diff --git a/content/xul/templates/public/nsIXULSortService.idl b/content/xul/templates/public/nsIXULSortService.idl
index 99570332c9d7..29a74cd32c43 100755
--- a/content/xul/templates/public/nsIXULSortService.idl
+++ b/content/xul/templates/public/nsIXULSortService.idl
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ interface nsIXULSortService : nsISupports
      * <code>aSortDirection</code> as the direction.
      *
      * @param aNode A node in the XUL widget whose children are to be
-     * sorted. <code>Sort</code> will traverse upwards to find the
+     * sorted. <code>sort</code> will traverse upwards to find the
      * root node at which to begin the actualy sorting. For optimal
      * results, pass in the root of the widget.
      *
@@ -74,14 +74,14 @@ interface nsIXULSortService : nsISupports
      * <b>ascending</b> to sort the contents in ascending order, or
      * <b>descending</b> to sort the contents in descending order.
      */
-    void Sort(in nsIDOMNode aNode,
-              in string aSortResource,
-              in string aSortDirection);
+    void sort(in nsIDOMNode aNode,
+              in AString aSortResource,
+              in AString aSortDirection);
 
     /**
      * Used internally for insertion sorting.
      */
-    [noscript] void InsertContainerNode(in nsIRDFCompositeDataSource db,
+    [noscript] void insertContainerNode(in nsIRDFCompositeDataSource db,
                                         in nsRDFSortState sortStatePtr,
                                         in nsIContent root,
                                         in nsIContent trueParent,
diff --git a/content/xul/templates/src/nsXULSortService.cpp b/content/xul/templates/src/nsXULSortService.cpp
index 37aa40a833c0..1eb4480375f8 100644
--- a/content/xul/templates/src/nsXULSortService.cpp
+++ b/content/xul/templates/src/nsXULSortService.cpp
@@ -170,13 +170,12 @@ private:
 
 nsresult FindDatabaseElement(nsIContent* aElement, nsIContent** aDatabaseElement);
 nsresult FindSortableContainer(nsIContent *tree, nsIContent **treeBody);
-nsresult SetSortHints(nsIContent *tree, const nsString &sortResource, const nsString &sortDirection, const nsString &sortResource2, PRBool inbetweenSeparatorSort, PRBool found);
-nsresult SetSortColumnHints(nsIContent *content, const nsString &sortResource, const nsString &sortDirection);
-nsresult GetSortColumnInfo(nsIContent *tree, nsString &sortResource, nsString &sortDirection, nsString &sortResource2, PRBool &inbetweenSeparatorSort);
+nsresult SetSortHints(nsIContent *tree, const nsAString &sortResource, const nsAString &sortDirection, const nsAString &sortResource2, PRBool inbetweenSeparatorSort, PRBool found);
+nsresult SetSortColumnHints(nsIContent *content, const nsAString &sortResource, const nsAString &sortDirection);
+nsresult GetSortColumnInfo(nsIContent *tree, nsAString &sortResource, nsAString &sortDirection, nsAString &sortResource2, PRBool &inbetweenSeparatorSort);
 
 nsresult SortContainer(nsIContent *container, sortPtr sortInfo, PRBool merelyInvertFlag);
 nsresult InvertSortInfo(contentSortInfo **data, PRInt32 numItems);
-nsresult DoSort(nsIDOMNode* node, const nsString& sortResource, const nsString& sortDirection);
 
 static nsresult  GetCachedTarget(sortPtr sortInfo, PRBool useCache, nsIRDFResource* aSource, nsIRDFResource *aProperty, PRBool aTruthValue, nsIRDFNode **aResult);
 static nsresult GetTarget(contentSortInfo *contentSortInfo, sortPtr sortInfo,  PRBool first, PRBool onlyCollationHint, PRBool truthValue,nsIRDFNode **target, PRBool &isCollationKey);
@@ -383,8 +382,8 @@ XULSortServiceImpl::FindSortableContainer(nsIContent *aRoot, nsIContent **aConta
 }
 
