It would be great if the duplicate entries in the add/remove programs could be looked into. This will add a third entry (if you had 1.0 and 1.0.1).

Is FF1.0.2 security related as well ? Is there a list of fixed bugs for these releases ?

Oh yes, Jose's comment is important, it is a very visible bug on Windows.

when can we expect 1.03 and 1.04?

I agree with Jose, that bug with add/remove programs is quite sad. It has to be a somewhat trival fix you would think (then again, I'm not a programmer, so I am probably wrong) and would save problems later on.

I have already come across a client who's computer has 4 entries for Firefox in their Add/Remove Programs and who borked his installation by trying to uninstall the older entries. It is a big usability problem.

For those who don't live on the mozilla chatrooms can you tells us why is there a sudden need for FF 1.02 and why TB 1.0.1 is not going to be released?

> we did fix the 2004 copyright notice to say 2005
Good job! ;-)

tekumse, 1.0.1 is not going tobe released because there is no enough manpower and resource for testing the build.

This is something that should restore faith in the Mozilla Foundation for the recent lull in updates for those on the 'vanilla' Aviary versions of Firefox and Thunderbird and will remind people that development is indeed continuing. One of the major selling points of Mozilla products is the timely and professional nature in which they are patched, as should be exemplified with these releases. Hopefully everything will run smoothly this time and the mistakes of the 1.0.1 update will have been learned from.

tekumse, Thunderbird 1.0.1 is being dropped to bring the product version numbering in line with that of Firefox that is also entering a 1.0.2 cycle. As they are both parallel products and built off the same technology, this is a logical thing to do.

José & Chris: The Add/Remove bug is bug 247884 (don't comment unless you can help fix the bug). It's currently being listed as blocking both 1.0.2 and 1.1, so hopefully someone will find a reasonable way to fix it (what happens if you want 2 installs, a nightly and a milestone?).

And of course, I meant 1.0.3, and not 1.0.2 -- sorry!

Still not very clear on this - why is FF1.0.2 suddenly needed - is there a important security fix that requires it's rollout so fast after 1.0.1? If it's just minor bugs it doesn't seem to be worth the effort of testing and releasing a whole new buid now.

For the people who have trouble with the multiple add/remove programs:
1. if you uninstall the previous version that shoudln't happen
2A. used the auto update
2B. Manually overwrote the previous directory despite release notes specificly telling you not to do so

The Fix: you can use TweakUI form the MS Power Toys to remove bogus entries in the add/remove control panel. For XP the link is : http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
95, 98, NT, 2000:
http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/downloads/powertoys/networking/nttweakui.asp

Hope that you will block pop-ups from flash in this release with about:config setting.

Also, I really hope that this will be delivered as a xpi, and not as a full new version, though I know that it probably won't happen. Just to notice that you are delivering bigger updates than MS (and you often made critics about that - with a reason), and something should be done about that.

Tekumse, my response to your points:

1. No one outside of Mozilla users who have used the product for ages know that you should uninstall it first before an update. There is no warning on the installer and the installer does not stop you from doing it.
2a. In my experience, autoupdate either doesn't work or isn't noticed by the user. That red blob at the top of the screen is useless for the average user to spot. It is already hard enough for the average user to figure out that it must install Windows updates even with the ballon tip popping up from the system tray, how do you think they will notice a red blob?
2b. I want the number of average users who have read the release notes to raise their hands...thought so.

The Fix: Uh huh, I'm going to tell grandma to use PowerToys to remove an uninstall entry that every other program gets rid of when its upgraded.

Personally, I like the way Trillian handles upgrades. A dialog box appears when you open Trillian listing the updates available and the size of them. You can choose whether to upgrade or not by unchecking them. Seeing how most users just click "ok" or "next", this almost always ensures that Trillian users get the latest updates.

Why can't Firefox have a similar setup? One that actually works?

I waiting an upcoming updates of firefox that keeps loaded in tray for faster opening...

If you want firefox in the tray then install the Minimize To Tray extension. Works with Firefox and Thunderbird
http://minimizetotray.mozdev.org/

For those asking, I believe these are the changes made:
http://bonsai.mozilla.org/cvsquery.cgi?treeid=default&module=AviaryBranchTinderbox&branch=AVIARY_1_0_1_20050124_BRANCH&branchtype=match&dir=&file=&filetype=match&who=&whotype=match&sortby=Date&hours=2&date=all&mindate=&maxdate=&cvsroot=%2Fcvsroot

Hmm, no auto links. How about this?

Chris G,

I'm not a mozilla developer nor I am defending them. I too would like Firefox to just work but I'm willing to accept a free app with a few small flaws along with the many advantages it has.

But in general if you have questions about installing something the release notes are a very good first place to look. Basically that part of my post can be summarized by RTFM. After that I offered solution. One that's IMHO easier than a Firefox install so yes grandma can handle it. If you think she can't then she shouldn't be running as an admin and installing things herself in the first place.

I'm willing to accept a free app with small flaws too (Mozilla user since M15).

The problem is for Firefox to grow it has to minimize the number of problems and inconsistancies that applications love to bring up over time. The install/upgrade issues with Firefox a great example of this.

I have yet to meet an average user that will read the release notes before the fact...they may stumble upon them afterwards when trying to figure out a problm, but not before...assuming they will even understand what the release notes are talking about (that is a big if).

"If you think she can't then she shouldn't be running as an admin and installing things herself in the first place."

That is a great way to make sure Firefox gets in the hands of every person out there :/ Love your attitude.

Firefox should be easy enough to install/upgrade that anyone can do it, grandma, mother, father, or distant friend without any outside help and without realizing that they need administrators.

Tekumse,
I'm a windows xp user as well as a firefox user. I have my Tweak installed on my xp, but I don't know how to use it to solve the problem of Add/Remove Programs. Can you tell me how to do it?

hummm... tekumse, programs should Do What You Expect ®, you should't have to read any documentation for that. Docs, Release notes, man pages and such things should be there if you whant the program to do Something Else ®.

Read this for a good explanation of th reasons.

The double entries and 2004 copywrite is not much of a problem. I hope they fix the issue "Connection Refused" that plagues ever since 1.0.1 version came out. Never seen it in 1.0 but until now.