Firefox plugins for translating Chinese

joannah
June 18, 2008, 02:05 AM posted in General Discussion

I had been using Chinese pera-kun and finding it very helpful. Unfortunatly it does not seem to be compatible with the new version of firefox. Can anyone recommend any other good translations plugins?

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trevelyan
June 18, 2008, 03:45 AM

I'll be releasing a new version with an updated dictionary through Adso in a few days. You can expect it around the 25th or so.

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bazza
June 23, 2008, 06:23 PM

Found an update for the Tongwen plugin as well:

Tongwen v0.3.9.1

For those that aren't familiar with this plugin, it easily lets you convert a page between simplified and traditional.

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sushan
June 18, 2008, 05:02 AM

Thanks for the head's up.

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goulnik
June 18, 2008, 06:33 AM

I had actually started installing Firefox v3 on my Mac when I noticed this, won't install on my laptops.

I think Bazza uses another tool, forgot the name, but it's not freeware (and  I didn't like it much). I guess I will go without plug-in for a while, probably a good thing.

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bazza
June 18, 2008, 10:16 AM

I use Hanzibar mostly, not sure if it's fully compatible with Firefox 3 yet, on the website it says compatible with Beta 3.

I'm only using Firefox 3 at work at moment, because I have loads of addons at home and they always stop working with every new full version.

Apparently the addons can be hacked to work though

http://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2008/06/18/firefox-3-gladder

Can anyone find Chinese pera-kun amongst the addons? It doesn't seem to be there at all now.

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bazza
June 18, 2008, 12:17 PM

Just found version 1.0 here:

http://perapera.wordpress.com/chinesepera-kun/

It's the second download in the blue box on the left.

I've tried it and it works, it seems to run alot quicker as well. :)

After you've downloaded the xpi file, use open file from within Firefox and it will load it.

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joannah
June 18, 2008, 12:22 PM

Thanks. i was feeling a bit lost without it

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azerdocmom
June 18, 2008, 04:16 AM

Hi Dave! Nice to see you on the boards : )  How's Beijing?

I won't update Firefox, then, until the updated version. I use CPK everytime I'm on CPod. It's indispensible.

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bazza
June 18, 2008, 04:35 PM

A note on addon compatiblility, it seems there are updates for most of them, it's just that Firefox can't seem to find them automatically. If you search for them manually you'll probably find an update.

Usually if you right-click in the addon list and go to home page you can usually find it there.

I think the only ones I haven't found updates for yet are TextAloud and 'New Tong Wen Tang'.

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bazza
June 18, 2008, 07:57 PM

The bookmark smart folders and tagging system is very cool.

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bazza
June 18, 2008, 09:42 PM

Here is a language switcher addon:

http://benjamin.smedbergs.us/switch-locales/

Looks like you need to add the language packs for it to work though. Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be a Chinese language pack (which is a bit strange as there is a full Chinese version of Firefox).

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:3

There isn't a standard English pack either, so you can't install the full Chinese version and add English after either.

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trevelyan
June 22, 2008, 01:44 PM

@Doc -- Beijing is great. Am living out by the 5th Ring Road and doing some freelance translation while I work on Adso-related stuff. Figuring out the rest as I go along.

Looks like I'll be moving into a small place down near Guijie (Sichuan street, west of the Drum Tower -- the one with all of the hanging lanterns and the smell of hotpot) and am really looking forward to it. Drop a line the next time you come by and I'll drag you out for Sichuanese food.

--dave

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bazza
June 23, 2008, 05:57 PM

For Textaloud plugin users, download this update and it automatically updates the Firefox plugin:

http://nextup.com/TextAloud/download.html

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bazza
June 18, 2008, 01:38 PM

I'm liking Firefox 3, it has some good improvements.