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I think you can contact them at http://mozillanl.mozdev.org/onderkant.html but according to the new Localization Trademark Policy , the localized files are stored on the mozilla.org’s CVS server. So the Foundation can make an installer and a xpi from theses files, even if the l10n team hasn’t finished yet.
If the Dutch team has a mailing-list, you could subscribe to help them to test experimental translations.
I hope that before the 1.0 release of Firefox, the homepage of mozilla.org will propose an easy way of choosing the language of the download, because today it’s really hard for a newbie that want to try the fox and doesn’t speak english…
Very strange time for them to be releasing localized versions… Shouldn’t they be focusing on fixing the bugs for 1.0 more than creating more languages/problems?
Localizers are not the mozilla developers. There’s no driver I think which know 20 languages.
And most non-english people won’t switch to an english browser.
Localized versions have been existed for years, there are no additional problems with them except in case for an uncorrect translation
The building of localized versions has been centralized.
Firefox 1.0 will appear for Linux, Windows and Mac in more than 20 languages, including Russian and Chinese. It is an amazing project and it seems to work very good.
Latest nightl of FireFox date 10-24-2004 about 10:30.
clicking in titles in personal toolbar does not drop down window with URL listed in that folder.
One dated Oct 16, 2004 did.
Still does not work with the Bill pay section of my Suntrust account. (Bill Pay is administered by Check Free) they can’t seem to get it through their skull that the code for Netscape 7, and FireFox or Mozilla are the same.
I would like to congratulate everyone involved with the localized builds. Remember only a small population of the world speaks ‘American’ and this work does not detract from bug fixing work. Remember that for every localized build, another slice of the market is taken away from MSIE. The WWW means the world, and this work can only be commended.
I tried to install the Swedish langpack, firefox-1.0.sv-SE.langpack.xpi, and I got this error:
‘Firefox could not install this item because “install-ym1.rdf” (provided by the item) is malformed.’
Should it be sufficient just to install the langpack on top of an existing non-localized build (yesterday’s), or should I install a whole new binary?
Brian, argh. Typical. Localized builds are /vital/ to the success of Firefox, especially in most European countries and other non-English speaking countries.
No way people are going to switch from their Dutch/French/German/etc. Internet Explorer to an English version of Firefox which has all kinds of terms they are not familiar with (if they even understand English at all).
I don’t remember suggesting that they switch to the English version of the browser.
In any event, it seems silly that they would release localized versions of a nightly build. They’re all labeled 1.0 — not entirely sure what that means! (1.0? 1.0PR?)
Anyway, I just thought it would be less confusing for everyone for them to leave the localized versions of the milestones alone (0.9.3) and focus on releasing 1.0 in English first. Once 1.0 is out, like gm pointed out, ‘there [should be] no additional problems with them except in case for an uncorrect translation.”
Localized nightlies exist for the same reason nightlies exist: testing. They do need to be tested, especially with all the recent changes to how localization works.
There is localization freeze for some time already (meaning strings won’t be changed anymore), which exists exactly for the purpose of translating. This period starts well before the 1.0 release so that localizations can be done by 1.0. Of course, there are only two weeks left, so time is kind of pressing now… :)
Doing this *for 1.0* (and not later as you suggest) is important so that non-English countries can also join in on the Firefox 1.0 media-hype which will hopefully occur.
All nightly builds are labeled 1.0 and they exist only for testing, the same goes for language packs or localized builds. For the translators, gathering feedback is important to improve the quality of the translation and spot issues which were missed.
Anyways, as said before the translation process is generally done by teams totally independant from the Firefox developers themselves. Afaik, only bsmedberg is working on fixing localization issues and improving the process (which includes putting all these localizations central in CVS and releasing (nightly) builds of them), and I greatly appreciate him for that :).
Anyways, the gist of it is: don’t underestimate how important localization is for Firefox’s success.
October 23rd, 2004 at 11:53 pm
I just installed the Dutch localized version of FireFox, and I’m NOT pleased with what I see.
So where can I give comments on the Dutch localized version?
October 24th, 2004 at 12:05 am
http://mozillanl.mozdev.org/
maybe those guys know whom to ask
October 24th, 2004 at 12:06 am
I think you can contact them at http://mozillanl.mozdev.org/onderkant.html but according to the new Localization Trademark Policy , the localized files are stored on the mozilla.org’s CVS server. So the Foundation can make an installer and a xpi from theses files, even if the l10n team hasn’t finished yet.
If the Dutch team has a mailing-list, you could subscribe to help them to test experimental translations.
October 24th, 2004 at 1:57 am
Dutch versions of FF (ans thunderbird) are discussed at http://www.mozbrowser.nl .
(De .zip version is has less bugs.)
