Download Manager

This page is primarily related to defining and planning the Firefox 3 PRD line item CON-004a, possibly also involving CON-005a, CON-006a, CON-007a.

Possible Goals

Make it easier for users to organize files they download from the Web.
Make it easier for users to find files they download from the Web.
Make it easier for users to flag and download files at a later time.
Reduce the pain caused by downloading over slow dialup or unreliable network connections.
Allow users to automatically download Web feed enclosures (audio, video, images, etc) associated with Live Bookmarks.
Make it easier for users to revisit the original source of downloaded files.
Make it easier to archive/save web pages for offline use and organize those as if they were downloaded content.

I use Google Image Search to find and download hundreds of images from the web for personal use in scrapbooking.

I download a videoblogger's posts to watch offline -- these are daily postings but I'm only on the web via dialup once per week and cannot wait at the machine to download them all one-by-one.

I download dozens of articles off the Web to use in thesis research. Some articles are PDFs, some are Word documents, some are scanned images from old out-of-print journals, others are HTML with images and multiple pages. I must be able to archive these for later use if necessary, and also must cite them accurately including original download location.

I download at least 10 new (legal!) indy tracks from artist and label sites every day.

I download and print dozens of posted photos of my nephew to show off to friends and family.

I archive dozens of real-estate listings from MLS.ca -- including private realtor information, maps, and linked photos -- to a laptop for offline use. (Bonus points: automatically updating the archived listings when reconnecting to the network.)

I download dozens of useful applications and utilities to install or use when diagnosing friends' computer problems. I store these on a USB key so I always have them regardless of network connectivity.

I download and install dozens of new (often alpha/beta) applications and extensions often enough that original sources for these are lost or forgotten. I need to be able to check for updates, find documentation, or report bugs, so I need that original source information.

I forgot that I downloaded this file before, and Firefox sees that the files are the same after I've downloaded it and offers to delete the excess copies

I have a download going when I restart to apply an update, and Firefox resumes my download when my session comes back up.