 nsresult
-XULSortServiceImpl::SetSortHints(nsIContent *tree, const nsString &sortResource,
-                                 const nsString &sortDirection, const nsString &sortResource2,
+XULSortServiceImpl::SetSortHints(nsIContent *tree, const nsAString &sortResource,
+                                 const nsAString &sortDirection, const nsAString &sortResource2,
                                  PRBool inbetweenSeparatorSort, PRBool found)
 {
   if (found) {
@@ -416,7 +415,7 @@ XULSortServiceImpl::SetSortHints(nsIContent *tree, const nsString &sortResource,
 }
 
 nsresult
-XULSortServiceImpl::SetSortColumnHints(nsIContent *content, const nsString &sortResource, const nsString &sortDirection)
+XULSortServiceImpl::SetSortColumnHints(nsIContent *content, const nsAString &sortResource, const nsAString &sortDirection)
 {
   PRInt32 numChildren, childIndex, nameSpaceID;
   nsCOMPtr<nsIContent> child;
@@ -458,8 +457,8 @@ XULSortServiceImpl::SetSortColumnHints(nsIContent *content, const nsString &sort
 }
 
 nsresult
-XULSortServiceImpl::GetSortColumnInfo(nsIContent *tree, nsString &sortResource,
-                                      nsString &sortDirection, nsString &sortResource2,
+XULSortServiceImpl::GetSortColumnInfo(nsIContent *tree, nsAString &sortResource,
+                                      nsAString &sortDirection, nsAString &sortResource2,
                                       PRBool &inbetweenSeparatorSort)
 {
   nsresult rv = NS_ERROR_FAILURE;
@@ -1584,13 +1583,7 @@ XULSortServiceImpl::InsertContainerNode(nsIRDFCompositeDataSource *db, nsRDFSort
 }
 
 NS_IMETHODIMP
-XULSortServiceImpl::Sort(nsIDOMNode* node, const char *sortResource, const char *sortDirection)
-{
-  return DoSort(node, NS_ConvertASCIItoUCS2(sortResource), NS_ConvertASCIItoUCS2(sortDirection));
-}
-
-nsresult
-XULSortServiceImpl::DoSort(nsIDOMNode* node, const nsString& sortResource, const nsString& sortDirection)
+XULSortServiceImpl::Sort(nsIDOMNode* node, const nsAString& sortResource, const nsAString& sortDirection)
 {
   nsresult rv;
   _sortStruct  sortInfo;
@@ -1663,7 +1656,7 @@ XULSortServiceImpl::DoSort(nsIDOMNode* node, const nsString& sortResource, const
   GetSortColumnInfo(contentNode, unused, unused, sortResource2, sortInfo.inbetweenSeparatorSort);
 
   // build resource url for first sort resource
-  rv = gRDFService->GetUnicodeResource(sortResource.get(), getter_AddRefs(sortInfo.sortProperty));
+  rv = gRDFService->GetUnicodeResource(PromiseFlatString(sortResource).get(), getter_AddRefs(sortInfo.sortProperty));
   if (NS_FAILED(rv)) return rv;
 
   nsAutoString resourceUrl;
diff --git a/extensions/irc/xul/content/handlers.js b/extensions/irc/xul/content/handlers.js
index 1e0036f1f173..8194c0dee09f 100644
--- a/extensions/irc/xul/content/handlers.js
+++ b/extensions/irc/xul/content/handlers.js
@@ -628,11 +628,11 @@ function onSortCol(sortColName)
         return false;
     try
     {
-        xulSortService.Sort(node, sortResource, sortDirection);
+        xulSortService.sort(node, sortResource, sortDirection);
     }
     catch(ex)
     {
-            //dd("Exception calling xulSortService.Sort()");
+            //dd("Exception calling xulSortService.sort()");
     }
     
     return false;
diff --git a/mailnews/base/prefs/resources/content/AccountManager.js b/mailnews/base/prefs/resources/content/AccountManager.js
index 40c963655fd5..25c47f05c416 100644
--- a/mailnews/base/prefs/resources/content/AccountManager.js
+++ b/mailnews/base/prefs/resources/content/AccountManager.js
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ function onLoad() {
 function sortAccountList(accounttree)
 {
   var xulSortService = Components.classes["@mozilla.org/xul/xul-sort-service;1"].getService(Components.interfaces.nsIXULSortService);
-  xulSortService.Sort(accounttree, 'http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#FolderTreeName?sort=true', 'ascending');
+  xulSortService.sort(accounttree, 'http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#FolderTreeName?sort=true', 'ascending');
 }
 
