'Mozilla Firefox hotfix' extension

[Guest]

Please can anyone give me (or point me to known location of) some good answers to these questions about this extension which was supposedly installed automatically with FF11/12?

Mozilla Firefox hotfix :: Add-ons for Firefox
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefo ... fox-hotfix

1) Please provide full explanation of how and when a user would operate this extension if, for instance, they never permit automatic update of Firefox app or add-ons and always install add-ons (and any updated versions) by local install from a .xpi file on local hard drive.

Also, under what circumstances would such a user wish to use this and could they do it without upsetting their normal mode of maintenance?

2) Where will the content of each update (hotfixes included and function of each) be documented for end-user information?

3) I do not recall seeing any mention of this add-on in the release notice for Firefox 11.0 or 12.0. Did I simply overlook it or was it omitted?


NB; just for further info, I don't see the extension in Add-ons Manager, which may be because of my install/update permissions settings or because I already disabled 'Mozilla Maintenance Service' in FF Options and then uninstalled it from Control Panel. I'm still free to download and install 'Mozilla Firefox hotfix' from .xpi if I eventually so choose.

[rob64rock]

Please can anyone give me (or point me to known location of) some good answers to these questions about this extension which was supposedly installed automatically with FF11/12?

Mozilla Firefox hotfix :: Add-ons for Firefox
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefo ... fox-hotfix

1) Please provide full explanation of how and when a user would operate this extension if, for instance, they never permit automatic update of Firefox app or add-ons and always install add-ons (and any updated versions) by local install from a .xpi file on local hard drive.

Also, under what circumstances would such a user wish to use this and could they do it without upsetting their normal mode of maintenance?

2) Where will the content of each update (hotfixes included and function of each) be documented for end-user information?

3) I do not recall seeing any mention of this add-on in the release notice for Firefox 11.0 or 12.0. Did I simply overlook it or was it omitted?


NB; just for further info, I don't see the extension in Add-ons Manager, which may be because of my install/update permissions settings or because I already disabled 'Mozilla Maintenance Service' in FF Options and then uninstalled it from Control Panel. I'm still free to download and install 'Mozilla Firefox hotfix' from .xpi if I eventually so choose.

http://blog.mozilla.org/channels/2012/01/20/add-on-hotfix-in-testing-with-firefox-beta-users/

https://wiki.mozilla.org/Features/Desktop/Add-on_hotfix

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2392475&hilit=hotfix&start=120

[optava]

Explanations are here: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Features/Desktop/Add-on_hotfix
The extension is intended to be used mostly for emergency bug fixes, to avoid having to create a 12.0.1 "chemspill" release inbetween the normal 6 week releases. Examples of likely uses are in the link above - for example, if a security problem makes it necessary to block a plugin, or a root certificate authority needs to be blocked like the Diginotar problem.

Since you have disabled the maintenance service, you have probably also disabled firefox and extension updates. With extension updates off you will not see nor get these add-on hotfixes. When they are released, the page on addons.mozilla.org may have documentation of what the current version of the hotfix fixes. At that time, if you desire you can install it from that page or download the current version of the XPI from that page and install it.

In the link, note that anything done by the hotfix will be included into the next version of Firefox and the hotfix will become obsolete. This means that since new versions happen every six weeks, if you avoid the hotfixes you will still get all the same fixes within 6 weeks if you then update to the current version.

Note that in Firefox, bugfixes are not added to Aurora or Beta once the builds are created unless the fix is considered quite safe. Only extremely safe fixes (even safer than ones allowed on Beta) will be considered for this hotfix process, usually only disabling a feature or blocking something, since they will not get the amount of testing that Aurora and Beta normally would.

[Guest]

..http://blog.mozilla.org/channels/2012/01/20/add-on-hotfix-in-testing-with-firefox-beta-users/

https://wiki.mozilla.org/Features/Desktop/Add-on_hotfix

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2392475&hilit=hotfix&start=120

Thanks very much for replying. Unfortunately none of those items contained the answers to my questions - I'd already read the most informative (middle) one of them (among several other articles) since it's linked from the AMO page.

[Guest]

Explanations are here: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Features/Desktop/Add-on_hotfix

Thank you very much for your reply. I had already read that article but it did not answer my questions above.

..The extension is intended to be used mostly for emergency bug fixes, to avoid having to create a 12.0.1 "chemspill" release inbetween the normal 6 week releases..

In which case, I certainly hope that the version on AMO will be fully maintained and kept up-to date for those who wish to download the .xpi.

Q1) Do you know for certain if that will be the case?

..Since you have disabled the maintenance service, you have probably also disabled firefox and extension updates..

Yes, as I said in my original questions.

..With extension updates off you will not see nor get these add-on hotfixes. When they are released, the page on addons.mozilla.org may have documentation of what the current version of the hotfix fixes. At that time, if you desire you can install it from that page or download the current version of the XPI from that page and install it.

I hope the AMO documentation, includes that information or at very least links to a support page/homepage where only that extension and its content are documented.

Currently, several times daily, I check for add-on updates using the Add-ons Manager 'Check for updates' menu item. That detects, displays and offers to install them. I do not accept the install, but instead, knowing what to seek, go to AMO, download the .xpi and install it locally.

Q2) As above, can you definitely confirm that it will all also be possible for this extension?

..In the link, note that anything done by the hotfix will be included into the next version of Firefox and the hotfix will become obsolete. This means that since new versions happen every six weeks, if you avoid the hotfixes you will still get all the same fixes within 6 weeks if you then update to the current version.

Since hotfixes are most frequently urgent, I would not wish to wait longer for them than I currently do for 'minor' releases. For those, I frequently check on the Mozilla "Fully Localized Versions" pages and so apply them within days of release. However, that gives me time to take a disc image before updating.

My wish is simply to have the same firm control over when to apply this equivalent to a minor update, so I can secure first.

..Note that in Firefox, bugfixes are not added to Aurora or Beta once the builds are created unless the fix is considered quite safe. Only extremely safe fixes (even safer than ones allowed on Beta) will be considered for this hotfix process, usually only disabling a feature or blocking something, since they will not get the amount of testing that Aurora and Beta normally would.

That would be reassuring, although a precautionary disc image is still as comfortable as a good meal

Thank you again for your answers and if you are able to confirm my further questions from this post, I will install the extension on one of my test profiles and have it ready for use when needed!