diff --git a/mozilla/xpcom/base/nsIWeakReference.idl b/mozilla/xpcom/base/nsIWeakReference.idl
index f9b7446a336..1cf4b395e9d 100644
--- a/mozilla/xpcom/base/nsIWeakReference.idl
+++ b/mozilla/xpcom/base/nsIWeakReference.idl
@@ -1,37 +1,108 @@
-// nsIWeakReference.idl
+/* -*- Mode: IDL; tab-width: 2; indent-tabs-mode: nil; c-basic-offset: 2 -*-
+ *
+ * The contents of this file are subject to the Mozilla Public
+ * License Version 1.1 (the "License"); you may not use this file
+ * except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of
+ * the License at http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/
+ * 
+ * Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS
+ * IS" basis, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or
+ * implied. See the License for the specific language governing
+ * rights and limitations under the License.
+ * 
+ * The Original Code is the Mozilla browser.
+ * 
+ * The Initial Developer of the Original Code is Netscape
+ * Communications, Inc.  Portions created by Netscape are
+ * Copyright (C) 1999, Mozilla.  All Rights Reserved.
+ * 
+ * Contributor(s):
+ *   Scott Collins <scc@netscape.com>
+ */
 
 #include "nsISupports.idl"
 
+
+/**
+ * An instance of |nsIWeakReference| is a proxy object that cooperates with
+ * its referent to give clients a non-owning, non-dangling reference.  Clients
+ * own the proxy, and should generally manage it with an |nsCOMPtr| (see the
+ * type |nsWeakPtr| for a |typedef| name that stands out) as they would any
+ * other XPCOM object.  The |QueryReferent| member function provides a
+ * (hopefully short-lived) owning reference on demand, through which clients
+ * can get useful access to the referent, while it still exists.
+ *
+ * @see nsISupportsWeakReference
+ * @see nsWeakReference
+ * @see nsWeakPtr
+ */
 [scriptable, uuid(9188bc85-f92e-11d2-81ef-0060083a0bcf)]
 interface nsIWeakReference : nsISupports
-	{
-		void QueryReferent( in nsIIDRef uuid, [iid_is(uuid), retval] out nsQIResult result );
-	};
+  {
+    /**
+     * |QueryReferent| queries the referent, if it exists, and like |QueryInterface|, produces
+     * an owning reference to the desired interface.  It is designed to look and act exactly
+     * like (a proxied) |QueryInterface|.  Don't hold on to the produced interface permanently;
+     * that would defeat the purpose of using a non-owning |nsIWeakReference| in the first place.
+     */
+    void QueryReferent( in nsIIDRef uuid, [iid_is(uuid), retval] out nsQIResult result );
+  };
 
+
+/**
+ * |nsISupportsWeakReference| is a factory interface which produces appropriate
+ * instances of |nsIWeakReference|.  Weak references in this scheme can only be
+ * produced for objects that implement this interface.
+ *
+ * @see nsIWeakReference
+ * @see nsSupportsWeakReference
+ */
 [scriptable, uuid(9188bc86-f92e-11d2-81ef-0060083a0bcf)]
 interface nsISupportsWeakReference : nsISupports
-	{
-		void GetWeakReference( [retval] out nsIWeakReference result );
-	};
+  {
+    /**
+     * |GetWeakReference| produces an appropriate instance of |nsIWeakReference|.
+     * As with all good XPCOM `getters', you own the resulting interface and should
+     * manage it with an |nsCOMPtr|.
+     *
+     * @see nsIWeakReference
+     * @see nsWeakPtr
+     * @see nsCOMPtr
+     */
+    nsIWeakReference GetWeakReference();
+  };
+
 
 %{C++
 
 // typedef nsCOMPtr<nsIWeakReference> nsWeakPtr;
-	// ...this definition had to be moved to nsWeakPtr.h to avoid circular includes, sorry
+  // ...this definition had to be moved to nsWeakPtr.h to avoid circular includes, sorry
 
-extern NS_COM nsIWeakReference*
+
+/**
+ * |NS_GetWeakReference| is a convenience function that bundles up all the work needed
+ * to get a weak reference to an arbitrary object, i.e., the |QueryInterface|, test, and
+ * call through to |GetWeakReference|.  It produces an |nsIWeakReference*| as its
+ * function result specifically to cooperate with |nsCOMPtr| (or |nsWeakPtr|) like so:
+ * |nsWeakPtr myWeakPtr = getter_AddRefs( NS_GetWeakReference(aPtr) );|.
+ */
+extern NS_COM
+nsIWeakReference*
 NS_GetWeakReference( nsISupports* , nsresult* aResult = 0);
-	// ...convenience.  Get a weak reference (if possible) without doing the query yourself
 
+
+/**
+ *
+ */
 template <class T>
 inline
 nsresult
 CallQueryReferent( nsIWeakReference* aSource, T** aDestination )
-	{
-		NS_PRECONDITION(aSource, "null parameter");
+  {
+    NS_PRECONDITION(aSource, "null parameter");
     NS_PRECONDITION(aDestination, "null parameter");
 
-		return aSource->QueryReferent(nsCOMTypeInfo<T>::GetIID(), (void**)aDestination);
-	}
+    return aSource->QueryReferent(nsCOMTypeInfo<T>::GetIID(), (void**)aDestination);
+  }
 
 %}