1792735 - Pocket newtab create nimbus variable and fallback pref for spoc placement data

Status: VERIFIED FIXED

(Firefox :: Pocket, enhancement)

Description

[Scott [:thecount] Downe]

We'll need a way to define different spocs for a few experiments.

Comment 1

[Scott [:thecount] Downe]

Attachment: Bug 1792735 - Pocket newtab nimbus variable and fallback pref for spoc placements

Comment 2

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/18196c5fab62
Pocket newtab nimbus variable and fallback pref for spoc placements r=gvn

Comment 3

[Norisz Fay [:noriszfay]]

https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/18196c5fab62

Comment 4

[Scott [:thecount] Downe]

[Tracking Requested - why for this release]: Similar to bug 1791615, also needed for an experiment.

Comment 5

[Scott [:thecount] Downe]

Comment on attachment 9296520 [details]
Bug 1792735 - Pocket newtab nimbus variable and fallback pref for spoc placements

Beta/Release Uplift Approval Request

• User impact if declined: Needed for experiment that changes how long a user sees certain content before seeing fresh content.
• Is this code covered by automated tests?: Yes
• Has the fix been verified in Nightly?: No
• Needs manual test from QE?: Yes
• If yes, steps to reproduce: I think just general regression testing that spocs still show up as expected on newtab.
• List of other uplifts needed: Bug 1791615
• Risk to taking this patch: Low
• Why is the change risky/not risky? (and alternatives if risky): Small preffed based patch
• String changes made/needed: None
• Is Android affected?: No

Comment 6

[Pascal Chevrel:pascalc (PTO until April 26)]

Comment on attachment 9296520 [details]
Bug 1792735 - Pocket newtab nimbus variable and fallback pref for spoc placements

Approved for 106.0b9 (last beta before our release candidate) thanks.

Comment 7

[Pascal Chevrel:pascalc (PTO until April 26)]

https://hg.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla-beta/rev/c82a5044e25b

Comment 8

[Brindusa Tot, Desktop QA]

Verified on latest Nightly 107.0a1 (20221006214011) and Beta 106.0b9 on Windows 10, macOS 11 and Ubuntu 22.
For old profile, that has sponsored cards displayed, they are still displayed after update to latest Nightly or Beta version.
On a new profile, setup in about config:

• browser.search.region=US
• browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.discoverystream.spocs-endpoint="https://spocs.getpocket.com/spocs?country=US&region=CA"
  Restarted the browser.
  For Beta 106.0b9, after restart the sponsored cards are displayed on about:newtab page.
  On Nightly, it takes few minutes(~5-10 minutes) and a second browser restart for the sponsored cards to be displayed on about:newtab page.

Scott, is this the expected behavior for Nightly version?

Comment 9

[Acasandrei Beatrice (needinfo me)]

Perfherder has detected a build_metrics performance regression and Bug 1792735 or Bug 1793487 might be the cause of the performance regression.
Do you think one of the mentioned patches are the probable cause of the following regression?

Regressions:

Ratio	Test	Platform	Options	Absolute values (old vs new)
0.27%	installer size	osx-aarch64-shippable	aarch64 nightly	73,820,957.00 -> 74,017,048.83
0.27%	installer size	osx-aarch64-shippable	aarch64 nightly	73,799,229.92 -> 74,001,870.92

Comment 10

[Scott [:thecount] Downe]

Unlikely it is either of Bug 1792735 or Bug 1793487

All I can think of, related to Bug 1793487, is Bug 1782318 landed in 106 and added a new image, but that would have been in 106. Is the regression only in nightly?

Comment 11

[Acasandrei Beatrice (needinfo me)]

(In reply to Scott [:thecount] Downe from comment #10)

Unlikely it is either of Bug 1792735 or Bug 1793487

All I can think of, related to Bug 1793487, is Bug 1782318 landed in 106 and added a new image, but that would have been in 106. Is the regression only in nightly?

It seems that the regression was caused by Bug 1791899. Thanks for your help.

Comment 12

[Brindusa Tot, Desktop QA]

Investigated a little more this issue, and seems to be a Nightly issue. On latest Beta 107.0b2 and on RC Firefox 106.0 the sponsored cards are displayed immediately on a profile with "browser.search.region" and "browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.discoverystream.spocs-endpoint" correctly set.

For latest Nighlty 108.0a1 (20221018094831) or Nightly 107.0a1 (20221006214011) it takes few minutes and another browser restart for the sponsored cards to be displayed on about:newtab page.
Are there some more settings needed for Nightly version?

Comment 13

[Scott [:thecount] Downe]

Sorry, I think I missed your last message, looking into this now.

Comment 14

[Scott [:thecount] Downe]

I cannot reproduce. I think this might be a new bug.

A few thoughts.

1. Changing browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.discoverystream.spocs-endpoint forces newtab into a refresh, so restarts and waiting on cache shouldn't normally be necessary.
2. There shouldn't be any other settings needed, especially settings that are time based. Either some setting is wrong and content never shows, or the setting is right, and content is displayed. There is no setting that would keep something from being shown for ~5-10 mins once we get a refresh, and that pref change triggers that.
3. You can also change browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.discoverystream.spocs-endpoint-query to ?country=US&region=CA instead of browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.discoverystream.spocs-endpoint. Might be a bit better to have slightly less chance for typos in the url.
4. This feels unrelated to this bug 1792735.
5. My best guess right now, is this has to do with the spoc server not returning the spocs initially for some reason, maybe related to vpn region? Best guess. Currently seems like a purplexing bug.

Comment 15

[Brindusa Tot, Desktop QA]

Retested the bug and used VPN connection to US. And now the spocs are correctly displayed on latest Nightly 108.0a1(20221020093353), Beta 107.0b2 and RC Firefox 106.0.1. So probably this is relates to vpn region.
Closing the bug.