974133 - Wording change: "Firefox account" => "Firefox Account"

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Firefox for Android Graveyard :: Android Sync, defect, P1)

Description

[Richard Newman [:rnewman]]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bbberv6477vjh50/android%20touchup.pdf

The UI folks would like us to switch back from "Create a Firefox account" to "Create a Firefox Account", and elsewhere titles like "Firefox Account".

In English that isn't a problem.

Before we do this, though, I'd like us to consider how this should be localized. It might affect the decision, and it will certainly affect our localization notes.

I see the following options, using Spanish as an example. (Better speakers of Spanish, please feel free to correct me!)

  Cree una cuenta de Firefox
  Cree una Cuenta de Firefox
  Cree una Firefox Cuenta
  Cree una Firefox Account

That is: is this a regular noun phrase, a kinda-translated kinda imported Noun Phrase, some kind of bastard offspring, or a straight-up non-localized 'imported' noun phrase?

needinfo on Jeff to check my Spanish :D

Comment 1

[Richard Newman [:rnewman]]

This can also be rephrased as "are we creating some kind of important branding Noun Entity, or are we just using Title Case?".

Comment 2

[Richard Newman [:rnewman]]

N.B., late l10n.

Comment 3

[Axel Hecht [:Pike]]

I think Gavin actually reworded strings on desktop to not use "Firefox Account" as a proper noun, but as a regular noun on desktop. That was based on the problems of using it as proper noun.

Comment 4

[Richard Newman [:rnewman]]

(In reply to Axel Hecht [:Pike] from comment #3)
> I think Gavin actually reworded strings on desktop to not use "Firefox
> Account" as a proper noun, but as a regular noun on desktop. That was based
> on the problems of using it as proper noun.

Yeah, we did that on Android too -- lowercase "account" everywhere, no "Account" in Android Settings.

Comment 5

[Francesco Lodolo [:flod]]

I see 3 strings talking about "Firefox account"

One in /browser
http://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/file/default/browser/locales/en-US/chrome/browser/syncBrand.dtd

Two in /mobile
http://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/file/default/mobile/android/base/locales/en-US/sync_strings.dtd

1. Cree una cuenta de Firefox
2. Cree una Cuenta de Firefox
3. Cree una Firefox Cuenta
4. Cree una Firefox Account

From my point of view (Italian):
1. I choose this one, even if we keep "account" in English (people are used to it).
2. I would use this only if we establish that as a feature name.
3. This sounds just wrong (mechanical, not sure how to describe it better).
4. Not pretty, but could live with that.

If you expose a label to l10n, you should expect people to localize it ;-)
http://transvision.mozfr.org/string/?entity=browser/chrome/browser/syncBrand.dtd:syncBrand.fxAccount.label&repo=central

I count only 2 unchanged "Firefox Account" so far.

And to be completely honest, I don't expect people to understand this feature at all just by looking at the name.

Comment 6

[Matej Novak [:matej]]

For more context, we're going to treating "accounts" like we treat "add-ons." That means it can be both singular and plural. If it appears by itself, it's lowercase (e.g. "create an account"), but if it appears after Firefox, it's uppercase (e.g. "create a Firefox Account").

All locales should follow their own capitalization rules since this is a term that gets localized. As long as it's consistent with the way "add-ons" is handled in each language, we should be fine.

Thanks.

Comment 7

[Ryan Feeley [:rfeeley]]

For reference, a collection of screenshots of Google's treatment (which I believe we aim to follow) https://www.dropbox.com/s/i5dfo7g5vyf735s/locales-of-google-accounts.zip

Comment 8

[Jeff Beatty [:gueroJeff]]

(In reply to Matej Novak [:matej] from comment #6)
> For more context, we're going to treating "accounts" like we treat
> "add-ons." That means it can be both singular and plural. If it appears by
> itself, it's lowercase (e.g. "create an account"), but if it appears after
> Firefox, it's uppercase (e.g. "create a Firefox Account").
> 
> All locales should follow their own capitalization rules since this is a
> term that gets localized. As long as it's consistent with the way "add-ons"
> is handled in each language, we should be fine.
> 
> Thanks.

Is that a general rule for any term that follows Firefox? Is it documented anywhere currently? This is an example of the clarity we need to document about brand/feature names for the l10n style guide.

