Thunderbird Release Candidate Milestone Testing

Overview

Release Candidate builds for Alpha, Beta and ... provided by builders must be tested by volunteers and the QA team according to a rigorous process in order to certify that a release candidate build is worthy for public release.

We have just a few days to complete testing, so we need all available hands. Thank you for your interest, and if circumstances allow, your enthusiastic participation. As always, help is available on IRC and in the newsgroups for both new and experience testers.

We have several types of tests (most of which utilize litmus), and you can choose which to run based on your available time. BFT testing and l10n, and Mac platform tests are our greatest need.

• BFT (Basic Functionality Tests) - touches most functional areas. If you do not have time to do BFT tests we hope that you will ...
• Smoketest - touches a handful of functional areas (a much reduced BFT)
• Spot check - a visual "look see"
• l10n (localization) - A set of litmus tests just for localized builds. If you can test a localized version of Thunderbird, we would appreciate you doing so.

If you can't help before the scheduled testing period ends, please stop back and run the tests as soon as you are able.

You are not required to run a full test set to completion. So, if you don't have much time or think you might run out of time that's OK. In fact, we'd rather have you do a short amount of good testing than none at all. Tests done using litmus get recorded as you go through the list, so stop whenever you need ... and return later when (and if) you are able.

Details

Important

• Use only the builds specified in this message. Do not use a nightly build. Do not use a previous alpha or beta.
• Please file a bug whenever you encounter a problem.
• If a litmus testcase:
  • Is not run by you (you skipped it) - please do not mark it in any way with a comment, passing or failed.
  • Fails - please comment in the test, file a bug, and include URL of testcase in bug
  • Is unclear - please comment with steps and wording that you think would make it more clear
• QA/Thunderbird3/TestResults/Alpha3 documents the release details. You want to check sections 1.1 to 1.6, especially the release notes. Contact methods are also listed.

Builds

Builds are listed in the release details. Use a localized version if possible. Please do not use old alphas, betas or a nightly.

BFT

Basic Functionality Tests is organized into subgroups listed below. It is a large list, but to shorten your testing time (running the full set takes 4-6 hours) you can focus by subgroups as follows:

• * indicates priority items - if you have the resource required please do * groups before others
• All indicates items we hope everyone will test
• AL and MZ - indicates please run that group if your last name/surname is in the range A-to-L or M-to-Z

If you start running out of time, or you get done with the assigned subgroups, please do more subgroups, especially those that show the least amount of testing coverage as shown on the "Select Subgroup" list.

Getting started:

1. You've already read the release notes, of course.
2. login to litmus.mozilla.org (create an account if you don't have one)
3. visit https://litmus.mozilla.org/run_tests.cgi?test_run_id=34
4. complete all the information about your setup - paste buildid, set platform, OS, and locale (note: there is only one linux OS selection)
5. click "submit configuration"
6. You're off and running the tests! Please try * items first. Figure 2.5-3.5 hours to do half the list (as assigned)

Subgroup assignments for BFTs
 
  All-Install, shutdown, uninstall
   MZ-Migration (from other mail systems)
   MZ-Import (from other mail systems)
   MZ-Window configuration
  All-Toolbars and menus
  All-Account settings & Preferences (Options)
   *  IMAP accounts
   *  POP accounts (exclude Global Inbox)
   *  Global inbox
  All-Mail composition
   MZ-Spell checker
   MZ-RSS account & subscriptions
   MZ-Newsgroups
  All-Navigating and displaying messages
   AL-Downloading and saving
   AL-Image blocking
   AL-Return receipts
   *  Proxies
   MZ-Offline, disk space
  All-Moving, copying, deleting messages
  All-Views and labeling messages
   MZ-Message filters
   MZ-Message search
   AL-Address search
   AL-Saved Search folders
   AL-Message Grouping
  All-Message Aging
  All-Quicksearch
   MZ-Address books
   MZ-Junk mail
   MZ-Extensions
   AL-Theme management
   AL-Help
   AL-Printing
   AL-Master Passwords & password management
   *  Phishing, spoof detection
   *  Secure connections
   *  Digital signing, encrypting messages
   AL-Software Update

smoketest

Access litmus using the procedure above for BFT, but use the smoketest URL: https://litmus.mozilla.org/run_tests.cgi?test_run_id=33. Should take about 1.5 hours. (Ignore "Subgroup assignments" listed above - it is not relevant)

Spot check

Spot check takes the least time because is just a casual visual inspection and does not require the use of litmus. Install, poke around, inspect, test and try what you can, then visit http://wiki.mozilla.org/QA/Thunderbird3/TestResults/Alpha3#Thunderbird_Spot_Check and update the wiki.

locale

You can do any of the tests as described above in your native language build. Then please update the wiki at Thunderbird3/TestResults/Alpha3/L10N. This will help us keep track of what locales have been tested.

In addition to (or instead of) the above, you can run the l10n trunk baseline tests that focus on checking that localized language strings are correct. The results are recorded in litmus.