AutoAuth, Browser Add-ons, Feed Sidebar, Interpr.it, Links Like This, Mozilla, Mozilla Firefox, OPML, Programming, RSS Ticker

Interpr.it now speaks Mozillian

Note: AutoAuth is now being developed by Steffan Schlein. If you would like to leave feedback, please create an issue on GitHub.

My browser extension translation platform, Interpr.it, is now able to parse locale files from extensions for Firefox, Thunderbird, SeaMonkey, or any other Mozilla-powered program, and it can likewise generate Mozilla-compatible locale files. The interface for translation is the same as the one for translating Chrome extensions, but when the locales are downloaded via the API, the files are returned in the format in which they were originally uploaded (either DTD files or Java-style .properties files).

This is most obviously introducing a competitor to Babelzilla, the only major site offering a translation platform for Mozilla extensions. Babelzilla is a functionally sufficient solution for translation (I’ve used it without much issue for almost six years), but I’m moving away from it for two reasons:

  1. Translation/localization is a problem that I’d like to understand better, and I find the best way to understand a problem is to try and solve it yourself.
  2. I think that the experience of localizing an extension (or developing a localizable extension) can be better, and I have the hubris to think that I can be the one to make it better.

In the spirit of putting my money1 where my mouth2 is, I’ve moved five of my Firefox extensions (AutoAuth, Feed Sidebar, OPML Support, RSS Ticker, and Links Like This) from Babelzilla to Interpr.it.

If you are interested in trying Interpr.it, upload your extension (either using the Web form or API), and let me know how it works for you.

  1. For extremely small values of “money.”
  2. For extremely large values of “mouth.”
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11 comments on “Interpr.it now speaks Mozillian

  1. Aleksej says:

    It seems to require a Google Account. What about adding BrowserID / Mozilla Persona support? :-)

    P. S.: this page gives me two checkboxes to subscribe to comments.

  2. Have you decided on open sourcing interpr.it yet? I am looking for a more stable alternative to BabelZilla (my experience being quite the opposite of “without much issue”) but I know whether the new system has its own issues before I hit them. And of course I would like to help solving these issues.

      • I unfortunately made the mistake of looking at my code too closely before publishing it and found a few schema changes that I want to change before anyone else starts using it. I’m still planning on open-sourcing it, but it’s been pushed back significantly.

        If you’re interested in just reading the source and acknowledge that the data storage schema might change, I can e-mail you a copy of it.

  3. I have been an early tester and I am glad you push this clever project forward.

    Minor thing: the “saved” message position makes it uneasy to notice so people used to look for an “OK” button may be uncertain whether their work is saved.
    BTW: is there any reason why there is no “fr” locale slot available for your own recently submitted extensions? Or did I miss anything?

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