Support/Firefox3.1:Options+Window

The Options Window article is probably our biggest and most complicated article, already beyond our size limit for screenshots, without screenshots for secondary option windows (e.g. Fonts, Advanced JS, Languages, Warning messages, etc.). It would be better if we split that article up by panel.

This one is going to be tricky, because we cannot break the help-topic links. In other words, all-sub articles need to be created in all locales, before we change the .htaccess file.

The Plan

• In the summary/first paragraph for each sub-article, say that this is panel [Foo] of the Options window reference, and link back to the parent Options window article. Example: "This article explains the [Foo] panel of the Options window in Firefox. See ((Options window)) for the other sections."
• At the end of each sub-article, add a link back to the parent Options window article
• In the parent Options window article, keep the summary/first paragraph, but replace the actual content with a list of links to the sub-articles
• Name the sub-articles "Options window - [Foo] panel"

I suggest the following roll-out plan:

1. Create the sub-articles in en-US while keeping the parent/original article untouched to see our suggestions in action and make sure we like the content and layout.
2. Talk to localizers about the concrete plan and show the en-US articles and explain what we need help with (writing the generic summary for each panel, the link back to the Options window). Obviously we need as much help we can get, but for the locales that don't have time or interest, we will have to do it ourselves.
3. Lock the parent Options window articles for editing. We don't want people to remove content from here until we've updated the in-product links. Otherwise we'll break current product help.
4. Finish the sub-article creation for each locale and help the locales that don't/won't do it.
5. Push new .htaccess rules to production so the in-product links point to the new sub-articles where appropriate.
6. Finally, change the parent Options window articles as agreed on, so it's just this generic intro + links to sub-articles.

Panel descriptions

Main

The Main panel contains {DIV(class=win,type=span)}options{DIV}{DIV(class=noWin,type=span)}preferences{DIV} related to the most commonly used settings, such as what you first see when Firefox starts and how Firefox handles file downloads.

Tabs

The Tabs panel contains {DIV(class=win,type=span)}options{DIV}{DIV(class=noWin,type=span)}preferences{DIV} related to the ((Tabbed browsing|tabbed browsing)) feature.

Content

The Content panel contains {DIV(class=win,type=span)}options{DIV}{DIV(class=noWin,type=span)}preferences{DIV} related to how websites are displayed.

Feeds

{SHOWFOR(browser=firefox3,footer=on)} ^The Feeds panel is part of Firefox 2. In Firefox 3 and up, the Feeds panel was replaced with the ((Options window - Applications panel|Applications panel)).^{SHOWFOR}

Applications

{SHOWFOR(browser=firefox2,footer=on)} ^The Applications panel was implemented in Firefox 3. For Firefox 2, read the ((Options window - Feeds panel|Feeds panel article)).^{SHOWFOR}

{SHOWFOR(browser=firefox3,footer=on)} The {PATH()}Applications{PATH} panel lets you decide how Firefox should ((Managing file types|handle different types of files)) (e.g. PDF documents or audio files). It shows you a list of content types and lets you select an action for each type, such as opening with an application, opening in Firefox using a plugin, or saving the file.

Privacy

The Privacy panel {DIV(class=win,type=span)}options{DIV}{DIV(class=noWin,type=span)}preferences{DIV} options related to your privacy. As you browse the web, information on where you have been, what pages you have visited, etc. are stored here.

Security

The Security panel contains {DIV(class=win,type=span)}options{DIV}{DIV(class=noWin,type=span)}preferences{DIV} related to keeping your web browsing safe.

Advanced

{SHOWFOR(browser=firefox2)} The Advanced panel contains many {DIV(class=win,type=span)}options{DIV}{DIV(class=noWin,type=span)}preferences{DIV} that are less likely to be used by most people but are useful and sometimes critical {DIV(class=win,type=span)}options{DIV}{DIV(class=noWin,type=span)}preferences{DIV} for some people. {SHOWFOR} {SHOWFOR(browser=firefox3)} The Advanced panel contains {DIV(class=win,type=span)}options{DIV}{DIV(class=noWin,type=span)}preferences{DIV} for settings that aren't used that often, such as checking to see if Firefox is the default browser, clearing the disk cache, settings for Firefox updates, and various advanced settings that only certain people may need. {SHOWFOR}

Backlinks

Articles that link to the Options window article, that need to be updated.

• Accessibility
• Customizing Firefox
• Downloads window
• Menu Reference
• Page Info window
• Pop-up blocker
• Tabbed browsing
• Unable to install add-ons
• Using Firefox
• Using the Java plugin with Firefox
• Video or audio does not play