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AMO browser inside Thunderbird

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Chris Ilias

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Jan 16, 2007, 8:24:33 PM1/16/07
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We need installing Thunderbird add-ons to be easier. Way too many people
install Thunderbird add-ons in Firefox, and wonder why it's not showing
up in Thunderbird.

I was reminded of this a few days ago, when a user was asking for a
feature that was available via an extension. I gave the user a link to
the extension, then had to instruct him on how to install it.

What if it was possible to browse Thunderbird add-ons, from within
Thunderbird? Thunderbird already fetches remote content in web feeds
(and other elements within messages). I assume the only obstacle would
be navigating the site, without triggering a web browser.

If it can be done, finding and installing Thunderbird add-ons will
become much easier. Easy enough for mom. :-)
--
Chris Ilias <http://ilias.ca>
List-owner: support-firefox, support-thunderbird
mozilla.test.multimedia moderator
(Please do not email me tech support questions)

Scott MacGregor

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Jan 16, 2007, 8:50:06 PM1/16/07
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Chris Ilias wrote:
> We need installing Thunderbird add-ons to be easier. Way too many people
> install Thunderbird add-ons in Firefox, and wonder why it's not showing
> up in Thunderbird.
>
> I was reminded of this a few days ago, when a user was asking for a
> feature that was available via an extension. I gave the user a link to
> the extension, then had to instruct him on how to install it.
>
> What if it was possible to browse Thunderbird add-ons, from within
> Thunderbird? Thunderbird already fetches remote content in web feeds
> (and other elements within messages). I assume the only obstacle would
> be navigating the site, without triggering a web browser.
>
> If it can be done, finding and installing Thunderbird add-ons will
> become much easier. Easy enough for mom. :-)

Another idea could be to create a separate xpi mime content type that's Thunderbird specific. Thunderbird registers with the OS to handle that mime type. Clicking on a thunderbird xpi in Firefox would send the request to the default handler for that mime type (i.e. Thunderbird)

-Scott

Axel Hecht

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Jan 17, 2007, 7:16:19 AM1/17/07
to

I heard about that one before, I think shaver talked to me about that.
That would basically be a mimetype per (AMO-hosted?) not-Firefox app, IIRC?

Axel

Wayne Mery

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Jan 17, 2007, 10:26:00 AM1/17/07
to

open bugs in this area (some may be dups of each other):

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=263893
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=248819
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=254116
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=361886
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=299372

Chris Ilias

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Jan 17, 2007, 11:35:56 PM1/17/07
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_Scott MacGregor_ spoke thusly on 16/01/2007 8:50 PM:

> Another idea could be to create a separate xpi mime content type that's
> Thunderbird specific. Thunderbird registers with the OS to handle that
> mime type. Clicking on a thunderbird xpi in Firefox would send the
> request to the default handler for that mime type (i.e. Thunderbird)

Would that work for IE and Opera users?

Axel Hecht

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Jan 18, 2007, 6:03:53 AM1/18/07
to
Chris Ilias wrote:
> _Scott MacGregor_ spoke thusly on 16/01/2007 8:50 PM:
>> Another idea could be to create a separate xpi mime content type
>> that's Thunderbird specific. Thunderbird registers with the OS to
>> handle that mime type. Clicking on a thunderbird xpi in Firefox would
>> send the request to the default handler for that mime type (i.e.
>> Thunderbird)
>
> Would that work for IE and Opera users?

Yes, if the application in question (i.e., Thunderbird) registers itself
as handler for that mimetype with the OS.

Axel

Patrick Brunschwig

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Jan 18, 2007, 11:01:39 AM1/18/07
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I really like this idea. We have dozens of such "failure" reports on the
Enigmail mailing list and forums.

