1425967 - browser_UsageTelemetry.js is going to permafail when the Gecko version number is bumped to 60

Status: VERIFIED FIXED

(Firefox :: Tabbed Browser, defect)

Description

[Ryan VanderMeulen [:RyanVM]]

[Tracking Requested - why for this release]: Permafailing tests when the Gecko version number is bumped to 60.

Looks like the test depends on the TAB_COUNT histogram which is set to expire in 60. What do you want to do with this, Gijs?

Comment 1

[:Gijs (he/him)]

(In reply to Ryan VanderMeulen [:RyanVM] from comment #0)
> [Tracking Requested - why for this release]: Permafailing tests when the
> Gecko version number is bumped to 60.
> 
> Looks like the test depends on the TAB_COUNT histogram which is set to
> expire in 60. What do you want to do with this, Gijs?

I don't know. The original request for telemetry was done by bsmedberg, who's not at Mozilla anymore. I imagine Mossop has a useful opinion on whether we need to keep that telemetry, or if he doesn't, he might know who does. :-)

Comment 2

[Dave Townsend [:mossop]]

I don't have a useful opinion. UX might...

Comment 3

[Stephen Horlander [:shorlander]]

(In reply to Dave Townsend [:mossop] from comment #2)
> I don't have a useful opinion. UX might...

I don't think we should let this expire.

Comment 4

[Liz Henry (:lizzard) (relman/hg->git project)]

The early/first merge will be Jan. 11th. 
Tracking so we can make sure to check back in early January. 

Who can follow up and work on fixing this (which I guess means extending the expire date)?
Dão, asking you as triage owner for the component.

Comment 5

[:Gijs (he/him)]

I can take the code change.

(In reply to Stephen Horlander [:shorlander] from comment #3)
> (In reply to Dave Townsend [:mossop] from comment #2)
> > I don't have a useful opinion. UX might...
> 
> I don't think we should let this expire.

FWIW, I think data/privacy review folks will want to have a little bit more information about why this is important / what it gets us. Even something like "we use this for every shield study to check retention / usage" or "this helps us evaluate whether people use few/many tabs and how to prioritize the UI design for those cases" or whatever. But "something" more than just "we shouldn't let this expire. Especially if I'm flipping this to 'never'. :-)

Comment 6

[Stephen Horlander [:shorlander]]

(In reply to :Gijs from comment #5)
> I can take the code change.
> 
> (In reply to Stephen Horlander [:shorlander] from comment #3)
> > (In reply to Dave Townsend [:mossop] from comment #2)
> > > I don't have a useful opinion. UX might...
> > 
> > I don't think we should let this expire.
> 
> FWIW, I think data/privacy review folks will want to have a little bit more
> information about why this is important / what it gets us. Even something
> like "we use this for every shield study to check retention / usage" or
> "this helps us evaluate whether people use few/many tabs and how to
> prioritize the UI design for those cases" or whatever. But "something" more
> than just "we shouldn't let this expire. Especially if I'm flipping this to
> 'never'. :-)

This "this helps us evaluate whether people use few/many tabs and how to prioritize the UI design for those cases" is right :)

Specifically in this case we have tentative plans for tab improvements in 2018 and having this data is likely going to be important.

On a more general note about all of these UI probes that track usage of things: they help us to make decisions on how to make Firefox better and what work to prioritize. The "issue" is that we don't always know when we are going to need the data. So if they expire then we can't retroactively get the information we need when we need it.

Comment 7

[:Gijs (he/him)]

Attachment: Bug 1425967 - extend TAB_COUNT probe to last until 65,

Review commit: https://reviewboard.mozilla.org/r/209904/diff/#index_header
See other reviews: https://reviewboard.mozilla.org/r/209904/

Comment 8

[Mike Conley (:mconley) (:⚙️)]

Comment on attachment 8939584 [details]
Bug 1425967 - extend TAB_COUNT probe to last until 65,

https://reviewboard.mozilla.org/r/209904/#review215492

Thanks!

Comment 9

[Ryan VanderMeulen [:RyanVM]]

Comment on attachment 8939584 [details]
Bug 1425967 - extend TAB_COUNT probe to last until 65,

Try confirms that this fixes the issues with this test.

Comment 10

[Chenxia Liu [:liuche]]

Comment on attachment 8939584 [details]
Bug 1425967 - extend TAB_COUNT probe to last until 65,

https://reviewboard.mozilla.org/r/209904/#review216908

Approving extending of this probe to 65.

Comment 11

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/7e989a375aa8
extend TAB_COUNT probe to last until 65, r=liuche,mconley

Comment 12

[Eliza Balazs [:ebalazs_]]

https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/7e989a375aa8