Closed Bug 669978 Opened 13 years ago Closed 13 years ago

Update Thunderbird install instructions

Categories

(addons.mozilla.org Graveyard :: Public Pages, defect)

Product:
addons.mozilla.org Graveyard
Component:
Public Pages
Platform:
x86
macOS
Type:
defect
Priority:
Not set
Severity:
normal

Tracking

(Not tracked)

Status:
RESOLVED FIXED

People

(Reporter: jenzed, Assigned: sancus)

References

Details

When you download an add-on for Thunderbird, a pop-up displays instructions for installing the add-on. The third instruction needs to be updated as follows:

Click the gear icon in the top right corner and select "Install Add-on From File". Select the file you downloaded and click "OK".
This needs to be fixed urgently.  It is not at all obvious how to install a downloaded add-on, and the instructions as they currently read do not work.  Many users will conclude that it is impossible to install downloaded add-ons and give up.

However, updating the instructions as per jenzed@gmail.com's suggestions is not appropriate, because the icon looks different on different operating systems.  Apparently it looks like a gear on Windows, but on GNU/Linux it looks like a set of sliders.  The instructions would need to refer to this button in a way which is appropriate for all its incarnations.  Perhaps a better solution would be to fix the appearance of this button, or to replace or augment it with a text label.

The problems with the instruction and inconsistency in the user interface are covered in more detail at <http://thunderbirdtweaks.blogspot.com/2011/08/xpi-files-or-how-to-install-add-on-in.html>
My suggestion:
If browsing in Thunderbird, no instructions are necessary and the add-on should install via Add to Thunderbird.

If browsing outside of Thunderbird, the third step of the instructions should be:
'From the options button next to the add-on search field, select "Install Add-on From File..." and locate the downloaded add-on.'
Assignee: nobody → sancus
Um, how can this not be fixed over four months after it was filed? It's easy to fix -- just change some language in the install pop-up -- and it's affecting TB users every single day. I just got a complaint from the user of one of my add-ons that he couldn't figure out from the instructions how to install it. Please fix!
https://github.com/mozilla/zamboni/commit/566e29a
Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 13 years ago
Resolution: --- → FIXED
Product: addons.mozilla.org → addons.mozilla.org Graveyard
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