Concerned about security issues and the number of users not updating, Mozilla will use MIcrosoft technology to force the installation of updates
Mozilla will use Microsoft technology to update the Firefox browser. Starting with Firefox 68, the web browser of Mozilla will use Microsoft BITS (Background Intelligent Transfer Service) to offer updates. In other words, the same technology that Windows Update uses.
As of the release of Firefox 70, BITS will be used with a dedicated update agent as a proxy. It is derived rather than simply being part of the browser itself. This will make the updates easier to install.
Why will Mozilla use Microsoft technology?
The main motivation for the switch to BITS used together with an update agent is make it easier for users with slower connections to get the latest updates.. In this way, Mozilla wants to update the obsolete versions of the browser used by those who do not have the browser long enough for the normal updates to be installed.
With the current BITS way of operating, updates can only be downloaded when someone has Firefox running. When switching to a dedicated update agent, it is possible to get these updates downloaded in the background, without affecting the performance of the browser.
According to a developer from Mozilla, the idea is that the update agent is:
… A background process that will remain running after the browser is closed to download and apply updates. This should make updates more convenient for everyone and reduce the time it takes to get new updates for users who are not well supported by the current update process because they do not run Firefox regularly and / or have slow Internet connections. .
Let's clarify that we are referring to Windows. Most Linux distributions have Firefox in their repositories and update it when the rest of the operating system is updated. I don't know what will happen to other forms of installation in Linux.
Before finally adopting this technology, there is a previous step. As it explains another developer by Mozilla
As a step prior to releasing the update agent, we will first allow Firefox to update using BITS without the update agent.
This will allow us an easier transition from one shock mechanism to another, rather than just dropping it all at once. For now, Firefox will call BITS through an interface built into the binary. This interface, for now, will communicate directly with BITS, but it will be designed in such a way that in the future it can communicate with BITS using the Update Agent as an intermediary.
This will allow you to manage BITS jobs as a Local Service user, which is how we want the downloads to occur when the Update Agent downloads them independently.
Remember that Mozilla had to update two times in a week the browser due to security problems. Therefore updates are not an issue that should be relied upon on the goodwill of users.
It really looks like Firefox is being run by a Chrome or Edge fanboy. It is quite known that Windows updates are annoying, that is why many users deactivate them using third-party software, if Firefox depended on these updates it could get stuck in a previous version, sentencing it to be a useless and obsolete browser with the passing weather.
It is true that keeping the software updated is important, but I am sure that after an update I am not the only one who finds that something he needs does not work, or does it in a way that does not suit my tastes / needs. That's why I like to have complete control of what I update and when I update it, usually after making a backup, and at times when a surprise update does not interfere with my calendar or work in progress.
If I'm working on something and I won't have time to research solutions or roll back updates, I prefer to take the risks and postpone the update to a more appropriate time.
On the other hand, forcing yourself to perform updates means making use of your connection and consuming data without your permission, for something that you still don't need because you use it twice a year.
Many people escape from M $ Window $ precisely to have control of our systems (among other reasons). And the projects that take the bad habit of tutoring their users as if they were imbeciles, will end up losing users, and they will be left with the… That.
We are old enough to be responsible for our decisions. Whoever acts irresponsibly will bear the consequences. Maybe that way all those people who "don't want to learn" get smart. Those who fix what the ignorant screw up also have the right to earn a living, right? Hahaha.