What is the difference between Dictionary and Language pack?
I was writing a web email in my native language and the spellchecker was English only. It was easy to click "Add dictionaries" but it took me to "Dictionaries & Language Packs". I had no idea what's the difference. Eventually I figured out that
"Language packs provide additional languages for the interface of Firefox."
and I guess "Dictionary" is what I wanted but it would be nice if this explanation could be added to that original page (i.e. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/language-tools/ )
Chosen solution
Language Packs change the language of Firefox components. Dictionaries are for the spellcheck tool in Firefox.
The people who answer questions here, for the most part, are other Firefox users volunteering their time (like me), not Mozilla employees or Firefox developers.
If you want to leave feedback for Firefox developers, you can go to the Firefox Help menu and select Submit Feedback... or use this link. Your feedback gets collected at http://input.mozilla.org/, where a team of people read it and gather data about the most common issues.
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Chosen Solution
Language Packs change the language of Firefox components. Dictionaries are for the spellcheck tool in Firefox.
The people who answer questions here, for the most part, are other Firefox users volunteering their time (like me), not Mozilla employees or Firefox developers.
If you want to leave feedback for Firefox developers, you can go to the Firefox Help menu and select Submit Feedback... or use this link. Your feedback gets collected at http://input.mozilla.org/, where a team of people read it and gather data about the most common issues.
A language pack adds support to translate strings used in the user interface to other languages, so you can install one main version and installs additional language packs to be able to switch the language of the user interface (you need to restart Firefox). If you hover dictionary links on the page then you will notice that most links include dictionary or spell-check.
You can see which dictionary is selected if you right-click in a text area and open the Languages submenu. At least one dictionary should be installed and have a check mark to indicate that it is selected.
- Open the "Add Dictionaries" link to install a dictionary if you do not have one.
The spelling checker is enabled if [X] "Check Spelling" in the right-click context menu has a checkmark.
You can enable or disable spell checking globally:
- Tools > Options > Advanced : General: Browsing: "Check my spelling as I type"
You can look here for dictionaries:
Wesley Branton said
Language Packs change the language of Firefox components. Dictionaries are for the spellcheck tool in Firefox.
The people who answer questions here, for the most part, are other Firefox users volunteering their time (like me), not Mozilla employees or Firefox developers.
If you want to leave feedback for Firefox developers, you can go to the Firefox Help menu and select Submit Feedback... or use this link. Your feedback gets collected at http://input.mozilla.org/, where a team of people read it and gather data about the most common issues.
Thanks for the explanation. I am a bit confused on who is a developer and who is a volunteer. I could not find any other Feedback option on the site except this forum. I was hoping that perhaps someone with the privilege to edit the Web might be watching this forum. In fact, there seems to be no obvious way to send feedback on the web site itself. Everything is about the browser.
I have spoken directly with the developers of the website and they are looking into your request. I cannot confirm whether they will go ahead with your idea, but it has been brought to their attention.
Since I have already contacted the developers, there is no need to file a bug report in this case, but if you have any future suggestions, you can file a bug report on Bugzilla. The developers often view suggestions from that website.
re: difference between a "dictionary" and a "language pack"?
why do software geeks speak their own language, instead of ingrish as i speke? And why don't you explain this in context where users are faced with the bewildering choice.? After all I'm already using ffox in English, so why would i need a language pack.? etc...
milan_va has already marked an answer here has the answer to his question. I'm locking this thread, so milan_va doesn't get unwanted email notifications from other people posting to this thread.
abelljms, I think it's best if you start a new thread using this link.