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July 26, 2004

Missing Plugin(s) Installer

One problem end-users often have are missing plug-ins. Netscape used to use the Plugin Finder Service (PFS), which the browser would open, and the service would either offer an installer or a html page with information where to get it. Sadley, the PFS has eroded, containing old versions of plugins. Before Netscape got axed, there were attempts to update the service with XPIs and newer information, but sadley that died together with the big N.

jst has done some work to make the default plugin in Firefox behave a bit better, including sending an event when no matching plugin can be found.

I set off last wednesday to write a plugin installer wizard using web services, and posted my current work last friday in bug 253046.

Screenshots of the flow are available here. Any feedback?

Posted by doron at July 26, 2004 5:41 PM

Comments

Does it have a way to remember that the user doesn't want to install a particular plugin and not prompt in the future?

When a plugin isn't available for a particular platform, it is annoying to be prompted to install the plugin each time you visit a site using it. The Shockwave plugin is an example of one not available on Linux/i386. The list is larger for less common platform/architecture combinations.

I suppose putting the prompt in the information bar will make it less annoying than the current popup dialog, but it would be nice to permanently disable prompts for certain plugins.

Posted by: James at July 26, 2004 10:48 PM

Will this be utilising the experience of the plugindoc.mozdev site? I'd hate to see another ground-up ugly and useless nightmare like u.m.o

Also I agree with James that a "don't ask me again" option would be nice.

Posted by: Peter Hewitt at July 27, 2004 1:07 AM

Looks very nice! There's no chance this will get in before Firefox 1.0, is there? It would be a major usability win for newcomers and veterans alike.

Posted by: Jan! at July 27, 2004 1:43 AM

Very nice! It's one of the few things lacking in FF.

Posted by: Wouter at July 27, 2004 1:51 AM

Is the wizard modal? Why does it only start checking for the availability of the plug-ins after the user already clicked "Install Missing Plugins". It seems strange to me if someone clicks "Install Missing Plugins" and the UI later reports "Can't find and install the plugins."

Maybe it's not as consistent with other interfaces (like the update wizard) but I would like it to just start downloading the plug-ins in the background as soon as I've clicked "Install Missing Plugins" and show the progress in the statusbar or the yellow-bar and just finish and show my objects as soon as it's done.

But ofcourse: This is very nice work and a major improvement already.

Posted by: Bram! at July 27, 2004 2:39 AM

I like this a lot.
Maybe the wordings could be better. And there should be an option which plugins to install and which not ot install.

On the first screen:
This page REQUIRES missing plug-in(s) FOR PROPER DISPLAY.

Second:
FIREFOX is now checking or available plug-ins...

Third:
(Make an option to select which plug-ins to instal, like checkboxes or something similar.)

To install SELECTED plug-ins, CLICK ON "NEXT" BUTTON BELLOW.

Fourth:
FIREFOX is installing SELECTED plug-ins...

FIREFOX finished installing SELECTED missing plug-ins.

Posted by: Jure Repinc at July 27, 2004 3:12 AM

As far as I was told, this will be in 1.0.

Choosing what plugins to install will probably be coded, not sure if for the initial checkin.

The "Install Missing Plugins" button appears whenever a missing plugin occurs, it does not check if there is something to install untill the wizard gets started. This is done for performance reasons.

Posted by: doron at July 27, 2004 6:17 AM

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Posted by: Briana Banks at September 10, 2004 11:23 AM