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376 lines
14 KiB
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<TITLE>universal localization program FAQ</TITLE>
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<FONT SIZE=+3>universal localization program</FONT> <FONT SIZE=+3>FAQ</FONT></H2>
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Last Updated: 23 Mar. 1998 3:40 pm
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<HR SIZE=4>
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<H2>
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O<FONT SIZE=-1>VERVIEW</FONT></H2>
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<P>Netscape's universal localization program furthers the goals of mozilla.org by
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publishing tools and documentation to aid developers who wish to localize Mozilla. In addition,
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participants in the universal localization program may freely translate the Netscape Navigator
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and Netscape Communicator Standard Edition version 4.x. These localized products may be freely distributed under
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the participant's branding.
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<P>
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This document answers some frequently asked questions about the universal localization program.
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<P>
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<OL>
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<H3>
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G<FONT SIZE=-1>ENERAL</FONT></H3>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#1">What is localization?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#2">How does the universal localization program relate to mozilla.org?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#3">How does the universal localization program relate to the unlimited distribution program?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#4">What are the terms of the universal localization program's License?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#5">What products may I localize?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#6">Who should participate in the universal localization program?</A></LI>
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<H3>
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D<FONT SIZE=-1>ISTRIBUTION</FONT></H3>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#7">Where can I distribute the localized version?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#8">How much does this cost?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#9">Am I allowed to use the Netscape brand, trademarks and logo?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#10">Will there be any end user support from Netscape for my finished
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product?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#11">Am I required to give my localization back to the Net?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#12">Can I download software from the general download page on
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the Netscape web site and localize it?</A></LI>
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<H3>
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T<FONT SIZE=-1>ECHNICAL INFORMATION</FONT></H3>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#13">What is a localization kit?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#14">Why do I need a localization kit?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#15">What platforms does this Program support?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#16">Into what languages can I translate the software?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#17">How can I get technical assistance?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#18">I understand that the source code distributed by mozilla.org will not
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include certain 3rd-party components, and cryptography. If I localize
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Netscape Navigator 4.x, will I lose the ability to use those components?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#19">Will this work for Communicator Professional Edition components?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#20">What about products in France?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#21">What spell checkers can I use?</A></LI>
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<LI>
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<A HREF="#22">What about installers?</A></LI>
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</OL>
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<HR SIZE=4>
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<OL>
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<H3>
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G<FONT SIZE=-1>ENERAL</FONT></H3>
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<A NAME="1"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>What is Localization?</B></LI>
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<BR>Localization is the process of adapting software for a specific international market;
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this process includes translating the user interface, resizing dialog boxes, replacing icons
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and other culturally sensitive graphics (if necessary), customizing features (if necessary),
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and testing the localized product to ensure that the program still works.
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<P><A NAME="2"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>How does the universal localization program relate to mozilla.org?</B></LI>
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<BR>The universal localization program is an extension of the philosophy
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behind mozilla.org. The goal of the program is to enable developers on the
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Internet to freely localize and distribute products based on the Netscape
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client and on derivatives based on the mozilla.org source. mozilla.org
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will host the content for this program, and provide a forum for developers
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to correspond on their work.
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<P><A NAME="3"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>How does the universal localization program relate to the unlimited distribution program?</B></LI>
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<BR>Whereas the unlimited distribution program allows you to
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freely distribute Netscape Navigator and Netscape Communicator
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Standard Edition client binaries, and to make slight modifications to these products,
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the universal localization program allows you to create localized,
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independently branded versions of these products. You may then distribute these localized
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products according to the terms of the License.
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<P>
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For more information on the <A HREF="http://home.netscape.com/comprod/netscape_partner_programs/browser_distrib/index.html">
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unlimited distribution program</A>, please visit
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http://home.netscape.com/comprod/netscape_partner_programs/browser_distrib/index.html.
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<P><A NAME="4"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>What are the terms of the universal localization program's License?</B></LI>
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<BR>We are still working out some of the details of the License Agreement
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under which this program will be administered. References to the License Agreement in
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this document are, therefore, regrettably vague. We hope to have this ironed out soon.
