Unnecessary security warning when search first time

[Tero Karvinen]

Firefox gives unnecessary security warning when search engine is used for the first time.

To reproduce
1) Create a new user (or install a fresh Ubuntu) and log in using that user
2) Applications: Internet: Firefox
3) Type URL: www.google.com
4) Type something in search field: "tero", search

What happens:
A warning dialog pops up: "Security Warning" "The Information you have entered is to be sent over an unencrypted connection..."

What should happen:
No warning dialog should be presented for this common, safe, usual and simple operation.

Showing this unnecessary warning is bad:
- Computer is less ready to use after install
- Long text is confusing to beginners
- Teaches users to press continue to any security related dialog without thinking
- The same operation (submiting search to google) can be performed without warning using the top-right search bar

This is probably controlled by "security.warn_submit_insecure". Typing "about:config" in address bar and searching for "warn" shows some other unnecessary warnings too.

Suggestion: remove this unnecessary warning.

[Sitsofe Wheeler (sitsofe)]

This warning is shown in most major every browser the first time it is used (I've seen IE and Netscape/Mozilla/Firefox warn about this for years). It's a fair warning - the data is unencrypted and CAN be read by someone else. It only ever appears once and I think the fact it is not picked up upon when you use the quick search bar at the top is the real bug...

[Rocco Stanzione (trappist)]

Until I read the reporter's comments about why this is bad, I believed ('assumed') the warning was a good thing. But I think his reasons for removing it outweigh the positive effects (if any) of leaving it.

[David Farning (dfarning)]

Thanks for your comment. The changes you are requesting require more discussion and should rather be done on an appropriate mailing list or forum.

http://www.ubuntu.com/community/forums/ might be a good start.

Thanks
David