299745 - Updating Firefox window / progress bar doesn't maintain look of software update UI

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Toolkit :: Application Update, defect)

Description

[Mike Beltzner [:beltzner, not reading bugmail]]

After finding an update, downloading it and restarting the browser, a small
"Applying Updates" window is presented. The title and lack of text linking it
back to the "Software Updates" window makes it appear to be part of a seperate
process. Asa's taken some screencaps to illustrate (see URL field)

bsmedberg noted in #developers that changing the window's size might be very
diificult:

12:21 < bsmedberg> Asa: it's coded as a native win32 app, the window
                   decorations must be different, the XUL sizing depends on
                   l10n while the updater window sizing does not

Suggestions:
 - rename the window to "Software Update"
 - add a banner that says "Applying Updates"
 - keep existing text above progress meter

Comment 1

[Asa Dotzler [:asa]]

This has L10N implications so we need to get it for 1.8b4.

Comment 2

[Darin Fisher]

I'm not convinced that anything needs to change here.  What is the usability
problem exactly?  The current dialog title says "Updating Firefox", and that
seems pretty descriptive to me.  Is it really a surprise to the user that a
progress meter would appear after they tell Firefox to restart and apply updates
now?

Comment 3

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

Adapting this UI is a very complicated process, and so making it mirror XUL UI
which can change more frequently may not be the best idea. 

We have tried to make the text in this UI as simple and descriptive as possible.
If you have improvements to the text (Deb?) they would be welcome, but I'm not
sure what the value is in having Darin spend a lot of time redoing this dialog
unless there's a pressing usability need. Is there one?

Comment 4

[Mike Beltzner [:beltzner, not reading bugmail]]

Certainly not an urgent usability need, no. However, I think that some changes
to the text for friendliness and consistency could help:

 .-----------------------------------------------------.
 | Software Update                                     |
 |-----------------------------------------------------|
 | Firefox is installing your updates ...              |
 |                                                     |
 | [XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX                 ]  |
 |                                                     |
 '-----------------------------------------------------'

Comment 5

[Darin Fisher]

Can you describe why that dialog is both friendlier and more consistent?

I think it's important to stress to the user that they should not interrupt the
process.  Maybe that is getting too technical for most folks, but it seems
critical since interrupting it would probably ruin their firefox install.  I
wouldn't want someone to naively restart their computer while we are applying an
update for instance.

Comment 6

[Asa Dotzler [:asa]]

When a user starts up his browser, he sees a strange window pop up that doesn't
look anything like the wizard he was using when he shut down. It doesn't have a
firefox icon so in the taskbar it gets a generic windows application icon. It's
scary and looks like it might be some other program, possibly some spyware or
something. 

Comment 7

[Darin Fisher]

> When a user starts up his browser, he sees a strange window pop up that 
> doesn't look anything like the wizard he was using when he shut down. It 
> doesn't have a firefox icon so in the taskbar it gets a generic windows 
> application icon. It's scary and looks like it might be some other program, 
> possibly some spyware or something. 

OK, so you are talking about the case where the user did not press the "Restart
Firefox now and apply updates" button, right?  You mean the case where they
pressed the "Later" button and then shutdown their browser, right?

Do you believe that using the Firefox icon would provide most of the benefit in
this situation?  Do you believe that the text of the dialog "Updating Firefox"
is not clear?

Comment 8

[Asa Dotzler [:asa]]

I'm actually talking about either case. In both cases, I thikn it would be
beneficial (though maybe not worth the time you have available considering more
pressing bugs) to have something that felt like it was a part of the Firefox
update process he started from the browser.

Comment 9

[Darin Fisher]

> I'm actually talking about either case. In both cases, I thikn it would be
> beneficial (though maybe not worth the time you have available considering more
> pressing bugs) to have something that felt like it was a part of the Firefox
> update process he started from the browser.

I can understand that goal.  What about the questions I asked?  Would inserting
the Firefox icon be sufficient to mostly achieve that goal?  (I'm not sure how
to show the icon on Linux FWIW.)

