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universal localization program FAQ

Last Updated: 23 June 1998
Contact: Rick Elliott

OVERVIEW

The universal localization program publishes tools and documentation to aid developers who wish to localize Mozilla. In addition, under the auspices of this program, developers may freely translate the Netscape Navigator and Netscape Communicator Standard Edition version 4.x. These localized products may be freely distributed under the participant's branding.

This document answers some frequently asked questions about the universal localization program.

    GENERAL

  1. What is localization?
  2. How does the universal localization program relate to mozilla.org?
  3. How does the universal localization program relate to the unlimited distribution program?
  4. What are the terms of the universal localization program's License?
  5. What products may I localize?
  6. Who should participate in the universal localization program?

    7. DISTRIBUTION

  7. Where can I distribute the localized version?
  8. How much does this cost?
  9. Am I allowed to use the Netscape brand, trademarks and logo?
  10. Will there be any end user support from Netscape for my finished product?
  11. Am I required to give my localization back to the Net?
  12. Can I download software from the general download page on the Netscape web site and localize it?

    13. TECHNICAL INFORMATION

  13. What is a localization kit?
  14. Why do I need a localization kit?
  15. What platforms does this Program support?
  16. Into what languages can I translate the software?
  17. How can I get technical assistance?
  18. I understand that the source code distributed by mozilla.org will not include certain 3rd-party components, and cryptography. If I localize Netscape Navigator 4.x, will I lose the ability to use those components?
  19. Will this work for Communicator Professional Edition components?
  20. What about products in France?
  21. What spell checkers can I use?
  22. What about installers?
  23. What tools are provided in the localization kits, and what tools do I need to get myself?
  24. I need help using the XYZ program to complete my localization? Will you help me?
  25. What's the deal with Unix L10n kits?
  26. Into what languages will Netscape continue to localize?
  27. Enough with the questions already! Where do I go next?

    GENERAL

  1. What is Localization?

    2. Localization is the process of adapting software for a specific international market; this process includes translating the user interface, resizing dialog boxes, replacing icons and other culturally sensitive graphics (if necessary), customizing features (if necessary), and testing the localized product to ensure that the program still works.

  2. How does the universal localization program relate to mozilla.org?

    3. The universal localization program is an extension of the philosophy behind mozilla.org. The goal of the program is to enable developers on the Internet to freely localize and distribute products based on the Netscape client and on derivatives based on the mozilla.org source. mozilla.org will host the content for this program, and provide a forum for developers to correspond on their work.

  3. How does the universal localization program relate to the unlimited distribution program?

    4. Whereas the unlimited distribution program allows you to freely distribute Netscape Navigator and Netscape Communicator Standard Edition client binaries, and to make slight modifications to these products, the universal localization program allows you to create localized, independently branded versions of these products. You may then distribute these localized products according to the terms of the License.

    For more information on the unlimited distribution program, please visit http://home.netscape.com/comprod/netscape_partner_programs/browser_distrib/.

  4. What are the terms of the universal localization program's License?

    5. You can read all about it here.

  5. What products may I localize?

    6. You may localize the Netscape Navigator, Netscape Communicator Standard Edition, or any client based on the Mozilla source code available from mozilla.org (or its mirror sites). Note that localizing products not directly documented in the localization kits probably will be more difficult than localizing those that are directly documented.

  6. Who should participate in the universal localization program?

    7. This program is intended for professional software localizers, localization engineers, or others who are knowledgeable in software localization concepts and techniques. However, if you are familiar with common tools, such as resource editors, and if you are fluent in a particular language, you could use the tools and information provided by this program to localize Navigator or Communicator in your language.

    DISTRIBUTION

  7. Where can I distribute the localized version?

    8. The terms of the License do not change due to translation of the software: you may distribute localized versions of the Netscape branded binaries anywhere allowed by the export license. (A copy of this license comes with every Netscape product). For localized Mozilla product derivatives, you may distribute them anywhere allowable under the final free source License (whatever that turns out to be).

