Using Mozilla FireFox's Download Manager

 

Summary

Mozilla FireFox uses a download manager to organize and monitor downloads. However, the download manager has difficulties correctly updating and displaying the files being downloaded. Similarly, the presentation of much of the information can be difficult to understand.

Application Description

Mozilla's FireFox is an Internet browser available for Linux, MacOS, and Windows. At the time of writing this presentation, FireFox was still pre-1.0 (meaning that it was still a preview release for testing purposes).

Test Design

This example demonstrates the use of Scenario testing. In scenario testing, we create a hypothetical situation the program could be run through, and then we run through it ourselves based on that situation. This helps us to evaluate the program's real-world adaptibility, as well as help us to test many functions that are not frequently used or tested (or simply aren't tested thoroughly enough).

For this test, we are pretending to be working on a project where we are downloading important files for work, work which is due in ten minutes, so the accuracy and effeciency of the download manager is extremely important.

We expect that the download manager will be accurate in its estimation of the remaining time and that we can interact with it conveniently.

Performing the Test

  1. Open Mozilla FireFox:

  2. To work with the download manager, we will first look at the default settings. To access the options:

    We are using the default settings, which save all downloaded files to the desktop.

  3. Next, we must locate a file to download. If you know of a site where you can download a file for free, you can use this. If not, try Mozilla, Fedora, or Gentoo. All provide free software as part of the Gnu Public License (GPL).
  4. Once you click on a link to download a file, the download manager will open, showing the name of the file, how long the file will take to arrive, and what percentage of the file has already been retrieved:

    Notice that the status bar of the download manager window says "1%", but inside the download manager the file is listed as being at "0%".

  5. Now that one file is downloading, let's also try retrieving another file.
  6. In this next picture, two files were downloading, but one has completed. Notice that the download manager still says that two files are being downloaded, and that, even though the only file downloading is at 81%, we are told that our total downloads are 41% complete. This means that the download manager is counting the file that is completed as 0%, averaging 81% + 0%, and getting 41% completion.

  7. Here is another example of two files being downloaded. A third file was being downloaded, but it has been canceled and cleared out of the download manager. Notice how we are being told that our two files, at 34% and 11% (which would average to 22.5%) are 15% completed. We are also told that three files are being downloaded:

  8. Once the downloads are finished, the download manager displays a message informing us that they are complete. The message is highlighted like an Internet link, making it appear that clicking on the link will bring us to our downloads or open the file that just completed. The link, however, does nothing:

Results/Relevance

As someone working quickly to finish a project, the download manager was extremely frustrating. It could not keep track of how many files we were downloading and we could not directly access the files through the download manager. Our files were downloaded correctly, though, and saved to the correct location, which means that there is little (if anything) wrong in the actual core functions of the download manager.

Of course, bugs like these are mostly aesthetic issues, bugs that really only cause a problem in a scenario such as the one used in this presentation. The average home user would likely either not notice such errors or work around them.

By applying this scenario, we saw these aesthetic bugs less as simply being about appearance and more about standing in the way of convenience. As an average home user, these bugs would not likely have been something to complain about, yet as an individual attempting to do some very important and time-critical work, these issues become very important.

Similar Tests/Additional Notes

Since Mozilla's FireFox is still in testing stages, it is a perfect application for practicing testing techniques. To practice scenario testing, create an elaborate story that could be convincing as a possible user scenario, then apply that scenario to the application.

Configuration Notes

Testing Mozilla's FireFox v0.9 on:

Created 29 June 2004 for the CSTER

All images and written material ©Copyright Sam Oswald 2004

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