508793 - [ja] remove lr=lang_ja parameter from google japan search engine

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Mozilla Localizations :: ja / Japanese, defect)

Description

[dynamis (Tomoya ASAI)]

Current Japanese Google search plug-in contains lr=lang_ja parameter since it was better to have it to get better search results.
http://mxr.mozilla.org/l10n/source/ja/browser/searchplugins/google-jp.xml

It's not so obvious search results with the parameter is better or not but Google Japan's research say that search results without the parameter is better for Japanese users today.
And Google Japan requested us to remove the parameter for better search results.

So, we want/need to remove lr=lang_ja parameter from google-ja.xml.

Comment 1

[dynamis (Tomoya ASAI)]

Attachment: remove the parameter from google-jp.xml

remove the paremeter
# actually not removed but commented out to make people revert this easy
# if he want to keep using the parameter

Comment 2

[dynamis (Tomoya ASAI)]

I filed this bug since this is search engine related change and we need to update the plugin not only trunk (central) but also 1.9.0 and 1.9.1 branches.

Comment 3

[dynamis (Tomoya ASAI)]

stas: ping...

I request this change for 1.9.2 branch too.

Comment 4

[Staś Małolepszy :stas]

I wonder if we could just use the generic google.xml plugin from en-US now. It looks like there are no more differences now between google.xml and google-ja.xml except for the URL's template (google.com vs. google.co.jp). But, the plugin should redirect correctly anyways. And, this would be easier for everybody in the future from a maintenance point of view (e.g. updates to the plugin).

Dynamis, what do you think?

Comment 5

[dynamis (Tomoya ASAI)]

Attachment: use default google plug-in

This is the patch to remove google-jp.xml and just use default global google.xml (same for ja-JP-mac).
Requesting approval to change this for all branches
# 1.9.0, 1.9.1, 1.9.2 and trunk

note:
I'm not 100% sure whether google always redirect correctly from google.com to google.co.jp (since we have had trouble very long time with their redirect bug for iGoogle etc) but I agree it's better to use default one in this case.

Comment 6

[Staś Małolepszy :stas]

Comment on attachment 415101 [details] [diff] [review]
use default google plug-in

Thanks dynamis. r=me. 

(please "hg rm google-jp.xml" before you land).

Requesting the approval on 1.9.0.x for this.

Please land on 1.9.1, 1.9.2 and central, and opt in with the new revision.

Comment 7

[Samuel Sidler (old account; do not CC)]

Axel: You normally approve these for 1.9.0. We can, but I'll leave this in your list for now. :)

Comment 8

[dynamis (Tomoya ASAI)]

status note:

The patch to remove google-jp.xml have already review granted but initially Google Japan required just to remove the lr=lang_ja param. So currently confirming about this change with Google Japan (and Google Mountain View).

Once it's confirmed, I'll land this to hg repos.

Comment 9

[dynamis (Tomoya ASAI)]

Stats, sorry but when I confirmed with Google Japan, they required different update than first request. Now they require:

 a. remove lr=lang_ja parameter (same as first request)
 b. add hl=ja parameter (new request)
 c. keep using www.google.co.jp host, not www.google.com

As for c, they said redirect from www.google.com to www.google.co.jp isn't always correct. For example if gateway server isn't in their country, they are redirected to other language server depending on the gateway server location.

They requested this change for Fennec too and I'll attach new plug-ins for Firefox and Fennec separately (since icon image are different and can be approved separately in case of some problem).

Comment 10

[dynamis (Tomoya ASAI)]

Attachment: new updated google search plug-in for firefox

requesting approval for this new search plugin for Firefox
# for all 1.9.1, 1.9.2 and central branches

Comment 11

[dynamis (Tomoya ASAI)]

Attachment: google search plug-in for japanese fennec

requesting approval for this new search plugin for Fennec
# of course I'll update list.txt at the same time

Comment 12

[Staś Małolepszy :stas]

Dynamis, sorry for asking for more work, but I'm loosing context here. Would you mind filing two new bugs for this in "Mozilla Localizaions > ja", please? One for Firefox's plug-in, second for Fennec. Also, please attach patches, not entire plug-ins. 

I'm reverting to previous summary and closing this bug as fixed. We did fix what the previous summary stated :)

Thanks!

Comment 13

[dynamis (Tomoya ASAI)]

Staś, I filed separate bug 534125 for Firefox one and bug 534139 for Fennec one.