  8. How much does this cost?

    9. There is no cost to participate in the universal localization program.

  9. Am I allowed to use the Netscape brand, trademarks and logo?

    10. Essentially, no. You must use your own brand names, trademarks and logos in your localized product. The universal localization program License Agreement will give you the exact details of what you can and cannot use.

  10. Will there be any end user support from Netscape for my finished product?

    11. No. The products derived from the mozilla.org source and Netscape binaries are not entitled to Netscape end user support. The level of support you provide your end users is up to you to decide.

  11. Am I required to give my localization back to the Net?

    12. Yes. The terms under which you must do this are set forth in the License Agreement.

  12. Can I download software from the general download page on the Netscape web site and localize it?

    13. Yes. You may download, localize and distribute any Netscape Navigator and Netscape Communicator Standard Edition product. However, we may not produce a localization kit for all versions and platforms. You may try to use the instructions and tools in the kits we do release for these other versions and platforms, but successful localization could be quite difficult under these circumstances.

    TECHNICAL INFORMATION

  13. What is a localization kit?

    14. A localization kit contains the tools, instructions and resources necessary to produce a localized version of a specific software product. The detailed instructions contained in a given localization kit are usually specific to a single platform and/or version of a product. These instructions may, however, be broadly applicable to more than one version or platform. Therefore, when we say a localization kit "supports" a given platform, version or language, what we mean is that kit contains detailed instructions that directly apply to that platform or version or language. It may be possible to use a localization kit for one platform to successfully localize another. On the other hand, it may be quite difficult.

  14. Why do I need a localization kit?

    15. The primary goal of a localization kit is to convey information about the product being localized so that the over-translation of restricted resources does not occur. Over-translation occurs when a resource changes that must not be changed. It can also occur when a resource must be changed in a particular way, but is not done so. In both cases, the product may not function properly or may cease to function at all (e.g. crash). The information contained in the localization kits is designed to help avoid these situations and to help you correctly localize the product. Attempting to translate the source files directly without such a kit could be a frustrating and error-prone operation.

  15. What platforms does this program support?

    16. This question has two dimensions: what platforms are permissible versus what platforms are made easy for me to localize onto. The first issue is addressed by the program, the second, by the localization kits.

    The universal localization program allows you to create and distribute localized products for any platform, except Caldera Linux. Netscape has an exclusive agreement with Caldera, so this platform is off the list.

    Localization kits are currently available for the Windows (32 bit) "front end" Windows installer. Macintosh (front end and installer) will be ready "real soon now." Windows 16 bit and Unix localization kits are not available at this time. You are welcome to try to localize the software for any platform (except Caldera Linux), with or without the benefit of a localization kit (but doing so without will be harder than with).

  16. Into what languages can I translate the software?

    17. This is the same issue as above: under the universal localization program, you are free to localize the product into any language you desire. On the other hand, not every language is fully supported by current (version 4.x) client software. In general, if the target language you desire is supported by one of the encodings listed in the Navigator's View | Encoding menu, localization into that language should be successful. This is because parts of the product's user interface is HTML, which depends on the encoding support built into the HTML rendering engine to display properly.

    You will need an operating system that also supports that language. This is because the fonts necessary to display the standard (non-HTML) localized resources, as well as the input methods, keyboard mappings, etc., required to input your language's characters, are provided by the OS.

    Please note that at this time, Communicator does not support bidirectional languages, such as Arabic and Hebrew, nor languages with complex scripts, such as Devanagari. Languages with contextual line breaking algorithms, such as Thai, are also not supported (although partial localization and display of web pages may still be possible through various means).

    To provide support for additional languages, you will be able modify the 5.x source code which will be distributed by mozilla.org.

  17. How can I get technical assistance?

    18. There is no formal technical support; you are on your own. However, we expect that you will find the newsgroups and mailing lists hosted on mozilla.org to be a valuable resource. You can find the list of newsgroups by going to the mozilla.org Community pages: http://www.mozilla.org/community.html

  18. I understand that the source code distributed by mozilla.org will not include certain 3rd-party components or cryptography. If I localize Netscape Navigator 4.x, will I lose the ability to use those components?

