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L10n:Starting a localization: Difference between revisions
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This document outlines what you should expect in order to start building a new language | This document outlines what you should expect in order to start building a new language, in the form of a language pack. | ||
= Team building = | = Team building = | ||
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Now you and your community are set up to do the actual localization work. | Now you and your community are set up to do the actual localization work. | ||
You will want to | You will want to set up a central repository for your work (code, mailing lists, newsgroups, website). Depending on your working habits and the size of your team, you may want to look into open source hosting offers like [http://mozdev.org mozdev.org] or [http://sf.net/ SourceForge]. You can also just use plain files and regular backups, or set up your own P2P VCS. | ||
We suggest you localize the Mozilla sources instead of the built files, and make your work publicly available. We believe this as a good way to start out because it let's people know you are open to new collaborators and enabling a smooth path going forward. | |||
To make your work available for users to download and test, | To make your work available for users to download and test, create a language pack which can be hosted on [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:1/cat:37 AMO]. AMO offers many advantages for both you and your testers and users, from download capacity to automatic updates of your Add-on. | ||
Starting from scratch on a new localization depends a good deal on whether you use a [[L10n:Tools|tool]], and if so, which. On MDC, we documented [[mdc:Creating en-X-dude]], which works with the Mozilla build system and an UTF-8-capable editor. You won't need a compiler, though, no worries. The steps rougly include | Starting from scratch on a new localization depends a good deal on whether you use a [[L10n:Tools|tool]], and if so, which. On MDC, we documented [[mdc:Creating en-X-dude]], which works with the Mozilla build system and an UTF-8-capable editor. You won't need a compiler, though, no worries. The steps rougly include | ||
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Most of your work will happen here. There are many code strings to change so read the documentation we provided above carefully and use the resources we offer extensively to get you through it successfully! | Most of your work will happen here. There are many code strings to change so read the documentation we provided above carefully and use the resources we offer extensively to get you through it successfully! | ||
The critical elements of this stage are to ensure your work has been reviewed by the community, particularly those interested in your language. You can use AMO to host your language packs and update them regularly. It's important to collect input from any and all sources about your language pack as this is the first time that people will be using it on a day-to-day basis and giving you feedback about the quality of your work. It is these same users who will then download and promote your new localization. | The critical elements of this stage are to ensure your work has been reviewed by the community, particularly those interested in your language. You can use [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:1/cat:37 AMO] to host your language packs and update them regularly. It's important to collect input from any and all sources about your language pack as this is the first time that people will be using it on a day-to-day basis and giving you feedback about the quality of your work. It is these same users who will then download and promote your new localization. | ||
Something to think about all throughout your work is [[l10n:Building_blocks| expanding the community around you]] who can help you with the language you're working on. This is a good thing and will be useful for you for testing, celebratory events (i.e, launch parties), and possibly web pages or other areas you might need or want help with. We want to help with this and are working on programs | Something to think about all throughout your work is [[l10n:Building_blocks| expanding the community around you]] who can help you with the language you're working on. This is a good thing and will be useful for you for testing, celebratory events (i.e, launch parties), and possibly web pages or other areas you might need or want help with. We want to help you with this and are working on programs that we believe will do so. To read more about this, check out Seth's blog on our [http://blog.mozilla.com/seth/2007/06/04/support-update-3/ global program]). | ||
= Going beyond language packs = | = Going beyond language packs = | ||
Working on a language packs has the advantage that your testers can get updates on your work much more easily, and it requires a lot less toolchain compared to doing fully localized builds. | Working on a language packs has the advantage that your testers can get updates on your work much more easily, and it requires a lot less [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toolchain toolchain] compared to doing fully localized builds. | ||
As mentioned in the [[L10n:Localization Process]], having language packs only comes with a few downsides for your users, in particular, the in-product web pages are not in your language, and the install and migration experience occurs in the language that your users installed first. Depending on your language, this may be more or less severe. Our common objective is to create fully localized official builds together, once you and your testers are comfortable with the localization work thus far. | As mentioned in the [[L10n:Localization Process]], having language packs only comes with a few downsides for your users, in particular, the in-product web pages are not in your language, and the install and migration experience occurs in the language that your users installed first. Depending on your language, this may be more or less severe. Our common objective is to create fully localized official builds together, once you and your testers are comfortable with the localization work thus far. | ||
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To move forward from the stage of language packs, you would request to make your build official, which is described in the [[L10n:Localization Process Middle]]. | To move forward from the stage of language packs, you would request to make your build official, which is described in the [[L10n:Localization Process Middle]]. | ||
'''Useful tips.''' We like to improve | '''Useful tips.''' We would like to improve this section, if you feel you have some useful tips please feel free to edit this section with additional helpful sources of information. | ||