326514 - sm/tb/ff installer should offer list of a.m.o. extensions for installation

Status: RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

(Core Graveyard :: Installer: XPInstall Engine, enhancement)

Description

[Eyal Rozenberg]

(This is probably a dupe, but)

Why shouldn't the installer of one of the apps contact addons.mozilla.org, get a list of extensions usable with the app, display a dialog with this list (perhaps sorted by category), have the user select the extensions she wants, download and install them?

This could also be combined with recommendation of extension, such as (oh, just a totally random example <whistles>) our BiDi Mail UI for systems with non-latin locales.

Comment 1

[Prognathous]

(In reply to comment #0)
> (This is probably a dupe, but)

Yes, I think it's pretty close to Bug 214269 (see opening comment of that bug). Feel free to close this one as a dupe.

Good idea by the way. I think something molded after Synaptic would be great.

Prog.

Comment 2

[Eyal Rozenberg]

No, it's not a dupe - this bug is not about bundling extensions.

Comment 3

[Ria Klaassen (not reading all bugmail)]

Hm, when I install a new program I don't like to see dialogs with questions on startup - I only want to see the program! Only when I decide to keep the program I will do some effort to change things to adjust it to my habits and taste.
Maybe I even would get suspicious: why do they want me to install these things (spyware?).
Or people might think that the extensions are really parts of the program and that Firefox will be responsible for problems caused by these extensions.
Just some thoughts. :)

Comment 4

[Eyal Rozenberg]

(In reply to comment #3)
> Hm, when I install a new program I don't like to see dialogs with questions on
> startup

You don't have to - when you get to the last installation dialog screen, you'll have a "Choose Extensions..." button in addition to the "Install" button, and you wouldn't have to click it if you don't want to. Bug 214269 can be seen as being about which extensions should be selected by default in there.

Comment 5

[Jorg K (CEST = GMT+2)]

I think this is an interesting idea for Thunderbird. We should file a bug there referencing ATN, of course.