October 24th, 2004 at 3:13 am
yeh, very good news !
I hope that before the 1.0 release of Firefox, the homepage of mozilla.org will propose an easy way of choosing the language of the download, because today it’s really hard for a newbie that want to try the fox and doesn’t speak english…
October 24th, 2004 at 3:17 am
On Mozbrowser.nl, just as Barend mentioned, there is a forum topic about the new translation.
Read the suggestions on
http://www.mozbrowser.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8967
and add yours if you have new suggestions which no one else mentioned yet.
BTW, the first improvement have already been checked in!
October 24th, 2004 at 4:37 am
Almost too funny that there is ja-JP.mac in ja-JPM.mac in there (ja-JPM is ja-JP for the mac).
October 24th, 2004 at 5:44 am
Very strange time for them to be releasing localized versions… Shouldn’t they be focusing on fixing the bugs for 1.0 more than creating more languages/problems?
October 24th, 2004 at 6:09 am
Localizers are not the mozilla developers. There’s no driver I think which know 20 languages.
And most non-english people won’t switch to an english browser.
Localized versions have been existed for years, there are no additional problems with them except in case for an uncorrect translation
October 24th, 2004 at 6:31 am
The building of localized versions has been centralized.
Firefox 1.0 will appear for Linux, Windows and Mac in more than 20 languages, including Russian and Chinese. It is an amazing project and it seems to work very good.
October 24th, 2004 at 10:59 am
Latest nightl of FireFox date 10-24-2004 about 10:30.
clicking in titles in personal toolbar does not drop down window with URL listed in that folder.
One dated Oct 16, 2004 did.
Still does not work with the Bill pay section of my Suntrust account. (Bill Pay is administered by Check Free) they can’t seem to get it through their skull that the code for Netscape 7, and FireFox or Mozilla are the same.
October 24th, 2004 at 11:01 am
sorry I type my URL wrong for website I maintain.
October 24th, 2004 at 1:01 pm
I would like to congratulate everyone involved with the localized builds. Remember only a small population of the world speaks ‘American’ and this work does not detract from bug fixing work. Remember that for every localized build, another slice of the market is taken away from MSIE. The WWW means the world, and this work can only be commended.
October 24th, 2004 at 1:20 pm
I tried to install the Swedish langpack, firefox-1.0.sv-SE.langpack.xpi, and I got this error:
‘Firefox could not install this item because “install-ym1.rdf” (provided by the item) is malformed.’
Should it be sufficient just to install the langpack on top of an existing non-localized build (yesterday’s), or should I install a whole new binary?
October 24th, 2004 at 4:09 pm
Brian, argh. Typical. Localized builds are /vital/ to the success of Firefox, especially in most European countries and other non-English speaking countries.
No way people are going to switch from their Dutch/French/German/etc. Internet Explorer to an English version of Firefox which has all kinds of terms they are not familiar with (if they even understand English at all).
~Grauw
October 24th, 2004 at 4:46 pm
How often are localised builds build? There are still 22-Oct-2004 builds in this directory.
October 24th, 2004 at 7:40 pm
I don’t remember suggesting that they switch to the English version of the browser.
In any event, it seems silly that they would release localized versions of a nightly build. They’re all labeled 1.0 — not entirely sure what that means! (1.0? 1.0PR?)
Anyway, I just thought it would be less confusing for everyone for them to leave the localized versions of the milestones alone (0.9.3) and focus on releasing 1.0 in English first. Once 1.0 is out, like gm pointed out, ‘there [should be] no additional problems with them except in case for an uncorrect translation.”
October 24th, 2004 at 8:01 pm
Localized nightlies exist for the same reason nightlies exist: testing. They do need to be tested, especially with all the recent changes to how localization works.
October 25th, 2004 at 5:23 am
There is localization freeze for some time already (meaning strings won’t be changed anymore), which exists exactly for the purpose of translating. This period starts well before the 1.0 release so that localizations can be done by 1.0. Of course, there are only two weeks left, so time is kind of pressing now… :)
Doing this *for 1.0* (and not later as you suggest) is important so that non-English countries can also join in on the Firefox 1.0 media-hype which will hopefully occur.
All nightly builds are labeled 1.0 and they exist only for testing, the same goes for language packs or localized builds. For the translators, gathering feedback is important to improve the quality of the translation and spot issues which were missed.
Anyways, as said before the translation process is generally done by teams totally independant from the Firefox developers themselves. Afaik, only bsmedberg is working on fixing localization issues and improving the process (which includes putting all these localizations central in CVS and releasing (nightly) builds of them), and I greatly appreciate him for that :).
Anyways, the gist of it is: don’t underestimate how important localization is for Firefox’s success.
~Grauw