Why does Firefox dislike Tamil?
As I write this post, I am downloading Firefox 3.1 beta 3. The download seems to be taking a lot of time, so I scrolled down to check out the list of Indian languages I could download it in. Not that I plan to download it in any of these languages, or that I even know how to translate “Release Notes” in any Indian language..
I noted Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi and Telugu. But no Tamil.
(Edit: You can see the complete list of languages and download the beta here.)
This strikes me as strange, and somewhat puzzling. Among the South Indian languages, they have every language except Tamil. There is even Marathi, if you treat Marathi as South Indian. Personally, I have never figured out whether Maharashtra is in the South or the North. Saying “West” is just a cop out, mind you. No one really says “Westie”, unless, of course you are talking of terriers. You have to be either a Southie or a Northie. Even if you are confused in your own mind as to what you really are.
But getting back to the absence of Tamil – why is this? I am sure there is some simple explanation to this puzzle.
Here are some explanations that I have come up with :
1. All Tamil users like to download Firefox in Hindi. Some of them prefer Firefox in Gujarati, but these are probably just the Ruias and their cousins. The rest of Tamil Nadu loves Hindi. No?
2. All Firefox developers who can write Tamil versions have long ago switched to Google. They now spend their time watching Rajnikanth movies at Google HQ (for I notice Chrome doesn’t have a Tamil version either). Or they are all at Microsoft, watching Rajnikanth movies (which is why Windows keeps crashing).
3. No self-respecting Tamil software developer wants to be seen as knowing Tamil. They would rather code in Punjabi. Not that they know Punjabi either, but they figure Punjabi users wouldn’t know any difference.
4. The Kannada version is really the Tamil version. Firefox developers visited Bangalore and decided that the language they heard everyone speaking must be Kannada. Unfortunately, the developers were in Malleswaram.
5. Firefox is just showing its support for the Sri Lankan government, which is why there is a Sinhala version but no Tamil version. They don’t want the LTTE to use Firefox, you see.
I am sure there are more explanations ; I have barely scratched the surface.
So please let me know what you think is the most likely explanation. Don’t hold back anything. It doesn’t have to be rational at all – anyway most things aren’t..
Odis Sorel
Savvy Aggarwal
Maria
Arindom Borah
Patrix
Because the word “nari” (as in “Fox”) would confuse the Northies?
The female Northies would love it though, if they believed Firefox had a “ladies special” version for them
Now, now, Lekhni. Even Malayalam is missing. Maybe all developers-are from Andhra and virulently opposed to the hegemony of Madras in the region.
Though there is an English(British) and a Bengali(India). Wonder when the Hinglish and Bengali(Bangladesh) versions are going to come out. (Not that I would be able to read either of them;)
No, no, a Malayalam version exists – see here.
The Hinglish version is bound to be the most popular version in India, whenever it is released. Along with Tamglish, Teluglish, Kanglish, Benglish and so on, not to forget Tamhinglish and..ok, you get the idea
Tamil versions available – Tamil and Tamil (Sri Lanka).
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all.html
Now now, don’t awaken the slumbering Marathi manoos. Maharashtra is not North or South; it is like Maggie ketchup – it’s different.
PS. In your ‘comment in your language’ option, you don’t have Marathi, but you have Arabic? AQ connekshun kya?
Oh, the arrogance of the South-North inhabitants. Other parts of the compass don’t exist kya? Maharashtra is quite firmly West, and it would prefer to remain that way, thank you very much.
Easy. Coz Mozilla is trying to “oppress and suppress and depress the view of the Tamilian.”
ROFL @ points 3 & 4! You know, maybe there already is a FF version in Tamil? People are just arguing if they should label it Tamil or Tamizh. Call it Madrasi and get on with it, I say!
BTW, Marathis are *not* Northies or Southies. We have a special name – we’re Ghatis
(Wonder how many chappals I’m in for now, from Northies, Souties and Ghatis. *ouch*)
Hilarious one, Lekhni. Must show point 4 to the husband
g
Not one, two versions of Thamizh Firefox are available:
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all.html#beta_versions
Thamizh Chrome as well
http://www.google.com/chrome?hl=ta
There is a Sinhala Version available in Firefox, probably because Sinhalese government has been ruling Sri Lanka for decades and of course they use their power to focus on developing everything in Sinhala including IT.
Because Fox equals Northern Indians
100% you are right !
its beacuse tamilians can speak various languages.. but these other idiots can only understand their own LODA LODA ..THODA THODA… language. so piss off. We didnt need to develop it in tamil
Ignorance and immaturity, very trade mark of Northies.