Comment 10

[Asa Dotzler [:asa]]

Actually, Darin, I don't know. I believe the icon would make things better, for
sure (even if it was windows only). On wording, I'm not sure what's best, and I
understand the desire to tell people not to interrupt the install.

Comment 11

[Mike Beltzner [:beltzner, not reading bugmail]]

(In reply to comment #5)
> I think it's important to stress to the user that they should not interrupt the
> process.  Maybe that is getting too technical for most folks, but it seems

How would they interrupt the install? The window has no close button, meaning
they'd have to manually kill the process, which is a pretty advanced thing to be
doing. While I understand your desire, it seems to make the dialog a lot scarier
than it has to be. What we should be conveying to the user is:

1. This is part of the software update process, and it's normal.
2. You're waiting to start firefox because there's some installation operations
going on.

Comment 12

[Christian :Biesinger (don't email me, ping me on IRC)]

(In reply to comment #9)
> (I'm not sure how
> to show the icon on Linux FWIW.)

http://developer.gnome.org/doc/API/2.0/gdk/gdk-Windows.html#gdk-window-set-icon-list
?

(with
http://developer.gnome.org/doc/API/2.0/gdk-pixbuf/gdk-pixbuf-file-loading.html#gdk-pixbuf-new-from-file)

Comment 13

[Mike Beltzner [:beltzner, not reading bugmail]]

(In reply to comment #5)
> Can you describe why that dialog is both friendlier and more consistent?

Oops, sorry Darin. Forgot to answer your original question. Using the window
title of "Software Update" is what makes it more consistent, linking it back to
the window title that is used elsewhere in the software update process. The text
is friendlier in that it's offering an explanation of the delay rather than
issuing a command to the user to not do something that I'd predict very few
users would ever think of doing in the first place ("do not interrupt this process")

Comment 14

[Darin Fisher]

> How would they interrupt the install?

See comment #5

Comment 15

[Mike Beltzner [:beltzner, not reading bugmail]]

I think that's a pretty edge situation, since someone will have had to either:
1) clicked "restart now" purposefully to apply updates, or 2) clicked on the
firefox icon to launch the browser in order to get to the point where updates
are being applied, both of which aren't actions which are likely to occur just
before someone shuts down their computer.

Is there any way that our thread can respond to shutdown requests by popping a
dialog that warns users not to interrupt the process? I think that'd be the best
way (ie: only tell them not to interrupt if they try to interrupt), but if it's
impossible, then although edge, I think yeah, the concern has merit.

Drat. :)

Comment 16

[Darin Fisher]

Yeah, it's an edge case to be sure.  Maybe I worry too much about that case :-/

Comment 17

[Mike Connor [:mconnor]]

Attachment: beltzner's wording tweak

Comment 18

[Darin Fisher]

Comment on attachment 192402 [details] [diff] [review]
beltzner's wording tweak

Don't forget to update the text for Thunderbird as well.

Comment 19

[Worcester12345]

(In reply to comment #4)
> Certainly not an urgent usability need, no. However, I think that some changes
> to the text for friendliness and consistency could help:


How about "Updating Firefox" across the board?

Comment 20

[Worcester12345]

(In reply to comment #19)
> (In reply to comment #4)
> > Certainly not an urgent usability need, no. However, I think that some changes
> > to the text for friendliness and consistency could help:
> 
> 
> How about "Updating Firefox" across the board?

...and in the last one, have it say "Please wait while update process completes."


This is actually a pretty simple wording change, but is good enough for the
shorter term

Comment 21

[Mike Beltzner [:beltzner, not reading bugmail]]

Comment on attachment 192402 [details] [diff] [review]
beltzner's wording tweak

Posting an additional patch that changes the string for thunderbird as well
(thanks, darin)

Comment 22

[Mike Beltzner [:beltzner, not reading bugmail]]

Attachment: wording tweak for ffx and tbird

Comment 23

[Mike Connor [:mconnor]]

Marking this fixed, let's spin off discussion for the 2.0 work to a new bug.