Program Management/Firefox/ReleaseTiming

Agenda

• Timing of features for silent update and improving add-on compatibility across the next several releases.
• Timeline of what we are planning to land and when.
• Discussion of data, metrics we are gathering.
• Options, alternatives, pros/cons.

Notes

Firefox 8

• Add-ons
  • Provide users an opportunity to opt out of some add-ons that are installed without their consent.
  • Feature to prevent this from happening in the future - catch this and warn the user on install.
  • Should have meaningful impact for users that upgrade.
  • Users will see the opt out in FF8.
  • For FF8 we are also removing the Java console on updates - incompatibility.
  • This will mean that FF8 update will be a bit noisy but it improves from there.
• Silent Update
  • Not prompting when an update is pending until 24 hrs.
  • Most users restart within that time frame.
  • Fix is in FF8 but won't show up until FF9 goes that - it's then that they will see this update go away.
  • Need to keep the prompt for security reasons.
• Other
  • There was a telemetry feature to collect information on add-ons.
  • This was originally backed out of FF7 due to privacy concerns but we fixed the text in the opt in dialog for FF9.
  • There is a telemetry bug we have since uncovered which involves people getting re-prompted for telemetry add-on opt in.
  • We likely won't have this in for FF9.
  • Can we consider using the metrics ping - how many users, rate of retention. Not telemetry so no privacy implications.
• 20 hang fixes, 110 crash fixes, 61 security bugs, 40 sg:crits

Firefox 9

• Key feature is Type Inference which gives us performance wins
• Hotfix add-on feature - may be safe enough to put in FF9
  • Could fix some problems that requires and update
  • Standing add-on that lives in FF where we can deliver hotfixes.
  • Nothing in FF9 that handles further progress on silent update or add-on compatibility.
  • We do have stability, security and hang fixes though which better the product.
• 27 hang fixes (including QT hang), 84 crash fixes, 57 bugs, 38 sg:crit, 8 high

Firefox 10

• Scheduled to include add-on compatibility - compatible by default with some mitigation.
• Feature controlled by a pref.
• Make the whole experience better around updates.
• Silent update - background updates.
  • Silent update - we have patches, they are being reviewed.
  • We might find something serious so lots of risks here.
  • Users experience the silent update when FF11 is released.
• Add-ons compatible by default - have a client and server side piece.
  • Blair has patches in progress.
  • Probably won't get it in at the merge point.
  • 4 bugs on the AMO side - 2 are fixed
  • Other 2 bugs - one is easy.
  • Do we need a backup plan for the updater?
• Can we pref this off - probably.

Data

• Christian provided some data around features, stability, security and hangs fixes that are in FF8, FF9 and FF10 so we understand the value add with releasing.
• Media:8_9_stats.pdf

Take Aways

• We are on track getting the most serious user issues addressed as quickly as possible.
• We agreed that there is value add to move forward with FF8, FF9 and FF10 as planned.
• Keeping on a predictable schedule is better from a marketing perspective.
• Although most of the key add-on fixes and silent update changes are in FF10, we have done lots of work on stability, hangs and other things that improve the user experience in FF8 and FF9.
• We understand that there are still some risks getting the work completed for FF10 due to the nature of the features.