278474 - Having "import bookmark" functionality in multiple locations is confusing.

Status: RESOLVED INVALID

(Firefox :: Bookmarks & History, defect)

Description

[lydickaw]

Attempting to import bookmarks from camino on recent OSX builds is an irritating
experience.

(1) User is tempted by the useless "import" option on the file menu.
(2) User sees confusing dialog with missing text, but no helpful error message.
The "next" button is lit, but does nothing when clicked.
(3) User must discover that, unlike all other popular browsers on the system,
they must first export their bookmarks into an HTML XBEL-like format.
(4) User then returns to "import" and stares a while longer, trying to imagine
how they can convince the app they need to import a specific file.
(5) User has a fit of cleverness and drills down into the bookmark manager, but
an "import" option is nowhere to be found.
(6) User googles around until they find the firefox FAQ.
(7) User realizes that a *dialog* has quietly altered the contents of the file
menu to contain an identical looking "import" option with radically different
behavior. Success.

This exciting experience could be avoided with the following change:
* Make the import command on the main file menu a "split" wizard. Give the user
a choice between importing existing (autodetected) settings and importing from a
saved set of bookmarks.
* Adding autodetection and import of camino bookmarks would be even better.

Given the volume of similar "importing from camino" issues in bugzilla, this
certainly isn't an isolated problem. I was only able to figure out the issue
after a combination of slogging through bugzilla, google, and the firefox FAQ --
not exactly a "just works" user experience.

Thanks,

Adam

Comment 1

[Asaf Romano (gone)]

Importing from other Mac browsers (Camino, Safari, MacIE) is planned for 1.1.
See bug 236300, bug 236301, bug 236304

Comment 2

[Mike Connor [:mconnor]]

sorry for bugspam, long-overdue mass reassign of ancient QA contact bugs, filter on "beltznerLovesGoats" to get rid of this mass change