 function selectServer(server, selectPage)
diff --git a/xpfe/components/directory/directory.js b/xpfe/components/directory/directory.js
index fd118101e779..71ecf48233ba 100644
--- a/xpfe/components/directory/directory.js
+++ b/xpfe/components/directory/directory.js
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ function doSort(aTarget)
 
 	try {
 	  var sortService = Components.classes[XULSORTSERVICE_CONTRACTID].getService(nsIXULSortService);
-		sortService.Sort(aTarget, sortResource, sortDirection);
+		sortService.sort(aTarget, sortResource, sortDirection);
 	} catch(ex) { }
 }
 
diff --git a/xpfe/components/download-manager/resources/downloadmanager.js b/xpfe/components/download-manager/resources/downloadmanager.js
index 28cc579fc72d..8c8090be04a5 100644
--- a/xpfe/components/download-manager/resources/downloadmanager.js
+++ b/xpfe/components/download-manager/resources/downloadmanager.js
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ function Startup()
   gNC_File = gRDFService.GetResource(NC_NS + "File");
 
   gDownloadView = document.getElementById("downloadView");
+  setSortVariables(gDownloadView);
   
   const dlmgrContractID = "@mozilla.org/download-manager;1";
   const dlmgrIID = Components.interfaces.nsIDownloadManager;
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ function Startup()
   gDownloadView.database.AddDataSource(ds);
   gDownloadView.builder.rebuild();
   window.setTimeout(onRebuild, 0);
-  
+
   var key;
   if (navigator.platform.indexOf("Win") != -1)
     key = "Win";
@@ -330,3 +331,40 @@ function Shutdown()
   catch (ex) {
   }
 }
+
+function setSortVariables(tree)
+{
+  var node;
+  for (node = document.getElementById("Name"); node; node = node.nextSibling) {
+    if (node.getAttribute("sortActive") == "true")
+      break;
+  }
+  if (!node) {
+    node = document.getElementById("Progress");
+    node.setAttribute("sortActive", "true");
+    node.setAttribute("sortDirection", "descending");
+  }
+
+  tree.setAttribute("sortActive", "true");
+  tree.setAttribute("sortDirection", node.getAttribute("sortDirection"));
+  tree.setAttribute("sortResource", node.getAttribute("resource"));
+}
+
+function doSort(node)
+{
+  if (node.localName != "treecol")
+    return;
+
+  var sortResource = node.getAttribute("resource");
+
+  var sortDirection = node.getAttribute("sortDirection");
+  sortDirection = sortDirection == "ascending" ? "descending" : "ascending";
+
+  try {
+    var sortService = Components.classes["@mozilla.org/xul/xul-sort-service;1"]
+                      .getService(Components.interfaces.nsIXULSortService);
+    sortService.sort(node, sortResource, sortDirection);
+  }
+  catch(ex) {
+  }
+}
diff --git a/xpfe/components/download-manager/resources/downloadmanager.xul b/xpfe/components/download-manager/resources/downloadmanager.xul
index e06fe8986a71..4a9deef784c8 100644
--- a/xpfe/components/download-manager/resources/downloadmanager.xul
+++ b/xpfe/components/download-manager/resources/downloadmanager.xul
@@ -132,54 +132,53 @@
             datasources="rdf:null" ref="NC:DownloadsRoot" flags="dont-test-empty"
             ondblclick="return goDoCommand('cmd_properties');" enableColumnDrag="true"
             onselect="onSelect(event);">
-    <treecols>
+    <treecols onclick="doSort(event.target)">
       <treecol id="Name" primary="true"
                    label="&view.header.name.label;"
                    class="sortDirectionIndicator" width="3*" flex="3"
-                   sort="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#Name"
+                   resource="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#Name"
                    persist="width sortActive sortDirection"/>
       <splitter class="tree-splitter"/>
       <treecol id="Progress" type="progressmeter"
