Thunderbird/Support/SupportExtensionPRD

This is a PRD (a high falutin' word for spec) for the Thunderbird Support Extension for Thunderbird 3.1 and beyond.

The ideal plan would be to experiment with an extension for Thunderbird 3.1 and then make it part of core for 3.2 and continue to enhance it post 3.2

Philosophy: learn by doing rather than just talking, fix / repair the problem rather than getting the user to create a support request.

i.e. bias towards getting an extension out and getting feedback ASAP and then get the extension core asap thereafter ideally 3.2

Feature: about:support

port Firefox feature from bug 548041 and obscure username (possible enhancement: somehow provide full user name via a secure channel e.g. email to a mailing list if the user opts in)

Cannot send email

check these steps in order:

1. check that firewall is not blocking SMTP traffic
2. check that the SMTP server is up (perhaps by ispdb polling SMTP status and having a REST API to get the status)
3. offer to delete password if the above doesn't work (requires user to opt-in and then type in password
4. Uncheck "Use username and password"

if the above doesn't help copy the about:support settings to the clipboard and ask the user to paste them into Get Satisfaction

Cannot receive email

check these steps in order:

1. check that firewall is not blocking POP or IMAP traffic
2. check that the SMTP server is up (perhaps by ispdb polling POP/IMAP server status and having a REST API to get the status)
3. offer to delete password if the above doesn't work (requires user to opt-in and then type in password

If the above doesn't help copy the about:support settings to the clipboard and ask the user to paste them into Get Satisfaction