1850501 - [meta] Remove old firefox view

Status: NEW

(Firefox :: Firefox View, task, P3)

Description

[Sarah Clements [:sclements]]

The holdback will only be for 119, so from 120 onwards (will confirm with product again once 120 Nightly starts) we can remove the old firefox view code and tests (including this sma test), update the redirector, and rename everything firefoxview-next to firefoxview. We should also remove the browser.tabs.firefox-view-next pref and consult with product about removing the old firefox view pref, tracked in bug 1817794.

Comment 1

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

When we do this, we should also look at optimizing SyncedTabs.getTabClients() and SyncedTabs.getRecentTabs

We're calling both in syncedtabs.mjs when getTabClients gives us what we need.

We should move the getRecentTabs function out of SyncedTabs and use the results from getTabClients to get the tabs.

Comment 2

[Sam Foster [:sfoster] (he/him)]

I think this should be a meta bug, as there are quite a few steps and patches we'll want to land to get the old implementation fully removed.
These include:

• Cleaning out old tests. We'll need to be careful to keep coverage which remains relevant - such as tests for the firefox-view tab/button
• Moving the pref names so that what was firefox-view-next becomes just firefox-view
• Updating the about: redirector so that about:firefox-view loads the right html document
• Removing the firefox view HTML document, and all the old assets used by the old firefox view page
• Renaming all the firefox-view-next* files to be firefox-view*.

Comment 3

[Birgit Edel]

Remove both prefs? How would one prevent the about:firefoxview(-next) button from being injected on managed workstations where it serves no purpose, then? Locking browser.uiCustomization.state seems overkill, setting browser.tabs.firefox-view=false or policies already failed me on the 119.0 upgrade.

Comment 4

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Remove both prefs? How would one prevent the about:firefoxview(-next) button from being injected on managed workstations where it serves no purpose, then?

The new Firefox view provides much more than the old View and has lots of useful information on it. It's being expanded to be a primary surface for Firefox. Disabling it would be a disservice to your users.

If you do disable Firefox Accounts via policy, the synced tabs section is removed.

Comment 5

[Birgit Edel]

Attachment: green used features - pink attempted opt-out.png

It's being expanded to be a primary surface for Firefox. Disabling it would be a disservice to your users.

Previous window->tab reworks improved UX tremendously, so I am glad history is receiving this attention as well. Force-reenabling disabled WIP before they can take over the purpose of existing buttons should be avoidable, though.

I kindly request to add bug 1859829, possibly bug 698677 and more importantly the inconsistency with Ctrl+W/Ctrl+Shift+T handling as potential blockers here (fx view has either too little or too much tab-like behaviour, and knows little about windows). That would likely remove needing another opt-out.

If you do disable Firefox Accounts via policy, the synced tabs section is removed.

Screenshot for 119.0 attached.

Comment 6

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

I kindly request to add bug 1859829

That's being worked on right nwo.

(fx view has either too little or too much tab-like behaviour, and knows little about windows)

Can you provide more detail? It knows about all your own windows....

bug 698677 and more importantly the inconsistency with Ctrl+W/Ctrl+Shift+T handling

What handling are you referring to?

Screenshot for 119.0 attached.

You would think I remembered since I wrote it. I'll investigate actually removing it on the main page instead of showing the message.

Comment 7

[Sarah Clements [:sclements]]

(In reply to Mike Kaply [:mkaply] from comment #6)

I kindly request to add bug 1859829

That's being worked on right nwo.

(fx view has either too little or too much tab-like behaviour, and knows little about windows)

Can you provide more detail? It knows about all your own windows....

bug 698677 and more importantly the inconsistency with Ctrl+W/Ctrl+Shift+T handling

What handling are you referring to?

Screenshot for 119.0 attached.

You would think I remembered since I wrote it. I'll investigate actually removing it on the main page instead of showing the message.

The argument for not removing this entirely is that users should actually know why they can't see synced tabs on this device whereas they could see it on their own personal device. I'd also like to point out that the synced tabs section is collapsible, and it should remember that its collapsed if a user chooses to do so. Anyhow, mkaply's bug 1861400 is tracking that and I'll ask UX to weigh in.

Also, if any further conversations about this could be moved to bug 1861400 that would be appreciated. This is a meta bug tracking different work we need to do, and is not intended to solicit opinions on that work. :)

Comment 8

[Nikki Sharpley (:nikkis) (she/her)]

Attachment: WIP: Bug 1850501 - Remove all Firefox View related tests.

This patch removes all tests covering the old Firefox View whilst preserving those that cover Next.

A separate bug will be filed for any old tests that have been removed that Next is currently missing
coverage to be added in a future patch.

Ideally this will be landed alongside patches that:

• update the view pref
• update the about redirector
• remove all old Firefox View files and assets

Comment 9

[Nikki Sharpley (:nikkis) (she/her)]

Attachment: WIP: Bug 1850501 - remove firefox-view-next pref and update about AboutRedirector

• removes about:firefoxview-next route
• about:firefoxview now points to firefoxview-next.html (until we rename)
• remove pref for browser.tabs.firefox-view-next
• preserve pref for browser.tabs.firefox-view-newIcon as part of firefoxViewNext feature manifest (until experiment is over)

Depends on D196080

Comment 10

[Nikki Sharpley (:nikkis) (she/her)]

Attachment: WIP: Bug 1850501 - Remove all Firefox View files and assets

Depends on D196093

Comment 11

[Phabricator Automation]

Comment on attachment 9367986 [details]
WIP: Bug 1850501 - Remove all Firefox View related tests.

Revision D196080 was moved to bug 1869605. Setting attachment 9367986 [details] to obsolete.

Comment 12

[Phabricator Automation]

Comment on attachment 9368012 [details]
WIP: Bug 1850501 - remove firefox-view-next pref and update about AboutRedirector

Revision D196093 was moved to bug 1864534. Setting attachment 9368012 [details] to obsolete.

Comment 13

[Phabricator Automation]

Comment on attachment 9368251 [details]
WIP: Bug 1850501 - Remove all Firefox View files and assets

Revision D196208 was moved to bug 1869833. Setting attachment 9368251 [details] to obsolete.

Comment 14

[Phabricator Automation]

Comment on attachment 9367986 [details]
WIP: Bug 1850501 - Remove all Firefox View related tests.

Revision D196080 was moved to bug 1869605. Setting attachment 9367986 [details] to obsolete.

Comment 15

[Phabricator Automation]

Comment on attachment 9368012 [details]
WIP: Bug 1850501 - remove firefox-view-next pref and update about AboutRedirector

Revision D196093 was moved to bug 1864534. Setting attachment 9368012 [details] to obsolete.

Comment 16

[Phabricator Automation]

Comment on attachment 9367986 [details]
WIP: Bug 1850501 - Remove all Firefox View related tests.

Revision D196080 was moved to bug 1869605. Setting attachment 9367986 [details] to obsolete.

Comment 17

[Phabricator Automation]

Comment on attachment 9368012 [details]
WIP: Bug 1850501 - remove firefox-view-next pref and update about AboutRedirector

Revision D196093 was moved to bug 1864534. Setting attachment 9368012 [details] to obsolete.