[Ext] Load Tabs Progressively 1.6 - load tabs one by one

[MacTed]

The Development Channel doesn't seem to be getting the Release Version... I think you have to do this yourself -- i.e., put the Release Version into both Dev and Review Channels... I think this because I have been running with 1.5rc for quite a while without update notice, and today I'm offered 1.6pre but not 1.6.

[patrickjdempsey]

Development Channel is separate from the Release Channel. Because of the way AMO works when a developer applies for a Public release it may be completely different than the last Dev channel build. I filed a bug with AMO about allowing the Dev Channel to be disabled when new Public releases are made but who knows if it's going to go anywhere. The *old fashioned* way to get development info on any addon is to go to the "versions" page and subscribe to it via RSS feed. Then you can easily check for new versions at any time.

[MacTed]

I'm aware that the Dev Channel is separate from the Release Channel.

I'm suggesting that you push the Release Build into *both* channels, especially as it seems you're not quickly pushing a newer-than-Release Dev Build into the Dev Channel ... This requires no change to any running system, except your upload pattern.

Using RSS feeds to "check" for new versions is a multi-layer kluge and should really not be advocated nostalgically or otherwise.

[patrickjdempsey]

Well good luck convincing the dozens of authors using the Dev channels to upload to different versions of the same exact thing every time they put up a Public release version... which may come as a waterfall of uploads right before the final goes public.

[MacTed]

*shrugs*

I use a bunch of extensions. Several of them have beta or dev channels distinct from the AMO Release Channel.

All of these push their Release versions through those beta/dev channels, either as a release candidate (which is then echoed without further change to Release), or as a parallel of the Release...

Firefox handles all of this automagically, and I stay up-to-date without having to manually track anything related to these extensions.

All-in-One Sidebar, Session Manager, and Tab Mix Plus are the most frequently updated that follow such practice. Maybe their authors can advise you on how it's done. They have seemed to be friendly sorts in my interactions with them...

[Alan Baxter]

All-in-One Sidebar, Session Manager, and Tab Mix Plus are the most frequently updated that follow such practice.

Could you clarify your complaint, Mac? Are you saying that the current dev build of Load Tabs Progressively, 1.6pre, is missing functionality that's included in the the release version, 1.6. That would indeed be a problem, and I would like to know if that's true. But I've seen no evidence of that.

As far as the version numbers are concerned, I just verified that AiOS, Session Manager, TMP, and NoScript all handle the version numbers similarly to LTP.

Code: Select all

               Current dev version  Current release version
AiOS            0.7.13rc2             0.7.3 (functionally identical to dev build)
Session Manager 0.7.5pre              0.7.5 (functionally identical to dev build)

I'm on the development channels for NoScript and Tab Mix Plus too. Neither one of them push a version with the release version number on the development channel. Examples
NoScript 2.1.0.1rc1 is identical to NoScript 2.1.0.1, but 2.1.0.1 with that number was never on the development channel.
TMP 0.3.8.5pre.110301a is identical to TMP 0.3.8.5, but 0.3.8.5 with that number was never on the development channel.

[patrickjdempsey]

Because of the way the AMO review process works, an author has no way of knowing when or if the version he uploads as the Public release will actually go Public. Many times when we switch from the Dev channel to the Public channel there are unknown bugs that are found by users not on the Dev channel before review that need patching, or if the reviewer discovers a bug then that version will be held back from release until the bug is fixed and re-reviewed. With the update process to a major version like Firefox 4.0, this can be as I mentioned before a waterfall of updates which experienced developers learn to expect. Uploading the *identical* files to the Dev channel every time simply doesn't make any sense and if a developer is *satisfied* with the Public version, there will be no reason to update the Dev channel. Also, once a release goes Public, any fixes that need to happen will need to happen *quickly* meaning the developer will just upload them as Public releases so they can be reviewed ASAP.

It's not like addons development works like Firefox development which essentially never stops and has multiple tiers of software-organized development channels. The Dev channel is really more for following *major* changes in addons which take months to put together.

[Alan Baxter]

Uploading the *identical* files to the Dev channel every time simply doesn't make any sense and if a developer is *satisfied* with the Public version, there will be no reason to update the Dev channel.

Especially if the versions are functionally identical, i.e. differ only by their version number and update channel, e.g. AiOS, TMP, NoScript, and Session Manager. Isn't that true for LTP too, Patrick?

[patrickjdempsey]

I'm pretty sure most themes will end up having more nitpicky details that are different from the final Dev channel release than the final Public release than extensions... just because of all of the expected unexpected problems. But essentially, it really depends on how active the Dev channel is and how much feedback Dev channel users give out... if they don't give any feedback then the developer won't know about problems until he uploads to the Public channel.

[ithinc]

But essentially, it really depends on how active the Dev channel is and how much feedback Dev channel users give out... if they don't give any feedback then the developer won't know about problems until he uploads to the Public channel.

That's true.

It could be better that AMO pushes both dev. versions and public versions (reviewed or not) to the Dev Channel, but pushes only reviewed public versions to the Public Channel.

[ithinc]

Are you saying that the current dev build of Load Tabs Progressively, 1.6pre, is missing functionality that's included in the the release version, 1.6. That would indeed be a problem, and I would like to know if that's true. But I've seen no evidence of that.

1.6pre has some problem on Firefox 3.6, which is fixed by 1.6, and 1.6 includes more locales. I have marked 1.6pre incompatible with Firefox 3.6.

[Alan Baxter]

Thank you for the info, ithinc.

[MacTed]

1.6pre has some problem on Firefox 3.6, which is fixed by 1.6, and 1.6 includes more locales. I have marked 1.6pre incompatible with Firefox 3.6.

Well, that would explain the visible difference in size between 1.6 and 1.6pre ... and confirms that I want and need 1.6 (which is apparently only available through the Release Channel) which is why I raised the question in the first place.

No, of course I don't care about cosmetic differences like the displayed version number. But I *do* care about functional and other differences between the dev and release channels, which the version history suggests there have been, and which I don't have time or inclination to carefully test for when I can simply *ask the developer.*

I especially want to thank the folks who aren't actually the LTP developer for leaping into the fray and distracting from the simple question and answer at hand.

[patrickjdempsey]

Because of the way AMO works when a developer applies for a Public release it may be completely different than the last Dev channel build.

You are welcome.

[squall_leonhart]

All-in-One Sidebar, Session Manager, and Tab Mix Plus are the most frequently updated that follow such practice.

Could you clarify your complaint, Mac? Are you saying that the current dev build of Load Tabs Progressively, 1.6pre, is missing functionality that's included in the the release version, 1.6. That would indeed be a problem, and I would like to know if that's true. But I've seen no evidence of that.

As far as the version numbers are concerned, I just verified that AiOS, Session Manager, TMP, and NoScript all handle the version numbers similarly to LTP.

Code: Select all

               Current dev version  Current release version
AiOS            0.7.13rc2             0.7.3 (functionally identical to dev build)
Session Manager 0.7.5pre              0.7.5 (functionally identical to dev build)

I'm on the development channels for NoScript and Tab Mix Plus too. Neither one of them push a version with the release version number on the development channel. Examples
NoScript 2.1.0.1rc1 is identical to NoScript 2.1.0.1, but 2.1.0.1 with that number was never on the development channel.
TMP 0.3.8.5pre.110301a is identical to TMP 0.3.8.5, but 0.3.8.5 with that number was never on the development channel.

Actually, yeah it is
my restored sessions would not reload the tabs with pre while they did with the release