-Patrick

Andrew C. Oliver

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Jan 18, 2007, 11:43:22 AM1/18/07
to dev-apps-t...@lists.mozilla.org

>
> I really like this idea. We have dozens of such "failure" reports on the
> Enigmail mailing list and forums.
>
>
Definitely. This is a major issue for Lightning in particular. Many
users aren't particularly gifted with the file system so asking them to
download a plugin go find it on the disk and install it into TBird is a
bit burdensome at best, unintuitive at least. It would be far better if:

1. TBird could take a URL/launch a browser to a "plugin center" of some sort
2. plugins downloaded for TBird auto-opened with TBird.
> -Patrick
> _______________________________________________
> dev-apps-thunderbird mailing list
> dev-apps-t...@lists.mozilla.org
> https://lists.mozilla.org/listinfo/dev-apps-thunderbird
>

--
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http://buni.org


Magnus

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Jan 18, 2007, 2:50:18 PM1/18/07
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On 18/01/07 18:43, Andrew C. Oliver wrote:
>
>>
>> I really like this idea. We have dozens of such "failure" reports on the
>> Enigmail mailing list and forums.
>>
>>
> Definitely. This is a major issue for Lightning in particular. Many
> users aren't particularly gifted with the file system so asking them to
> download a plugin go find it on the disk and install it into TBird is a
> bit burdensome at best, unintuitive at least. It would be far better if:

Of course, on windows, you can give the direct URL to the add-on in the
Install... file dialog.

-Magnus

Andrew C. Oliver

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Jan 18, 2007, 3:39:19 PM1/18/07
to dev-apps-t...@lists.mozilla.org

>
> Of course, on windows, you can give the direct URL to the add-on in
> the Install... file dialog.
>
Oh yes...the famed Gnome file dialog of suck issue.

-Andy (who doesn't use Windows)
> -Magnus

Ron K.

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Jan 18, 2007, 9:31:10 PM1/18/07
to
Tbird Leader Magnus radioed the tower, On 1/18/2007 2:50 PM:
From a Windows User point of view the most horrible UI concept ever
employed by Moz apps. Big disregard for Accessibility by users with
poor short term memory.
--
Ron K.
Don't be a fonted, it's just type casting

Tony Mechelynck

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Jan 19, 2007, 3:24:37 AM1/19/07
to
Chris Ilias wrote:
> We need installing Thunderbird add-ons to be easier. Way too many people
> install Thunderbird add-ons in Firefox, and wonder why it's not showing
> up in Thunderbird.
>
> I was reminded of this a few days ago, when a user was asking for a
> feature that was available via an extension. I gave the user a link to
> the extension, then had to instruct him on how to install it.
>
> What if it was possible to browse Thunderbird add-ons, from within
> Thunderbird? Thunderbird already fetches remote content in web feeds
> (and other elements within messages). I assume the only obstacle would
> be navigating the site, without triggering a web browser.
>
> If it can be done, finding and installing Thunderbird add-ons will
> become much easier. Easy enough for mom. :-)

Thunderbird actually _is_ a browser: it can display not only HTML mail, but
also a "start page", which can be local or remote, in the "message area" at
startup. The only problem with this approach, IMHO, is that using the preview
pane is a security risk (when used on folder which may contain malicious
messages).


Best regards,
Tony.

Scott MacGregor

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Jan 19, 2007, 6:50:47 PM1/19/07
to
Axel Hecht wrote:
>
> I heard about that one before, I think shaver talked to me about that.
> That would basically be a mimetype per (AMO-hosted?) not-Firefox app, IIRC?

Yeah, a mime type per amo hosted application so other apps like seamonkey could get their extensions too. Just my two cents on how we could solve the problem :)

-Scott

Chris Ilias

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Jan 20, 2007, 9:48:59 PM1/20/07
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_Scott MacGregor_ spoke thusly on 19/01/2007 6:50 PM:

So, is the MIME-type the decided way this is going to be fixed? If so,
is there anything I can do to help move this along, so this thread (and
bug 263893) isn't forgotten?

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