Improving the Mac installer for Firefox

[Neil Lee]

I originally was going to email Limi directly but figured posting here
might be a better idea. I just finished reading his excellent post on
the mac download and install process[1] and chased that down with John
Gruber's equally thoughtful response[2].

[1]:http://limi.net/articles/improving-the-mac-installer-for-firefox/
[2]:http://daringfireball.net/2009/09/
how_should_mac_apps_be_distributed

Gruber recommends switching to distributing applications in a zip
archive, noting that it handles the issues that Limi mentions
(inadvertently running the application from the disk image, or
thinking the DMG needs to be mounted as part of the launch process)
quite well. Not the most efficient system, but it deals with the
current issues and for the most part works.

My suggestion is to try what a number of mac developers I've worked
with have implemented: detect if the user has launched Firefox from
within its mounted disk image. Then, you can either a) pop up a
dialogue explaining that Firefox should be copied to the hard drive
first, and allow the user to chose an install location and *then*
launch after the copying is completed. Gruber mentions this option as
well at the end of his post.

Another option is to automatically move the application to the /
Applications folder and launch from that new location. A post-launch
notification could then be displayed as part of the first-run page to
explain just what happened.

Of these two I think the second option is a bit better in that it
doesn't impose on the initial launch process that much but is still
transparent enough that the user can understand what has taken place.
I guess this isn't perfect either as it expects the user will know how
to find Firefox in its new location under /Applications, but maybe it
has the least friction, and we could automatically add Firefox to the
Dock in these instances.

Other thoughts?

Neil

[Alexander Limi]

On Thu, Sep 17, 2009 at 6:15 PM, Neil Lee <nei...@mozilla.com> wrote:

> My suggestion is to try what a number of mac developers I've worked
> with have implemented: detect if the user has launched Firefox from
> within its mounted disk image. Then, you can either a) pop up a
> dialogue explaining that Firefox should be copied to the hard drive
> first, and allow the user to chose an install location and *then*
> launch after the copying is completed.
>

Repeating my Bugzilla answer here:

We did consider this, and will most likely use a variation of this combined
with "internet-enabling" (sic) the dmg. I didn't want to do this by itself,
but if the unpack/trash variant that is "internet enabled" works the way I
hope, that's a very clean solution. I'll have to do some research to make
sure there are no pitfalls (and test on Snow Leopard vs. Leopard vs. Tiger),
but it looks promising.

Thanks!

--
Alexander Limi · Firefox User Experience · http://limi.net

[Calum Benson]

On 18 Sep 2009, at 02:15, Neil Lee wrote:

> Of these two I think the second option is a bit better in that it
> doesn't impose on the initial launch process that much but is still
> transparent enough that the user can understand what has taken place.
> I guess this isn't perfect either as it expects the user will know how
> to find Firefox in its new location under /Applications, but maybe it
> has the least friction, and we could automatically add Firefox to the
> Dock in these instances.

I have to say I get annoyed with any Mac apps that digress from either
of the two standard ways of installation (providing either a .app file
or a .pkg file). It's annoying enough that we have to deal with two
different methods as it is; introducing additional variations just
makes things worse IMHO.

I'd be happy enough to see the 'arrow pointing at alias to
Applications folder' artwork supplemented with a runtime popup that
tells you to drag the Firefox icon somewhere else, though. Even
though I personally do like the convenience of being able to quickly
try out new applications by running them direct from the .dmg file, I
realise I'm towards the 'power user' end of the spectrum.

I have to say I can think of few more obnoxious behaviours than
Applications automatically adding themselves to the dock, though :)
No other Mac application does this, and for good reason.

Cheeri,
Calum.

--
CALUM BENSON, Usability Engineer Sun Microsystems Ireland
mailto:calum....@sun.com OpenSolaris Desktop Team
http://blogs.sun.com/calum +353 1 819 9771

Any opinions are personal and not necessarily those of Sun Microsystems

[Alexander Limi]

On Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 7:44 AM, Calum Benson <Calum....@sun.com> wrote:

> I'd be happy enough to see the 'arrow pointing at alias to Applications
> folder' artwork supplemented with a runtime popup that tells you to drag the
> Firefox icon somewhere else, though.
>

Yeah, that's what we're leaning towards at this point. Asking when launching
from a disk image, and then setting it up for them if they want.

> Even though I personally do like the convenience of being able to quickly
> try out new applications by running them direct from the .dmg file, I
> realise I'm towards the 'power user' end of the spectrum.
>

We are all power users. Read the blog posts about the Windows installer, and
the vast numbers that couldn't get FF installed, and we're humbled pretty
quickly. :)

> I have to say I can think of few more obnoxious behaviours than
> Applications automatically adding themselves to the dock, though :) No
> other Mac application does this, and for good reason.
>

It would of course be optional. Unexpected/silent behaviors are not a good
user experience. :)

[Alexander Limi]

There's an update available:

http://limi.net/articles/firefox-mac-installation-experience-revisited/

--
Alexander Limi · Firefox User Experience · http://limi.net