                    label="&view.header.progress.label;"
                    class="sortDirectionIndicator" width="3*" flex="3"
-                   sort="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#ProgressPercent"
-                   persist="width hidden sortActive sortDirection"
-                   sortActive="true" sortDirection="descending"/>
+                   resource="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#ProgressPercent"
+                   persist="width hidden sortActive sortDirection"/>
       <splitter class="tree-splitter"/>
       <treecol id="ProgressPercent" hidden="true"
                    label="&view.header.progresstext.label;"
                    class="sortDirectionIndicator" width="1*" flex="1"
-                   sort="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#ProgressPercent"
+                   resource="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#ProgressPercent"
                    persist="width hidden sortActive sortDirection"/>
       <splitter class="tree-splitter"/>
       <treecol id="TimeRemaining"
                    label="&view.header.timeremaining.label;"
                    class="sortDirectionIndicator" width="1*" flex="1"
-                   sort="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#TimeRemaining"
+                   resource="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#TimeRemaining"
                    persist="width hidden sortActive sortDirection"/>
       <splitter class="tree-splitter"/>
       <treecol id="Transferred"
                    label="&view.header.transferred.label;"
                    class="sortDirectionIndicator" width="1*" flex="1"
-                   sort="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#Transferred"
+                   resource="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#Transferred"
                    persist="width hidden sortActive sortDirection"/>
       <splitter class="tree-splitter"/>
       <treecol id="TransferRate"
                    label="&view.header.transferrate.label;"
                    class="sortDirectionIndicator" width="1*" flex="1"
-                   sort="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#TransferRate"
+                   resource="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#TransferRate"
                    persist="width hidden sortActive sortDirection"/>
       <splitter class="tree-splitter"/>
       <treecol id="TimeElapsed" hidden="true"
                    label="&view.header.timeelapsed.label;"
                    class="sortDirectionIndicator" width="1*" flex="1"
-                   sort="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#TimeElapsed"
+                   resource="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#TimeElapsed"
                    persist="width hidden sortActive sortDirection"/>
       <splitter class="tree-splitter"/>
       <treecol id="Source" hidden="true"
                    label="&view.header.source.label;"
                    class="sortDirectionIndicator" width="1*" flex="1"
-                   sort="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#URL"
+                   resource="http://home.netscape.com/NC-rdf#URL"
                    persist="width hidden sortActive sortDirection"/>
     </treecols>
     <template>
diff --git a/xpfe/components/download-manager/src/nsDownloadManager.cpp b/xpfe/components/download-manager/src/nsDownloadManager.cpp
index 8789f497575e..2bd9c3900b9c 100644
--- a/xpfe/components/download-manager/src/nsDownloadManager.cpp
+++ b/xpfe/components/download-manager/src/nsDownloadManager.cpp
@@ -425,18 +425,8 @@ nsDownloadManager::AddDownload(nsIURI* aSource,
   nsCOMPtr<nsIRDFResource> downloadRes;
   gRDFService->GetResource(path.get(), getter_AddRefs(downloadRes));
 