    19. No. Since the localization process does not depend on having the source code to the program available (all you are doing, really, is changing strings in an existing executable) you will retain all of the functionality present in the executable you started with. It will just be in a different language.

  19. Will this work for Communicator Professional Edition components?

    20. No. The Professional Edition includes 3rd Party components that are not covered by the Unlimited Distribution or NPL programs. These components cannot be modified under this program.

  20. What about products in France?

    21. You are free to create French versions. However, to comply with French law, if you distribute a product which has cryptographic capabilities, that product must use the special encryption level for France. Compliant versions of Communicator and Navigator are available from Netscape's download page. The English Export version of Netscape Navigator and Netscape Communicator Standard Edition are not authorized for import into France.

    Netscape's download page can be found here: http://home.netscape.com/download/client_download.html

  21. What Spell Checkers can I use?

    22. The spell checker module built into Composer is licensed from Inso Software. Inso permits you to bundle two spell checkers with your product. For additional spell check dictionaries, contact Inso Corporation.

    Visit Inso Corp.'s web site at: http://www.inso.com/

  22. What about Installers?

    23. Currently, Netscape's installer programs are built using 3rd party modules, for which we do not have redistribution rights. Therefore, we are not releasing a complete installer kit; however, guidelines for creating your own installer will be available. You may use any commercially available installer software to package your localized product and obtain authorization for distribution directly from the provider of the installer software.

  23. What tools are provided in the localization kits, and what tools do I need to get myself?

    24. As much as possible, the localization kits are designed to be "tools agnostic." We don't require that you use any particular tool, unless there is no good alternative. Therefore, you are free to use the tools that come with the kits, or not, as you prefer.

    The Windows localization kits include Netscape's translation tools, ToolCool and DogLev. ToolCool provides an interface to the localization notes database and allows you to save your translations directly to the resource .DLLs. DogLev is a "leveraging" tool, automating the job of merging previous translations into new versions of the product.

    Macintosh localization kits (when available) do not contain any tools, but will contain AppleGlot and PowerPlant templates.

    In any event, you will need a resource editor suitable for your platform. You may also need other tools, such as spell checkers, translation memory programs, automated testing tools, etc.

  24. I need help using the XYZ program to complete my localization? Will you help me?

    25. No. The universal localization program offers no official technical support. If you need help using a 3rd party tool, you must seek help from that party. On the other hand, you may find someone willing to help you on the mozilla.org newsgroups, or another Usenet newsgroup.

  25. What's the deal with Unix L10n kits?

    26. Currently, we do not have Unix localization kits for public distribution via the Universal Localization program. While we MAY publish some information on Unix localization before the release of an official localization kit, this is not guaranteed.

    However, you are free to localize the product on your own (without a localization kit). You might want to download an English language version and another localized version and compare the netscape.ad files to see what was changed. You won't be able to localize everything, however, as some menu items and button names are stored in a binary file. This is the main reasons why we don't currently have a Unix L10n kit.

  26. Into what languages will Netscape continue to localize?

    27. This is strategic information for Netscape; in addition, the list of languages is driven by the marketplace, and, therefore, is subject to change. However, Netscape has no wish to compete with it's developers and supporters, so consider the following when deciding whether or not to create your own localized version:

    • Netscape released localized 4.x versions of Communicator or Navigator in the following languages:
      • Brazillian Portuguese
      • Danish
      • Ducth
      • French
      • German
      • Italian
      • Japanese
      • Korean
      • Spanish
      • Swedish

    • In addition, Netscape partners released localized versions for:
      • Simplified Chinese
      • Traditional Chinese
    (Note: not all languages were released on all supported platforms).

    If you wish to do a language that is on either of these lists, we encourage you to contact us before beginning work.

  27. Enough with the questions already! Where do I go next?

    28. (I thought you'd never ask! ;-) To proceed with your localization project, you'll want to take the following steps:

    • Read the localization kit introduction here.
    • Read the License Agreement here.
    • See what other localization projects are under way here.
    • Download the localization kits here.
    • Send mail about what language, product and platform you are working on to me and/or to the mozilla.org newsgroups. We now have an internationalization and localization specific newsgroup: netscape.public.mozilla.i18n.
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