252915 - Need way for extension authors to add trivial or non-general features without auto-update

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Toolkit :: Add-ons Manager, defect)

Description

[Benjamin Smedberg]

Since we expect extension authors to add locales to the extension on
update.mozilla.org, we may frequently have extensions that are updated with just
a locale pack. This would presumably cause the extension version number to rev.
However, it should not cause existing users to auto-update (since all that was
added was a locale pack). I don't know whether the solution would be client- or
server-side.

Comment 1

[Ben Goodger (use ben at mozilla dot org for email)]

Yeah, I have some thoughts here. This could be handled somewhat similar to
remote version patching. 

Comment 2

[Ben Basson]

It'd be nice if (when deciding to notify or not) the locale changes were checked... 

For example, if you are using a Japanese locale for Firefox, but have an
extension where only en-US is available, then a Japanese locale is checked in
for that extension, it'd be reasonable to be notified about it, since it's a
relevent update. You should not be notified unless you're using a matching
locale for Firefox.

Is that a reasonable request?

Comment 3

[Benjamin Smedberg]

It might be reasonable, but it's not this bug. This bug is much simpler and
actually feasible within the 1.0 timeframe, your proposal is not.

Comment 4

[Ben Goodger (use ben at mozilla dot org for email)]

Given the rest of the bugset, this is going to have to wait. 

Comment 5

[Darin Fisher]

Now that the Extension Manager handles updating extensions, I think this should
be reassigned to the EM component.

Comment 6

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

I believe the proposed solution in bug 285848 solves this as described in comment #0

Comment 7

[Mike Shaver (:shaver -- probably not reading bugmail closely)]

I want to WONTFIX this, at least for the fully generalized summary.  The extension manager should not be complicit in having a given UUID+version correspond to multiple extension versions, even those with "trivial features".  The special locale case is handled in 285848.

So I shall!