As you know, one reason that I really like web applications is because they can be updated without the end user's involvement.  Even though desktop apps are inherently disadvantaged in this regard, that doesn't mean that the developers should just give up and accept a negative user experience when updates are required.

Mozilla Firefox is the second most popular web browser out there.  There are a lot of great things about Firefox, but a few really poor decisions make using it seem like a chore.  I hate to say it, but I sometimes find myself using Internet Explorer instead of Firefox if I'm in a hurry.  The worst decision they made has to do with installing updates.

If you had to pick the worst time imaginable to download and/or install updates, what would that be?  It seems obvious to me that it's when the user first launches a program.  If I don't have a program open, and then I open it, I think it goes without saying that I want to use it for something.  This is the only moment in the entire user experience where you're guaranteed that I want to actually use the software.  This is the wrong time to bug me about updates.

So why is this the time that Firefox installs all the updates?  Why not when I close the program? Why not have a helper program like many newer apps (like chrome) that installs updates behind the scenes?  I am almost afraid of starting Firefox because I know there will be an update waiting for me which will require me to install the update and restart the browser before I can do whatever it is that I actually want to do.

This problem is made even worse by the extensions.  I realize that I chose to install all of my Firefox plugins, but can't they let me start my browser without prompting me about a foxmarks update every single time?  I just want to go to a website.  That's what web browsers are for.

And then the cherry on top of all that is how Firefox takes me to a different home page after every update to tell me about the update.  Why in the world would I care?  I opened Firefox to go to a website, not to spend 5 minutes installing updates and then feeling proud about my accomplishment with a special confirmation page.

So here's a new design principle for you.  If you need to make a decision, think about the worst possible solution, and make sure you do something other than that.  Firefox might still be my browser of choice if they followed that basic advice with the timing of their updates.