1631097 - Add enterprise policy for AppCache

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Core :: Networking: HTTP, enhancement)

Description

[Mike Conca [:mconca]]

During covid-19, enterprises might not be in a position to update their sites in a timely manner. As a failsafe to turning AppCache off in Release, we should have an enterprise policy that allows it to continue working through ESR 78.

Comment 1

[Valentin Gosu [:valentin] (he/him)]

Hi Mike,

In my opinion we should not add the policy to 78.0 ESR, but instead only do it in 78.1+ if we get bug reports making a good case for being able to re-enable appcache.
My reasoning for this is that otherwise there's no incentive for enterprises to move away from appcache, if the can just flip a switch and snooze upgrading their things for another 12 months, time during which we are forced to keep supporting it (only on the ESR branch).
If we do get the reports, and decide to add the policy, the hypothetical company's operations would not be disturbed, as they can continue using ESR 68.{10..12} during that time.

The potential for breakage is still very small. Websites should still continue to work as normal, it's just that offline storage through the appcache API will not work.

Comment 2

[Mike Conca [:mconca]]

(In reply to Valentin Gosu [:valentin] (he/him) from comment #1)

Hi Mike,

In my opinion we should not add the policy to 78.0 ESR, but instead only do it in 78.1+ if we get bug reports making a good case for being able to re-enable appcache.

Thinking about this more and talking to Nhi, the safest approaching is to simply not disable AppCache until 79. That allows AppCache to remain active in 78 ESR, giving enterprises time to move away from it, if needed, while allowing us to proceed without having to maintain the AppCache code and, potentially, and enterprise policy for it.