618336 - Warn/confirm before wiping server when adding a new client with a more recent storage version

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Firefox :: Sync, defect)

Description

[Tracy Walker [:tracy]]

Seen when attempting to add any storage version 4 client to an account created by any storage version 3 client.  This could be a common experience for existing sync users that install a new client and expect it to be compatible with their existing account (which we know it's not, but the flow here is bad)

STR:
1) Create an account with any storage version 3 client (1.5.1, beta7, etc)
2) On a storage version 4 client (1.6 or beta8), go through setup to the existing account created in step 1
3) When you get to sync key entry, paste the sync key from the client in step one into the sync key entry field.  Click continue.

Tested results:
Nothing happens and no message about the failure

Expected results:  
Not exactly sure what should happen here. Because you can workaround this by entering a sufficiently long string. That initiates a sync key reset. You also have no idea sync key reset is happening until you go back to sync on the version 3 client, at which point, you get a warning about the incompatibility,  you must upgrade the client.

Comment 1

[Philipp von Weitershausen [:philikon]]

Can you please try again with the newest nightly. We removed the need for new style Sync Keys in the UI.

Comment 2

[Tracy Walker [:tracy]]

I am testing this with the latest nightly 2010-12-10 (and also testing on 3.x with 1.6b3)  

And this bug isn't about the key entry, I think that would be bug 618335. I'm reporting this against the busted upgrade user experience. It is not clear at all that a sync key reset is what is actually taking place here.

Comment 3

[Tracy Walker [:tracy]]

considering what is expected some more....

I think a storage version check in warranted.  That is, during the adding additional clients to an existing account, once we've confirmed the account with email and pw, do a storage version compatibility check.  
1) If the clients are compatible, send the user on there merry way through the rest of default setup process.  
If however, the clients are incompatible 
2) (in this case the additional client is newer), adjust the account setup process to inform the user they will be updating their sync key on the new client and all older clients will have to be upgraded to compatible versions.
Additionally,
3) if the new client is happens to be older the the existing one, suggest client upgrade here? or allow setup but force upgrade on first sync?

Comment 4

[Philipp von Weitershausen [:philikon]]

Just re-read this and realized that the original bug as described in comment 0/comment 2 is a dupe of bug 618411 (combined with bug 618335).

Comment 3 calls for more user notifications in case of an upgrade which is something entirely different. I recall having a bug about this on file, but I can't find it atm.

tl;dr: this bug is about multiple things we already have bugs for.

Comment 5

[Tracy Walker [:tracy]]

comment 3 was just suggestions.  But I realize now that it wouldn't be possible because there is no way to do a storage version check without being signed into an account. 

Dupe to 618411.

Comment 6

[Tracy Walker [:tracy]]

The experience when adding the newest client (beta8) to an account created by older existing client (before the older client upgrades) is still not so awesome. 

The easy setup dialog directs you back to the other client, where there isn't any add device link.  Users may (are likely) to get frustrated not knowing what to do next. Some will figure out return to beta8 and click I don't have my other device with me.

For those that get here and added the account successfully, it is not all clear that a server wipe just took place.  Once the user is connected and syncing.  they don't see any of their data from the older client.  more confusion and frustration.  

When they return to the older client and attempt to sync they get the expected (from our stand point) error message and instructed to upgrade.  Doing so sets everything right, but wow. That was crummy all around.

This is going to slam support. we've already went through the scenarios with Micheal V. So they have a heads up.

Comment 7

[Mike Connor [:mconnor]]

What we should do here:

* When adding a new client to an account with an older data format, we should warn users before wiping the server.  (Upgrades shouldn't change.)
* Not worry overmuch about the older versions that don't support easy setup.  3.x support will die soon.

Minusing, marking as Future, but this should be considered an absolute pre-req for any sort of disruptive change in the future.

Comment 9

[dindog]

I think firefox 4 should really consider seperating Sync. Now you can say either beta 7 or beta 8 is BETA version, so users should use at its own risk. 

But it's harh for those users try the new 4.0b every now and then to check out like:"eh... How many extensions and scripts of mine now compatible with the newer version..." I try beta8 then on my b7's profile and found some add-on important to me don't work, it takes just a few minute, maybe less. Neither firefox 3.6 nor 4.0b7 sync works.

If there were a prompt, I will stop sync temporary, and get out clean....

Comment 10

[Richard Newman [:rnewman]]

Seems like there's no further action to take here, particularly given that Fx4 has been released to the world... Tracy, do you see any work item that still needs to be addressed here for Fx5?

Comment 11

[Tracy Walker [:tracy]]

See comment #7, bullet point one.

Comment 12

[Richard Newman [:rnewman]]

Thanks Tracy. Updated the summary.

Leaving this as Future, because we only need to address this if and when we make another big client change.

Comment 13

[aarskever]

Apologies for digging this up, but my PC just died for the first time since july 2009, and I've always just upgraded the versions ever since I first started using it (iirc weave 1.51), so I never got the warnings about the new format.
Am I correct in understanding that there is no way to get at my bookmarks if I still have an old format recovery/sync key? I've tried to access them using ff 3.5+weave 1.51, but it refuses to let me log in using that client, demanding I upgrade to 1.7, at which point I can't use my old recovery key any more. So is there anything I can still do, or am I screwed?

Comment 14

[Chris Karlof [:ckarlof]]

This bug only likely affects Sync 1.1, and it was shut down in the fall of 2015 (https://blog.mozilla.org/services/2015/07/31/shutting-down-the-legacy-sync-service/).