L10n:Becoming an Official Localization

The Middle

Start

From the start stage, the volunteer appears through one of the following ways:

• file a bug for a new locale (90% of time want to get this filed right away so we can review language)
• newsgroup
• mail to: webmaster email then gets forwarded to Axel

Preparation stage

This stage leads to the creation of source code, there is some documentation available online to help you. Check out:

• #l10n IRC Channel
• m.d.l10n
• mozdev.org
• source.net
• wikimo//l10n:Teams:ab_CD (language code)
• You will need to set up bugzilla account if you don't already have one (we track almost all of our work in this way so it's a most useful tool for working with virtual distributed teams)
• are there other things we should list here that are useful at this stage?

Editor's note: we should have general stuff like how to make a build

Source

• Create this file set
• if you haven't already done so, file a registration bug (we want this to happen as early in process as possible) - you "must" do this because we have people working in a variety of groups and in a variety of geographic locations and this is the best way to effectively let people know what's happening and move to the next steps
• review the source (checking for completeness and obvious areas)
• we have this documented on "create a new localization" page
• l10n account request (on CVS) {we have this documented on new localization page}
• Create bugzilla component (so language is created in bugzilla for tracking purposes)

File landing bug

• For landing on the trunk: land-ab-CD alias
• This is what we refer to as the incubator stage. Mozilla's objective is to get an idea of how things are working, collaboratively go through an evaluation criteria for moving to the branch: trunk l10n with branch language pack for testing. At this stage you won't have productization, or web pages.
• Once landing tests fine then (
• More specifically, you should attach a language pack to your bug, we'll put language pack for you on branch to take a look at and see if its working reasonably well, and then you test it to be sure it's fine
• Our intent is to make this more powerful with tools

Productization

• This stage is when you create your local/language version settings like search engine plug-ins, RSS readers, etc
• The way you do this is within your bug propose what local options you'd like to include and we collaboratively review it (in a similar way as we did in the stage before) and once it's approved, you check in the changes.
• [mailto: Mic@mozilla.com| Mic] is the one who does the reviews with you over this stage
• the best way to make these recommendations is to get input from your local community as to what they use or want to use in your local language version. For examples check out bugs: 375198, 375818
• also check out the current list of requirements for the upcoming release of Firefox 3

Morph

• This is the stage when your landing bug gets into branch
• done after initial landing is done
• create a bug for build automation
• create a bug for test automation
• once this step is complete you will then be building on branch
• evaluations are then done by you the localizer to ensure all is done the way it's supposed to be: this is where testing starts to ensure all strings are translated, etc.

File Web

• This is he stage when you build your in web product pages
• Pascal work with you to guide the building of these pages
• Pascal is working to create an explicit instruction set, in the mean time you can check out his current pages

Ship Beta

• This is our QA stage, it is heavily dependent on a community review
• Effectively we're asking and you're asking to get as much community feedback as you have access to to review these builds
• The build is not on web official, it's on Ship (all.html)

Community input

• Generally you will need and want as much community input as you can get throughout your build process
• We'd suggest at the very beginning getting friends or family to help you with your testing.
• The 'best' testers

- have a passion and interest to create a browser in your language - use the browser for daily browsing - are constantly testing against basic functionality as well as new builds

• we'll also help you to develop your own skills across the different areas you need to complete a build