-  // if the resource is in the container already (the user has already
-  // downloaded this file), remove it
-  PRInt32 itemIndex;
   nsCOMPtr<nsIRDFNode> node;
-  downloads->IndexOf(downloadRes, &itemIndex);
-  if (itemIndex > 0) {
-    rv = downloads->RemoveElementAt(itemIndex, PR_TRUE, getter_AddRefs(node));
-    if (NS_FAILED(rv)) return rv;
-  }
-  rv = downloads->AppendElement(downloadRes);
-  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) return rv;
-  
+
   // Assert source url information
   nsCAutoString spec;
   aSource->GetSpec(spec);
@@ -448,11 +438,7 @@ nsDownloadManager::AddDownload(nsIURI* aSource,
     rv = mDataSource->Change(downloadRes, gNC_URL, node, urlResource);
   else
     rv = mDataSource->Assert(downloadRes, gNC_URL, urlResource, PR_TRUE);
-  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) {
-    downloads->IndexOf(downloadRes, &itemIndex);
-    downloads->RemoveElementAt(itemIndex, PR_TRUE, getter_AddRefs(node));
-    return rv;
-  }
+  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) return rv;
 
   // Set and assert the "pretty" (display) name of the download
   nsAutoString displayName; displayName.Assign(aDisplayName);
@@ -468,11 +454,7 @@ nsDownloadManager::AddDownload(nsIURI* aSource,
     rv = mDataSource->Change(downloadRes, gNC_Name, node, nameLiteral);
   else
     rv = mDataSource->Assert(downloadRes, gNC_Name, nameLiteral, PR_TRUE);
-  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) {
-    downloads->IndexOf(downloadRes, &itemIndex);
-    downloads->RemoveElementAt(itemIndex, PR_TRUE, getter_AddRefs(node));
-    return rv;
-  }
+  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) return rv;
   
   internalDownload->SetMIMEInfo(aMIMEInfo);
   internalDownload->SetStartTime(aStartTime);
@@ -481,11 +463,7 @@ nsDownloadManager::AddDownload(nsIURI* aSource,
   nsCOMPtr<nsIRDFResource> fileResource;
   gRDFService->GetResource(path.get(), getter_AddRefs(fileResource));
   rv = mDataSource->Assert(downloadRes, gNC_File, fileResource, PR_TRUE);
-  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) {
-    downloads->IndexOf(downloadRes, &itemIndex);
-    downloads->RemoveElementAt(itemIndex, PR_TRUE, getter_AddRefs(node));
-    return rv;
-  }
+  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) return rv;
   
   // Assert download state information (NOTSTARTED, since it's just now being added)
   nsCOMPtr<nsIRDFInt> intLiteral;
@@ -495,20 +473,19 @@ nsDownloadManager::AddDownload(nsIURI* aSource,
     rv = mDataSource->Change(downloadRes, gNC_DownloadState, node, intLiteral);
   else
     rv = mDataSource->Assert(downloadRes, gNC_DownloadState, intLiteral, PR_TRUE);
-  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) {
-    downloads->IndexOf(downloadRes, &itemIndex);
-    downloads->RemoveElementAt(itemIndex, PR_TRUE, getter_AddRefs(node));
-    return rv;
-  }
+  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) return rv;
   
+  PRInt32 itemIndex;
+  downloads->IndexOf(downloadRes, &itemIndex);
+  if (itemIndex == -1) {
+    rv = downloads->AppendElement(downloadRes);
+    if (NS_FAILED(rv)) return rv;
+  }
+
   // Now flush all this to disk
   nsCOMPtr<nsIRDFRemoteDataSource> remote(do_QueryInterface(mDataSource));
   rv = remote->Flush();
-  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) {
-    downloads->IndexOf(downloadRes, &itemIndex);
-    downloads->RemoveElementAt(itemIndex, PR_TRUE, getter_AddRefs(node));
-    return rv;
-  }
+  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) return rv;
 
   // if a persist object was specified, set the download item as the progress listener
   // this will create a cycle that will be broken in nsDownload::OnStateChange
diff --git a/xpfe/components/search/resources/search-editor.js b/xpfe/components/search/resources/search-editor.js
index eede01d97262..77e2ce432c73 100644
--- a/xpfe/components/search/resources/search-editor.js
+++ b/xpfe/components/search/resources/search-editor.js
@@ -240,11 +240,11 @@ function doSort(sortColName, naturalOrderResource)
   if (!xulSortService)    return(false);
   try
   {
-    xulSortService.Sort(node, sortResource, sortDirection);
+    xulSortService.sort(node, sortResource, sortDirection);
   }
   catch(ex)
   {
-    debug("Exception calling xulSortService.Sort()");
+    debug("Exception calling xulSortService.sort()");
   }
   return(true);
 }
diff --git a/xpfe/components/search/resources/shared.js b/xpfe/components/search/resources/shared.js
index e14f7dd1ccf6..095959a6aaba 100644
--- a/xpfe/components/search/resources/shared.js
+++ b/xpfe/components/search/resources/shared.js
@@ -337,11 +337,11 @@ function doSort(sortColName, naturalOrderResource)
   if (!xulSortService)    return(false);
   try
   {
-    xulSortService.Sort(node, sortResource, sortDirection);
+    xulSortService.sort(node, sortResource, sortDirection);
   }
   catch(ex)
   {
-    debug("Exception calling xulSortService.Sort()");
+    debug("Exception calling xulSortService.sort()");
   }
   return(true);
 }
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ function setInitialSort(node, sortDirection)
     if (!isupports)    return(false);
     var xulSortService = isupports.QueryInterface(Components.interfaces.nsIXULSortService);
     if (!xulSortService)    return(false);
-    xulSortService.Sort(node, sortResource, sortDirection);
+    xulSortService.sort(node, sortResource, sortDirection);
   }
   catch(ex)
   {