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<P><A NAME="5"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>What products may I localize?</B></LI>
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<BR>You may localize the Netscape Navigator, Netscape Communicator Standard
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Edition, or any client based on the Mozilla source code available from mozilla.org (or its
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mirror sites).
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Note that localizing products not directly documented in the localization
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kits probably will be more difficult than localizing those that are directly documented.
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<P><A NAME="6"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>Who should participate in the universal localization program?</B></LI>
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<BR>This program is intended for professional software localizers, localization engineers,
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or others who are knowledgeable in software localization concepts and techniques.
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However, if you are familiar with common tools, such as resource editors, and if you
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are fluent in a particular language, you could use the tools and information provided by
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this program to localize Navigator or Communicator in your language.
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<H3>
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D<FONT SIZE=-1>ISTRIBUTION</FONT></H3>
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<P><A NAME="7"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>Where can I distribute the localized version?</B></LI>
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<BR>The terms of the License do not change due to translation of the software:
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you may distribute localized versions of the Netscape branded binaries anywhere
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allowed by the export license. (A copy of this license comes with every Netscape product).
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For localized Mozilla product derivatives, you may distribute them anywhere allowable under
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the final free source License (whatever that turns out to be).
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<P><A NAME="8"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>How much does this cost?</B></LI>
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<BR>There is no cost to participate in the universal localization program.
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<P><A NAME="9"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>Am I allowed to use the Netscape brand, trademarks and logo?</B></LI>
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<BR>You may not use the name "Netscape" nor the "N" logo
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in your localized product. However, you may use the trademarks "Navigator,"
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"Communicator," "Messenger," "Collabra", and the "Ship's Wheel icon". The universal
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localization program License will give you the exact legal details.
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<P><A NAME="10"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>Will there be any end user support from Netscape for my finished product?</B></LI>
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<BR>No. The products derived from the mozilla.org source and Netscape binaries
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are not entitled to Netscape end user support. The level of support you provide
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your end users is up to you to decide.
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<P><A NAME="11"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>Am I required to give my localization back to the Net?</B></LI>
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<BR>The terms of the License are not yet set on this issue.
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<P><A NAME="12"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>Can I download software from the general download page on the Netscape
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web site and localize it?</B></LI>
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<BR>Yes. You may download, localize and distribute any Netscape Navigator
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and Netscape Communicator Standard Edition product. However, we may not produce a
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localization kit for all versions and platforms. You may try
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to use the instructions and tools in the kits we do release for these other versions
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and platforms, but successful localization could be quite difficult under these circumstances.
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<H3>
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T<FONT SIZE=-1>ECHNICAL INFORMATION</FONT></H3>
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<P><A NAME="13"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>What is a localization kit?</B></LI>
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<BR>A localization kit contains the tools, instructions and resources necessary
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to produce a localized version of a specific software product. The
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detailed instructions contained in a given localization kit are usually
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specific to a single platform and/or version of a product. These instructions
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may, however, be broadly applicable to more than one version or platform.
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Therefore, when we say a localization kit "supports" a given platform,
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version or language, what we mean is that kit contains detailed instructions
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that directly apply to that platform or version or language. It may
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be possible to use a localization kit for one platform to successfully
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localize another. On the other hand, it may be quite difficult.
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<P><A NAME="14"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>Why do I need a localization kit?</B></LI>
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<BR>The primary goal of a localization kit is to convey information about
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the product being localized so that the over-translation of restricted
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resources does not occur. Over-translation occurs when a resource changes
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that must not be changed. It can also occur when a resource must be changed
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in a particular way, but is not done so. In both cases, the product may
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not function properly or may cease to function at all (e.g. crash). The
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information contained in the localization kits is designed to help
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avoid these situations and to help you correctly localize the product.
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Attempting to translate the source files directly without such a kit could
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be a frustrating and error-prone operation.
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<P><A NAME="15"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>What platforms does this program support?</B></LI>
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<BR>This question has two dimensions: what platforms are permissible versus what platforms
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are made easy for me to localize onto. The first issue is addressed by the program, the second,
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by the localization kits.
