267171 - Update system needs logic overhaul

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Toolkit :: Application Update, enhancement)

Description

[Doug Wright]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7.3) Gecko/20041031 Firefox/1.0RC2
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7.3) Gecko/20041031 Firefox/1.0RC2

The update system currently uses annoyingly limited logic to determine update
availability.

i.e. if(currVersion!=lastMilestone) {prompt for update}

This means that testers are always being prompted to downgrade to the latest
milestone, e.g. I'm currently using RC2, but am being prompted to install both
0.10, and the data: fix.

There doesn't seem to be any provision for those using nightlies and RCs.

I would like to see an addition to the current system that looks at the Gecko
date as well/instead. Then it would be clear that I do in fact have a later
version than currently released, and do not need prompting.

Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:
Install non-milestone build (e.g. nightly).
Check for updates
Actual Results:  
Firefox prompted me to downgrade.

Expected Results:  
Not offered me any application updates.

This would also have simplified the instructions given for testing RC updates
(no need to 'fix' app.version to trigger update).

Thunderbird will also be affected by this when its update system comes online.

Comment 1

[Mike Connor [:mconnor]]

Gecko build dates aren't relevant either.  If I build the 0.9 CVS tag, it'll
date from today.

Having a separate updates.rdf URL for non-final builds is a much simpler
solution.  And, of course, nightly users can just deal.  The focus is on
shipping solid release bits.