Comment 347 for bug 195698

Allow me to describe a few use cases. I'll start with my own, where I know I'll get the current status dead on, and then move on to others outside my direct experience. Please correct current status if I make errors.

Daniel uses Firefox in a corporate environment with a password protected proxy, the password for which is encrypted with the master password. When opening multiple tabs without having authenticated yet (e.g. session restore or "Open All in Tabs") he expects to type his master password and (populated) proxy authentication dialog only once.

Current status: Daniel observes a master password and authentication dialog once
                for each tab (e.g. 10 tabs -> password must be typed 10 times,
                OK pressed 20 times)

Wallpaper-fix: Would reduce only the number of times the master password
                appears (e.g. 10 tabs -> password must be typed once, OK
                pressed 11 times). Nevertheless it would actually make Daniel
                quite happy since he would do much less typing (and dialogs
                would no longer key popping up and stealing the keyboard
                focus from the Master Password dialog).

Sharon uses Firefox at home and likes to use lots of password protected web sites, the passwords for which are encrypted with the master password. When opening multiple tabs without having authenticated yet (e.g. session restore or "Open All in Tabs") she expects to type her master password only once and for the (populated) proxy authentication dialogs to appears once for each tab (assuming each tab is a different site). (e.g. 10 tabs -> password types once, OK pressed 11 times).

Current status: Sharon observes a master password and authentication dialog once
                for each tab (e.g. 10 tabs -> password must be typed 10 times,
                OK pressed 20 times)

Wallpaper-fix: Would make Sharon very happy...

William uses Firefox and is very fastidious about security so he chooses to never store passwords. When opening multiple tabs to the *same* authenticated site (e.g. password protected mailing list archives) he expects to have to enter his credentials once only.

Current status: William observes an authentication dialog once tab in the same
                authenticated site.

Wallpaper-fix: Would make no difference to William.

I would suggest (without evidence) that Sharon's problems are the most important since they affect normal users in normal environments. Choosing between Daniel (unusual environment) and William (?unusually paranoid?) is more difficult and I have a clear prejudice...

For the record Daniel is currently using the StartupMaster add-on which is, in effect, the wallpaper-fix and is currently perfectly happy.