1583600 - Toggle for Add-on Recommendations pref

Status: NEW

(Toolkit :: Add-ons Manager, enhancement, P3)

Description

[Amy Tsay [:amyt]]

Request Description
We would like to add a pref for switching add-on recommendations off in about:addons (https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1571279). However, we need UX guidance on where to put the checkbox. Here are some considerations for context:

• In the General tab of about:pref, there is a pref for turning CFR on/off that uses similar language (the difference being these recommendations appear in-product as you browse, rather than on about:addons, which the following pref controls:
• In the Privacy & Security tab of about:pref, there is a pref for allowing TAAR for recommendations in about:addons. We were in the process of implementing a gray subhead to ease confusion: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1580958
• It seems that the above pref for turning off TAAR in recommendations should be an option under the pref to show recommendations at all in about:addons
• Should we simply add this to the TAAR pref under Privacy & Security in about:pref, or should we move these both to about:addons? It seems more contextually relevant to live in about:addons than about:pref. If so, where should we add them?

Deadline
We'd like to resolve this in Fx71.

Priority Level
(1 = High 2 = Medium, 3 = Low):

2

Priority Level Description
Priority 2 because this is actively confusing users.

Supporting Information

Comment 2

[Virtual_ManPL [:Virtual] 🇵🇱 - (please needinfo? me - so I will see your comment/reply/question/etc.)]

Preferences names doesn't corresponding now to what they control.

Both preferences names are:

• "Recommend extensions as you browse"
• "Recommend features as you browse"

Both preferences names should be:

• "Recommend personalized extensions as you browse"
• "Recommend personalized features as you browse"

Also new preference ( extensions.htmlaboutaddons.recommendations.enabled ) for recommending generic extensions and themes in "Extensions" and "Themes" tabs in about:addons/"Add-on Manager" should be added to GUI, not be hidden in any way in about:config/"Advanced Preferences", as it's now, because hiding preferences in about:config/"Advanced Preferences" doesn't seem like good idea, as how user will know about this that some hidden preference control this.
Name of this preference could be:

• "Recommend extensions and themes in Add-on Manager"
• "Show extensions and themes recommendation in Add-on Manager"

But still I'm in favor of completely moving any recommendation, will it be generic or personalized, to its proper section in "Recommendations" tab in about:addons/"Add-on Manager". There should be two sections like generic "Recommendations selected by Mozilla" and "Personalized recommendations only for you". No need to spam user like some bloaty spammy adware, nagware, annoyware website pages - like for example this funny joke one "Personal & Business Car Leasing | LINGsCARS" website page ( https://www.lingscars.com/ ).

Comment 3

[Virtual_ManPL [:Virtual] 🇵🇱 - (please needinfo? me - so I will see your comment/reply/question/etc.)]

Any update?

Comment 4

[Jorge Villalobos [:jorgev] (he/him)]

After some discussion, we've decided to fix this independently from the other recommendations issue. To fix this, we'll add a new menu item in the Add-ons Manager, labeled "Show Add-on Recommendations" that acts as a toggle for the Recommendations section.

It should appear second-to-last, above Manage Extension Shortcuts, and it should have a divider above and below it.