Development:Planning:Software Update
Requirements
- can build in a 10.3/10.3.9 SDK/gcc3.3 and 10.4/10.4u/gcc4 Universal configuration
- Compatible license
- Approval to land in cvs (if not using mozUpdate) - mento prefers landing source code instead of binary drops
- https capabilities
- Everything needs to be either https or signed (signing is an option for the Sparkle downloads, but there's a logistical issue that would come with that)
- Update checking (OS version, etc.)
- say, 1.6.x updates to 2.0.x at some point unless you're running 10.3, in which case you only get 1.6.x updates
- and if you move to 10.4, do you get re-offered 2.0.x
- provide a way to turn off update checking from inside the app (unlike adium - with apologies to cbarrett for the jab)
- one thing i don't like about sparkle is that it doesn't check to see if you have permission to update the app first
- We should only enable update checking in official release builds
- en-only and ML Camino
- what if your language drops from ML in a major update?
- Localization of required strings
- This is significant UI, and it needs to be localized (i.e., Gecko chrome strings bug is a no-go here)
- Automated generation of update and update notification
- Bouncer/download counts
Potential requirements
- Resuming lost connections
- Background/throttled downloads
- Remind me later
- Don't remind me again???
- Install update later
Concerns
- QA
- Documentation
- Gecko
- Well-maintained
Comparison Table
| Requirement | mozUpdate | Sparkle | Option 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can build as 10.3/10.4 Universal | Yes | ||
| License | Tri-License | MIT [1] | |
| cvs Approval | In tree | ||
| Can land source code (instead of binary drops) |
In tree | ||
| Uses https for binary downloads | |||
| Uses https for "need to update" notice downloads | |||
| https server available | |||
| Supports fine-grained checking for version/OS pairs | |||
| Can disable update checking within Camino | |||
| Verifies user has permission to update first | Supports users authenticating | ||
| Can enable updates/update checking only in official release builds | |||
| Can handle ML as well as en-only Camino | Probably, via localized InfoPlist.strings | ||
| UI string localization | 26 .lproj | ||
| Release automation | |||
| Bouncer/download counts | |||
| Desirables | |||
| Support for resuming lost connections | |||
| Can download in background | |||
| Can download at low speed to not affect connection | |||
| Can remind to download later | |||
| Can install later once downloaded | |||
| Good UI/UE (not lots of prompting, esp. at launch) |
|||
| Other concerns | |||
| Expanded QA requirements | |||
| Documentation | Poor/missing for many parts | ||
| Complexity added to the app e.g. wrapping Gecko |
|||
| Actively maintained and supported | |||
| Color key | |||
| Present | Unknown | Missing | |
