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The update mechanism. Surely there's a better way.

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  • Last reply by John99

revelated
revelated
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I have Firefox set to notify me when an update is available. I did this on purpose. It's the update mechanism.

If you do auto updates, Windows squawks with a UAC alert every time you launch the browser. That's telling me that whatever Firefox is updating, is making changes that frankly should have been slipstreamed by now. Chrome has the same issue.

If you do manual updates, after an undetermined period of time after running the browser, you get TWO windows telling you an update is available. So that's just bad code. Chrome's is only as initiated by a user and not disruptive to a current browsing session. You can keep on working and just relaunch the browser whenever you're done.

You update to a major version - great. But then invariably, within days you get another update alert that there's a security update. So you're nagged again. Why it doesn't let me select whether I want to ignore security updates or ignore major versions that don't have at least one security update or SOMETHING where I can minimize which updates I apply, I have no idea.

What I want is an experience that allows the browser to be updated without nags. Without prompts. Without alerts. Unless they invoke the update request.

I know this isn't Mozilla. But my question is, has anyone figured out a way to disable the Mozilla nag windows? I want it to silently update in the background, and whenever the user relaunches the browser, apply the update silently (no "Firefox is installing your updates..." window), and just open with a new experience.

I have Firefox set to notify me when an update is available. I did this on purpose. It's the update mechanism. If you do auto updates, Windows squawks with a UAC alert every time you launch the browser. That's telling me that whatever Firefox is updating, is making changes that frankly should have been slipstreamed by now. Chrome has the same issue. If you do manual updates, after an undetermined period of time after running the browser, you get TWO windows telling you an update is available. So that's just bad code. Chrome's is only as initiated by a user and not disruptive to a current browsing session. You can keep on working and just relaunch the browser whenever you're done. You update to a major version - great. But then invariably, within days you get another update alert that there's a security update. So you're nagged again. Why it doesn't let me select whether I want to ignore security updates or ignore major versions that don't have at least one security update or SOMETHING where I can minimize which updates I apply, I have no idea. What I want is an experience that allows the browser to be updated without nags. Without prompts. Without alerts. Unless they invoke the update request. I know this isn't Mozilla. But my question is, has anyone figured out a way to disable the Mozilla nag windows? I want it to silently update in the background, and whenever the user relaunches the browser, apply the update silently (no "Firefox is installing your updates..." window), and just open with a new experience.

All Replies (1)

John99
John99
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I do not often use Windows but I was under the impression that if you set Firefox to update automatically it will do just that. It should use the Windows Maintenance Service by default (IF you use Windows! >XP) and not give UAC squawks.

As for choosing updates you should just take all updates offered. Mozilla uses a release method that sometimes throttled updates so not all users get them until they are pretty sure the updates are not causing problems.

If you set Firefox to tell you before updating then you will get nag screens.

The user base of those on the main Release is far greater than the testers of the PreRelease versions, and they have a wider range of addons and third party software so often something will need fixing and the majority of releases then get a point release. if as is usually the case it contains an important fix or important security update it is offered to everyone.

The current version has a point release but it is not important and is offered only to those who ask (by using about Firefox) or those not yet on Fx47.