patch rev1
> 
> Removing this is premature.

I don't believe so. Removing this gives XP, Vista and 7 the same installation experience as 8 and 10 (except that clicking yes in the subsequent modal will actually set Firefox as the default browser).

> 
> We've been having problems getting a final analysis of the funnelcake data,
> but from the digging Jared's done there _is_ a significant impact on usage
> from disabling the default browser prompt on startup.

That is a different issue. That funnelcake was measuring the worse-case scenario - what if we never prompted people to make Firefox their default browser. That is not this case. Removing this checkbox will result in these users being prompted to make Firefox their default right after the installation. This has an impact on how many people have Firefox set as their default browser but it does NOT have an impact on usage. If you have questions about that (Bug 1129070) ping me and I can go over the associated data.

> 
> So we shouldn't remove this mostly-harmless checkbox until we've established
> we're not shooting ourselves in the foot WRT to user retention.

It is not harmless. Like I say in comment 0, in user testing this checkbox was sometimes seen as "a gotcha moment" or like we were "sneaking it in." That is definitely not the kind of impression we want to make on people.

Comment 12

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

dolske and jaws, if you still have objections after comment #11 would you schedule a meeting with mverdi, jaws, and yourself to come to a final decision regarding this bug? Thanks!

Comment 13

[Justin Dolske [:Dolske]]

We met with Verdi this morning. My basic concern is that the data in bug 1129070 isn't as clear an indication of effect as I would like, and we agreed on a plan to get some better data before we actually proceed with removing this checkbox. I filed bug 1275386 for that, so this bug can stay on hold until we get a result from that.

Comment 14

[Dão Gottwald [:dao]]

Besides potential impact on usage or impact on how many users end up making Firefox the default, if one goal is to get rid of the startup prompt, then skipping that prompt when the installer has already made Firefox the default is surely a good thing for the time being. To me this seems like it outweighs the concern that the checkbox could be suspicious to some users, as long as that concern isn't quantified better. After all the prompt shows pretty much the same checkbox with only slightly better context (2nd run).

Comment 15

[Alice Wyman]

(In reply to Verdi [:verdi] from comment #0)

> We should remove the default browser opt-out checkbox in the stub installer
> for Windows XP, Vista and & 7. This opt-out checkbox doesn't exist in the
> stub installer for Windows 8 or Windows 10. 
The streamlined stub installer in Firefox 55 no longer includes any options. The Firefox full, offline installer currently  includes a "Use Firefox as my default web browser" checkbox, at least on Windows 7 (anyone know if it does on Windows 8 and Windows 10?).

The bug summary "Remove ability to set Firefox as the default browser from the stub installer and installer" suggests to me that the stub installer can set Firefox as the default browser, even without the opt-out checkbox, and that the ability to do so should be removed. Since the summary mentions both the stub installer and installer, that also suggests that the plan is to remove the default browser checkbox from the full, offline installer. Michael, can you clarify what this bug covers?

I'm asking because the recently updated https://support.mozilla.org/kb/custom-installation-firefox-on-windows article talks about the "Use Firefox as my default web browser" checkbox, with screenshots and instructions for all Windows versions.

Comment 16

[Verdi [:verdi] Best to slack me]

(In reply to Alice Wyman from comment #15)
> The Firefox full, offline installer currently  includes a "Use Firefox as my
> default web browser" checkbox, at least on Windows 7 (anyone know if it does
> on Windows 8 and Windows 10?).

It doesn't on Windows 10 (I don't have Windows 8 to verify but I'm sure it doesn't). Beginning with Windows 8, browsers can't set themselves as default. They can only open the settings dialog where the user can choose their default browser.

> 
> The bug summary "Remove ability to set Firefox as the default browser from
> the stub installer and installer" suggests to me that the stub installer can
> set Firefox as the default browser, even without the opt-out checkbox, and
> that the ability to do so should be removed. Since the summary mentions both
> the stub installer and installer, that also suggests that the plan is to
> remove the default browser checkbox from the full, offline installer.
> Michael, can you clarify what this bug covers?

As far as I know, because we removed the checkbox from the stub installer where the vast majority of installs happen. there is not a plan to remove it from the full installer at this time. 

> 
> I'm asking because the recently updated
> https://support.mozilla.org/kb/custom-installation-firefox-on-windows
> article talks about the "Use Firefox as my default web browser" checkbox,
> with screenshots and instructions for all Windows versions.

I'm certain the default browser checkbox only applies to Windows 7 now.

Comment 17

[Alice Wyman]

(In reply to Verdi [:verdi] from comment #16)
> (In reply to Alice Wyman from comment #15)

> > I'm asking because the recently updated
> > https://support.mozilla.org/kb/custom-installation-firefox-on-windows
> > article talks about the "Use Firefox as my default web browser" checkbox,
> > with screenshots and instructions for all Windows versions.
> 
> I'm certain the default browser checkbox only applies to Windows 7 now.

Thanks so much, Michael. I updated the article.