63926 - necko application MultiUser and MultiSession considerations

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Core :: Networking, enhancement)

Description

[timeless]

Spun off from tree:
bug 40109 [RFE] Ability to start two instances of mozilla.
bug 63925 [RFE] enable Necko to run as a separate app.

case 1:
root,mortal@localhost preference to share a common cache directory /tmp/cache. 

Root runs mozilla "Mozilla-root" which runs necko "Necko-root".
Mortal runs mozilla "Mozilla-mortal".
Mozilla-mortal searches for a necko that manages /tmp/cache. It finds one 
(Necko-root) and asks it if it's ok to use it.

Necko-root checks the user value and gets concerned, it replies [to 
Mozilla-mortal]: 'Unsure, recommend use alternate'.
Necko-root sends a request to Mozilla-root explaining 'Mozilla-mortal wants to 
use /tmp/cache, and i'm the manager, is this ok?'.
Mozilla-mortal prompts '/tmp/cache seems to be in use by another process, would 
you like to specify an alternative cache directory or wait for permission? 
[Browse for Cache] [Wait for Authorization] [Run Readonly] [Die]'

Possible results:
A. mortal selects an alternative cache directory.
B. mortal selects to wait.
C. mortal selects readonly
D. mortal kills mozilla [Die]
E. root says [Deny]
F. root says [ok] {Someone from the peanut gallery coughs a few times}

case 1a.
Mortal selects a new directory
Mozilla-mortal asks if the user would like to save this as the default 
directory for this profile, duplicate the profile and store this directory, or 
just use it once.
Mozilla-mortal proceeds as in case 0 or 1. [hopefully the user picks something 
that satisfies case 0]

case 1b.
Mozilla talks to necko-chrome and loads a busy dialog 
chrome://network/content/waiting.xul
Eventually root answers resulting in case 1e or 1f. Or user or root die.  We 
ignore such cases and call them 'human error'.  The waiting chrome still allows 
the user to specifiy die, readonly, and browse.  Waiting might also include 
pong, tetris or solitaire. [see bugs for easter eggs]

case 1c. see bug [RFE] enable Necko to run w/o write privs. "necko-readonly"
mozilla hunts for a necko-readonly, if none are found, it spawns one.  
Necko-readonly promises to write nothing to disk and carefully marks segments 
as discardable.  Any http traffic that does not say nocache is marked as safe 
to discard. necko-readonly tries as hard as possible to not lose nocache 
content, because it's assumed to be irreplacable.

case 1ci. 
mozilla runs in readonly form, but also asks whichever neckos it finds if they 
have any cache content that they're willing to share.  Security protocols 
should happen, as well as prompt or abandon protocols [mozilla asks necko-root 
'can you provide me any readonly proxy cache?' necko-root [pref:prompt user] 
says, 'um maybe but i need permission from mozilla-root' mozilla [pref:don_t 
bother] says nevermind. necko-root [pref:don_t log failures] does nothing more.

case 1d.
If possible we show the dying lizzard from failed smart update. 
chrome://network/content/fallinglizard.xul . Mozilla dies.

case 1e.
Mozilla-mortal shows dialog "Request Denied", choices: Browse, Readonly, Die.

case 1f.
Mozilla-mortal receives a security token from necko-root and uses it for necko 
traffic. [Peanut gallery complains about forgable security tokens].

If at any time one side dies, tokens are invalidated and mozilla restarts the 
hunt for a necko.

Comment 1

[benc]

mass move, v2.
qa to me.

Comment 2

[benjamin.almeida]

A Multi user Single User OS Selection would be fine.

I use Win NT, Tru64 and Linux and would like to always use the same Folder. 
(eg. h:\mozilla which is a link on ~/.mozilla)
What happens is that I get 3 to 5 subfolders like HzQldRb$ each using a 
different bookmark and address file.
Single User Systems are going to be history soon anyway.

I think this is the largest and most annoying bug in mozilla, I don't keep 
bookmarks in mozilla, because they are not available when I need them.

Just saw this doesn't exactly fit here. Seems like I am the mortal who can't 
understand why this feature is enabled on a multiuser system.

Just wanted to give you some impression how the profile feature disables many 
other features! (for some people)

[e-mail]

Comment 3

[Braden]

The summary here seems misguided. Seems to me that the Right Thing is to modify
Necko so It's Okay for resources (cache, etc.) to be used by multiple processes.
I can't think of a good reason to have more than one cache per user.

Comment 4

[Doug Turner (:dougt)]

moving neeti's futured bugs for triaging.