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<P>
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The universal localization program allows you to create and distribute localized
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products for any platform, except Caldera Linux. Netscape has an exclusive agreement
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with Caldera, so this platform is off the list.
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<P>
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Localization kits are currently planned for Windows (32 bit) and Macintosh platforms.
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Windows 16 bit and Unix localization kits are not available at this time. You are welcome to
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try to localize the software for any platform (except Caldera Linux), with or without the benefit of
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a localization kit (but doing so without will be harder than with).
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<P><A NAME="16"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>Into what languages can I translate the software?</B></LI>
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<BR>This is the same issue as above: under the universal localization program, you are free
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to localize the product into any language you desire. On the other hand, not every language
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is fully supported by current (version 4.x) client software. In general, if the target language you desire
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is supported by one of the encodings listed in the Navigator's View | Encoding menu,
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localization into that language should be successful. This is because parts of the product's
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user interface is HTML, which depends on the encoding support built into the HTML rendering
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engine to display properly.
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<P>
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You will need an operating system that also supports that language. This is because the fonts
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necessary to display the standard (non-HTML) localized resources, as well as the input methods,
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keyboard mappings, etc., required to input your language's characters, are provided by the
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OS.
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<P>
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Please note that at this time, Communicator does not support bidirectional languages, such
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as Arabic and Hebrew, nor languages with complex scripts, such as Devanagari. Languages
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with contextual line breaking algorithms, such as Thai, are also not supported (although
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partial localization and display of web pages may still be possible through various means).
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<P>
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To provide support for additional languages, you will be able modify the 5.x source
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code which will be distributed by mozilla.org.
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<P><A NAME="17"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>How can I get technical assistance?</B></LI>
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<BR>There is no formal technical support; you are on your own. However,
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we expect that you will find the newsgroups and mailing lists hosted on
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mozilla.org to be a valuable resource. You can find the list of newsgroups
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by going to the mozilla.org <A HREF="http://www.mozilla.org/community.html">Community</A> pages:
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http://www.mozilla.org/community.html
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<P><A NAME="18"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>I understand that the source code distributed by mozilla.org will not
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include certain 3rd-party components or cryptography. If I localize
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Netscape Navigator 4.x, will I lose the ability to use those components?</B></LI>
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<BR>No. Since the localization process does not depend on having
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the source code to the program available (all you are doing, really, is
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changing strings in an existing executable) you will retain all of the
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functionality present in the executable you started with. It will
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just be in a different language.
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<P><A NAME="19"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>Will this work for Communicator Professional Edition components?</B></LI>
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<BR>No. The Professional Edition includes 3rd Party components that are
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not covered by the Unlimited Distribution or NPL programs. These
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components cannot be modified under this program.
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<P><A NAME="20"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>What about products in France?</B></LI>
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<BR>You are free to create French versions. However, to comply with French law,
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if you distribute a product which has cryptographic
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capabilities, that product must use the special encryption level for France.
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Compliant versions of Communicator and Navigator are available from Netscape's
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download page. The English Export version of Netscape Navigator
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and Netscape Communicator Standard Edition are not authorized for import
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into France.
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<P>
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Netscape's download page can be found
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<A HREF="http://home.netscape.com/download/client_download.html">here</A>:
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http://home.netscape.com/<WBR>download/<WBR>client_download.html
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<P><A NAME="21"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>What Spell Checkers can I use?</B></LI>
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<BR>The spell checker module built into Composer is licensed from Inso
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Software. Inso permits you to bundle two spell checkers with
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your product. For additional spell check dictionaries, contact Inso Corporation.
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<P>
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Visit <A HREF="http://www.inso.com/">Inso Corp.'s web site</A> at: http://www.inso.com/
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<P><A NAME="22"></A>
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<LI>
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<B>What about Installers?</B></LI>
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<BR>Currently, Netscape's installer programs are built using 3rd party
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modules, for which we do not have redistribution rights. Therefore,
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we are not releasing a complete installer kit; however, guidelines for
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creating your own installer will be available. You may use any commercially
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available installer software to package your localized product and obtain
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authorization for distribution directly from the provider of the installer
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software.</OL>
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