337977 - Should be localizable the default compose format whether HTML or Plain Text

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(MailNews Core :: Internationalization, defect, P1)

Description

[Masayuki Nakano [:masayuki] (he/him)(JST, +0900)]

Bug 47140 has been marked to WONTFIX. But in Japan, the major mail format is plain text. Because famous and popular MUAs in Japan are using plain text format in default settings. I think that we should provide localizability for the format.

Comment 1

[Masayuki Nakano [:masayuki] (he/him)(JST, +0900)]

Attachment: Patch rv1.0

simple fix.

But I have a fear. Should we use new pref name for localizable defalut value?
Because the patched build overwrites the old pref value, so it's destroying the old pref.

If we use "_localized" suffix for new localized prefs, we can fix this problem.

Comment 2

[Masayuki Nakano [:masayuki] (he/him)(JST, +0900)]

Attachment: Patch rv1.1

Oops, previous patch is wrong that is changing default value on en-US build.

Comment 3

[Scott MacGregor]

Comment on attachment 222025 [details] [diff] [review]
Patch rv1.1

Axel, do you think this is the right way to let a localization force plain text compose by default? 

Alternatively, if we think only Japan would do this would it be easier to add a locale specific ifdef in mailnews.js? Although come to think of it, that may not be technically feasible.

Anyway, I wanted to check in with you about Masayuki's approach.

Comment 4

[Axel Hecht [:Pike]]

As bug 47140 was resolved WONTFIX ages ago and in a different ecosystem, does that
decision still hold? I try to get around sending HTML as much as possible, so
does anybody else I know. Just asking.

Regarding the patch, that deserves a well-formed localization note. And anything
that is badly translated should end up in the default we want.

In addition, I guess localizers should have a reference argumentation to check 
against, this may easily end up with personal taste as opposed to regional 
differences, which could degrade "the product" Thunderbird.

Comment 5

[Axel Hecht [:Pike]]

Comment on attachment 222025 [details] [diff] [review]
Patch rv1.1

Seems to have the wrong default.

I also find the information which prefs are localized oddly placed, but that's something up for mscott.

Comment 6

[Masayuki Nakano [:masayuki] (he/him)(JST, +0900)]

(In reply to comment #4)
> In addition, I guess localizers should have a reference argumentation to check 
> against, this may easily end up with personal taste as opposed to regional 
> differences, which could degrade "the product" Thunderbird.

I can understand your anxiety. But Mozilla Japan thinks that current default setting is not match to Japanese marketing. See following examples.

IAJapan(Internet Association Japan) reports:
http://www.iajapan.org/hotline/2002mail-press.html
The title of this document is "A questionnaire report for rules and
manners for e-mail". This report has following result.

Q. What is a annoying mail for you in daily use?
A. With large attachment files 22%
   non-subject mail 18%
   HTML mail 18%
   requiring receipt 12%
   signature file is attached 5%

And this site's tutorial says "you should use plain text for composing."
http://www.iajapan.org/rule/rule4general/frmain.html#4.6

And "Becky!" is a Japanese famous and popular mailer. That is also used
by business users. That may have second share in Japan. This mailer uses
plain text format in default settings. I think this shows the needs on
Japanese marketing.

Comment 7

[Scott MacGregor]

Comment on attachment 222025 [details] [diff] [review]
Patch rv1.1

Masayuki, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think we talked about this in our meeting on Tuesday and decided we weren't going to try to fix this for the Japanese market given that outlook express and other clients default to HTML compose in Japan.

Comment 8

[Scott MacGregor]

Comment on attachment 222025 [details] [diff] [review]
Patch rv1.1

oops, missed a flag, sorry for the noise.

Comment 9

[Masayuki Nakano [:masayuki] (he/him)(JST, +0900)]

(In reply to comment #7)
> (From update of attachment 222025 [details] [diff] [review] [edit])
> Masayuki, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think we talked about this in our
> meeting on Tuesday and decided we weren't going to try to fix this for the
> Japanese market given that outlook express and other clients default to HTML
> compose in Japan.

Yeah, right. But I still open this bug. Because if other clients changes them mind in Japan, we need this change.

Comment 10

[Axel Hecht [:Pike]]

I guess the agreement is to not do that, but it seems to me in an afterthought
that it may make more sense to put this into all-l10n.js, if absolutely required.
This is much more of a market decision than a locale one, right?
If we had a CCK for Thunderbird, that could that expose as well :-).

Comment 11

[u217243]

Read this article about the status of Japanese market:
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.itmedia.co.jp/bizid/articles/0706/20/news036.html

Comment 12

[Marek Stępień [:marcoos, inactive]]

Kohei: can't you just put:

pref("mail.identity.default.compose_html", true);

in ja/mail/all-l10n.js ?

Comment 13

[u217243]

(In reply to comment #12)
> pref("mail.identity.default.compose_html", true);

s/true/false/

Yes, it should be the simplest solution.

Comment 14

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

(In reply to comment #13)
> (In reply to comment #12)
> > pref("mail.identity.default.compose_html", true);
> > in ja/mail/all-l10n.js ?
> 
> s/true/false/
> 
> Yes, it should be the simplest solution.

did this prove to be a suitable solution?  If so, can this be closed?

Comment 15

[Hideo Oshima]

I think it is not necessary for most Japanese people.
Because HTML mails are widely used for business scene in Japan now.

Comment 16

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

Sounds like there's not more to do here...