295096 - Improve update notifier to get noticed.

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 262536

(Toolkit :: Application Update, enhancement)

Description

[Roope Lehmuslehto]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7.8) Gecko/20050511 Firefox/1.0.4
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7.8) Gecko/20050511 Firefox/1.0.4

Since launch of Firefox i have monitored my relatives and friends update
behavior -- or lack of it. Their age range from 12 to 50 years. If it wasn't for
me, they would be still happily running 1.0. So clearly there is something
wrong. It can't be just lack of binary patches, since they all have broadband
connections. 

I have came to conclusion that update notifier s*cks. It works just fine to
notify extensions/theme updates, since they are not important. What we can do to
improve it?

1. Update notifier pop-up should be open until user dismisses it. Why? Even me
that sits in front of my computer too much of my time, I rarely notice it. When
it decides to pop-up I'm away from computer, playing or too busy to read it.
When i start to read it, it's already sliding down so there is not much time to
read let alone click it. Even that I've played deathmatches all these years.

2. Tell what's this pop-up is about without opening it. Average user doesn't
know much about computers or softwares, they rarely even understand meaning of
update. So we need to get their attention and that they want to update their
browser. Tell that these updates are critical and recommended. Tell that these
updates will protect your privacy. Users have also tendency to think that
updating is difficult, requires booting computer or it's slow. (Well it is slow
until 1.1 :) Anyway, it's needed to describe briefly that it's fast and easy. 

I made a mock-up what update notifier should look like in my opinion. Send your
improvement suggestions about layout and language. But it should contain follow
above guidelines. I would make the patch myself, but i lack the skills.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:

Comment 1

[Roope Lehmuslehto]

Attachment: Update notifier mock-up.

Comment 2

[:Gavin Sharp [email: [e-mail]]]

You may want to post your suggestion in bug 262536.

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 262536 ***