Comment 9

[Matej Novak [:matej]]

(In reply to Jeff Beatty [:gueroJeff] from comment #8)
> (In reply to Matej Novak [:matej] from comment #6)
> > For more context, we're going to treating "accounts" like we treat
> > "add-ons." That means it can be both singular and plural. If it appears by
> > itself, it's lowercase (e.g. "create an account"), but if it appears after
> > Firefox, it's uppercase (e.g. "create a Firefox Account").
> > 
> > All locales should follow their own capitalization rules since this is a
> > term that gets localized. As long as it's consistent with the way "add-ons"
> > is handled in each language, we should be fine.
> > 
> > Thanks.
> 
> Is that a general rule for any term that follows Firefox? Is it documented
> anywhere currently? This is an example of the clarity we need to document
> about brand/feature names for the l10n style guide.

No, not for all terms. "Marketplace" is a brand, for example, so it's always capitalized and doesn't get localized. There are others, like "Firefox for desktop," that are never capitalized.

Most of this is documented at http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/styleguide/communications/copy-rules/ — though it needs an update to include accounts and other new terms.

Comment 10

[Jeff Beatty [:gueroJeff]]

(In reply to Matej Novak [:matej] from comment #9)
> (In reply to Jeff Beatty [:gueroJeff] from comment #8)
> > (In reply to Matej Novak [:matej] from comment #6)
> > > For more context, we're going to treating "accounts" like we treat
> > > "add-ons." That means it can be both singular and plural. If it appears by
> > > itself, it's lowercase (e.g. "create an account"), but if it appears after
> > > Firefox, it's uppercase (e.g. "create a Firefox Account").
> > > 
> > > All locales should follow their own capitalization rules since this is a
> > > term that gets localized. As long as it's consistent with the way "add-ons"
> > > is handled in each language, we should be fine.
> > > 
> > > Thanks.
> > 
> > Is that a general rule for any term that follows Firefox? Is it documented
> > anywhere currently? This is an example of the clarity we need to document
> > about brand/feature names for the l10n style guide.
> 
> No, not for all terms. "Marketplace" is a brand, for example, so it's always
> capitalized and doesn't get localized. There are others, like "Firefox for
> desktop," that are never capitalized.
> 
> Most of this is documented at
> http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/styleguide/communications/copy-rules/ — though
> it needs an update to include accounts and other new terms.

An update would be fantastic and would help to clarify a lot of these questions. Is that currently in the works?

Comment 11

[Matej Novak [:matej]]

(In reply to Jeff Beatty [:gueroJeff] from comment #10)
> (In reply to Matej Novak [:matej] from comment #9)
> > (In reply to Jeff Beatty [:gueroJeff] from comment #8)
> > > (In reply to Matej Novak [:matej] from comment #6)
> > > > For more context, we're going to treating "accounts" like we treat
> > > > "add-ons." That means it can be both singular and plural. If it appears by
> > > > itself, it's lowercase (e.g. "create an account"), but if it appears after
> > > > Firefox, it's uppercase (e.g. "create a Firefox Account").
> > > > 
> > > > All locales should follow their own capitalization rules since this is a
> > > > term that gets localized. As long as it's consistent with the way "add-ons"
> > > > is handled in each language, we should be fine.
> > > > 
> > > > Thanks.
> > > 
> > > Is that a general rule for any term that follows Firefox? Is it documented
> > > anywhere currently? This is an example of the clarity we need to document
> > > about brand/feature names for the l10n style guide.
> > 
> > No, not for all terms. "Marketplace" is a brand, for example, so it's always
> > capitalized and doesn't get localized. There are others, like "Firefox for
> > desktop," that are never capitalized.
> > 
> > Most of this is documented at
> > http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/styleguide/communications/copy-rules/ — though
> > it needs an update to include accounts and other new terms.
> 
> An update would be fantastic and would help to clarify a lot of these
> questions. Is that currently in the works?

This will have to be a post-MWC, post-Australis project, but please email me if there are any terms or names you feel are missing and should be included. Thanks.

Comment 12

[Richard Newman [:rnewman]]

https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/fx-team/rev/3b930e581964

Comment 13

[Carsten Book [:Tomcat]]

https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/3b930e581964