How to contribute to article localization

<!-- We should make a video for this intro section --> Thanks for localizing Firefox Help. More than half of all Firefox users speak a language other than English and we depend on contributors like you to make support available to people all over the world. == I'm a new localizer, where do I start? == First things first. The best place to start is to [mailto:&#97;&#116;&#111;&#112;&#97;&#108;&#64;&#109;&#111;&#122;&#105;&#108;&#108;&#97;&#46;&#99;&#111;&#109; email me], Kadir - the SUMO Community Manager. I can answer your questions and get you started or connect you with people already working in your locale. ==How does support localization work?== There are two parts to support localization. The first part is the user interface (the buttons, text in the sidebar, etc.). See [[How to localize the SUMO interface]] for how to do that. Then there are the actual articles. They are translated on the site itself which is a fully localizable Wiki. The things to localize break down are as follows: * Normal articles ** Troubleshooting articles (article explaining how to fix a problem) ** How to (article explaining how to use a feature) Normal articles are full Knowledge Base articles for visitors, like in any other wiki, with the added benefit that they are localizable. * Non-normal articles ** Navigation ** Templates/Content Blocks ** How to contribute '''Navigation articles:''' Those articles are special pages, like the startpage, or the Ask a question page. You'll see them on the localization dashboard. '''Templates:''' Some parts of articles, like how to open the preferences window, are repeated in so many articles, that it makes sense to write those blocks once and have them inserted in article when they are needed. We use Templates for that. [[A list of all templates is here]]. '''How to contribute:''' Those are articles that are meant for contributors. You don't need to localize them, they are only for people who are registered as contributors, and don't show up in search results. Your best bet is to go down this list of top 20 articles and templates: https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/top-articles-localize After that all articles linked from the startpage are good ones to work on since they are the most visible to new visitors. == How do templates work in the new system?== In this new system we solve the need for content snippets in a broad way: Everything is a wiki article, and behaves like a wiki article with history, localization tracking, etc. Templates look like this: <nowiki>[[T:NameOfTemplate]]</nowiki> == Where is the list of all articles? == https://support.mozilla.com/kb/all == Where is the top articles to localize? == Short answer: [https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/top-articles-localize Here] Long answer: We currently don't get a dynamic top 20 list for all SUMO articles. However we are already working on it and the functionality will be back in early January. Until then we will use the page above, and update the list manually once a week. == What kind of wiki syntax do we use now?== The Kitsune wiki is based on MediaWiki with our own special additions. Check out the updated [https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Markup-chart Markup Chart] and this [[Support/Kitsune/KB/WikiSyntax|wiki article on the new <nowiki>{</nowiki>for<nowiki>}</nowiki>]]. == How does the minor/major edit system work?== We have 3 levels of edits of English articles in the new system. # minor edit = Punctuation and spelling errors, no one is notified of this change # major edit/content change = more than minor edit, but the change doesn’t diminish the value of the localized articles. Only localizers are notified by mail. # major edits/translation = This major edit changes the content of the article so much that the value of the localization is severely diminished. Localizers are notified about the change and the localized page get an ‚out of date‘ header, telling readers that the article is not up to date anymore. == What does slug mean? == The term 'Slug' appears right below the space where you choose your article title. It's part of the url of the article, like: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/this-is-the-slug == What are keywords? == Keywords appear on the edit page of an article. They are words that help the search algorithm select the right article. So, if you have bookmarks article, you can give it the keyword 'bookmark', but also 'favorites' for IE users or other words that might be used by people who are looking for the article.

Thanks for localizing Firefox Help. More than half of all Firefox users speak a language other than English and we depend on contributors like you to make support available to people all over the world.

I'm a new localizer, where do I start?

First things first. The best place to start is to email me, Kadir - the SUMO Community Manager. I can answer your questions and get you started or connect you with people already working in your locale.

How does support localization work?

There are two parts to support localization. The first part is the user interface (the buttons, text in the sidebar, etc.). See How to localize the SUMO interface for how to do that. Then there are the actual articles. They are translated on the site itself which is a fully localizable Wiki. The things to localize break down are as follows:

• Normal articles
  • Troubleshooting articles (article explaining how to fix a problem)
  • How to (article explaining how to use a feature)

Normal articles are full Knowledge Base articles for visitors, like in any other wiki, with the added benefit that they are localizable.

• Non-normal articles
  • Navigation
  • Templates/Content Blocks
  • How to contribute

Navigation articles: Those articles are special pages, like the startpage, or the Ask a question page. You'll see them on the localization dashboard.

Templates: Some parts of articles, like how to open the preferences window, are repeated in so many articles, that it makes sense to write those blocks once and have them inserted in article when they are needed. We use Templates for that. A list of all templates is here.

How to contribute: Those are articles that are meant for contributors. You don't need to localize them, they are only for people who are registered as contributors, and don't show up in search results.

Your best bet is to go down this list of top 20 articles and templates: https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/top-articles-localize

After that all articles linked from the startpage are good ones to work on since they are the most visible to new visitors.

How do templates work in the new system?

In this new system we solve the need for content snippets in a broad way: Everything is a wiki article, and behaves like a wiki article with history, localization tracking, etc. Templates look like this: [[T:NameOfTemplate]]

Where is the list of all articles?

https://support.mozilla.com/kb/all

Where is the top articles to localize?

Short answer: Here Long answer: We currently don't get a dynamic top 20 list for all SUMO articles. However we are already working on it and the functionality will be back in early January. Until then we will use the page above, and update the list manually once a week.

What kind of wiki syntax do we use now?

The Kitsune wiki is based on MediaWiki with our own special additions. Check out the updated Markup Chart and this wiki article on the new {for}.

How does the minor/major edit system work?

We have 3 levels of edits of English articles in the new system.

1. minor edit = Punctuation and spelling errors, no one is notified of this change
2. major edit/content change = more than minor edit, but the change doesn’t diminish the value of the localized articles. Only localizers are notified by mail.
3. major edits/translation = This major edit changes the content of the article so much that the value of the localization is severely diminished. Localizers are notified about the change and the localized page get an ‚out of date‘ header, telling readers that the article is not up to date anymore.

What does slug mean?

The term 'Slug' appears right below the space where you choose your article title. It's part of the url of the article, like: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/this-is-the-slug

What are keywords?

Keywords appear on the edit page of an article. They are words that help the search algorithm select the right article. So, if you have bookmarks article, you can give it the keyword 'bookmark', but also 'favorites' for IE users or other words that might be used by people who are looking for the article.