446396 - No offline help is available (i.e. help for connection problems)

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Firefox Graveyard :: Help Documentation, defect)

Description

[Rumen Avramov]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-GB; rv:1.9.0.1) Gecko/2008070208 Firefox/3.0.1
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-GB; rv:1.9.0.1) Gecko/2008070208 Firefox/3.0.1

I have noticed in FF3 (may be it was there earlier) that the product help is a web-site. While this is very convenient since it's easy to update, it may put new users in a situation where they have a new browser that does not want to connect to the Internet and when they try to seek help on the issue (i.e. how to configure proxies) they will see a message similar to 'This document cannot be displayed while offline.'

I suggest that the help system be available even offline. May be Microsoft's approach to help is a good example: when you try to search help you have the option to look in the online and offline content; the online is available only if you are connected, but the ofline is always there.

The 'Help' menu contains two more items that should be available offline: 'For Internet Explorer Users' and 'Release Notes'

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Start FF3 in any environment that will prevent it from connecting to the Internet.
2. Press F1 or choose 'Help Contents' from the 'Help' menu.
3. Enjoy the friendly error page.
Actual Results:  
An error page is displayed instead of helpful information.

Expected Results:  
FF user manual and/or help information should be displayed regardless of connection state.

Comment 1

[Rumen Avramov]

Attachment: Error message instead of helpful information

Comment 2

[Dave Garrett]

A simple troubleshooting help page focusing primarily on connection issues seems to be required for this sort of thing. Maybe have it in an online page and then install a permanent cache of it with the installer?

Comment 3

[Rumen Avramov]

(In reply to comment #2)
> A simple troubleshooting help page focusing primarily on connection issues
> seems to be required for this sort of thing. Maybe have it in an online page
> and then install a permanent cache of it with the installer?
> 

The 'connection problem' scenario is just an example. IMO the help should ALWAYS be available. It used to be like this some version ago and I wander why it was changed.

Comment 4

[Dave Garrett]

(In reply to comment #3)
> IMO the help should ALWAYS be available.

If your connection is working, it is.  ;)

Simply put, having it online is easier to maintain and cuts down on the amount of stuff you have to cram into the installer. It can be expanded or translated at will without needing users update to get new information. I do agree that there should probably be a rudimentary offline help that covers all the basics, connection issues being the main necessity.

Comment 5

[Rumen Avramov]

(In reply to comment #4)
> (In reply to comment #3)
> > IMO the help should ALWAYS be available.
> 
> If your connection is working, it is.  ;)
> 
> Simply put, having it online is easier to maintain and cuts down on the amount
> of stuff you have to cram into the installer. It can be expanded or translated
> at will without needing users update to get new information. I do agree that
> there should probably be a rudimentary offline help that covers all the basics,
> connection issues being the main necessity.
> 

(In reply to comment #4)
> (In reply to comment #3)
> > IMO the help should ALWAYS be available.
> 
> If your connection is working, it is.  ;)
> 
> Simply put, having it online is easier to maintain and cuts down on the amount
> of stuff you have to cram into the installer. It can be expanded or translated
> at will without needing users update to get new information. I do agree that
> there should probably be a rudimentary offline help that covers all the basics,
> connection issues being the main necessity.
> 

Put that way - I agree with you.

Comment 7

[Justin Dolske [:Dolske]]

We have error pages shown with some basic troubleshooting steps now. Modern issues with that should be filed separately. We have no plans to add a special help page for this.