Paul
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plwt.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Paul
@plwt.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
🔥🦊⚡🐦 Mozillian, :tux: Linux, :python: Pythonista, :raspberrypi: Raspberry Pi, 🎵 Moby

Views are my own.

🌉 bridged from ⁂ https://mstdn.social/@plwt, follow @ap.brid.gy to interact
Reposted by Paul
oh, a new book arrived. thanks to @rwg for writing it. the next days will be busy, but the hour of reading it will come 🎄

#fediverse #mastodon #moveslowlyandbuildbridges
December 24, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Reposted by Paul
I now have about a dozen talks I want to see at #fosdem and, miraculously, none of them clash!

Of course, whether I can schlep back and forth across campus in time is a different question 😄

I recommend this app for building your event schedule https://github.com/cbeyls/fosdem-companion-android
GitHub - cbeyls/fosdem-companion-android: FOSDEM Companion for Android
FOSDEM Companion for Android. Contribute to cbeyls/fosdem-companion-android development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
December 16, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Reposted by Paul
You know why I’m bullish on open source in the AI era?

Gen-AI is democratizing software creation. Everyone can spin up their own QuickBooks, their own social media manager, their own internal tools, fast, cheap, and tailored.

So the real deal isn't the code anymore. It’s the community […]
Original post on hachyderm.io
hachyderm.io
December 22, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Reposted by Paul
Didn't know that Pringles finally dropped that weird unrecyclable paper+steel package
December 21, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Just stumbled upon the new wallpapers in #FireFox for Android. A choice of four extra ones featuring the new mascot design. Having a lot of fun trying them out to see which is the best fit.
December 20, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Reposted by Paul
RE: https://fosstodon.org/@flod/114103460076080978

Might be also worth reminding people about this.
Have you ever thought that maybe it's time to stop giving visibility to people who don't give a flying fork about any topic, and are just after clicks with their doomsday narratives?

Some videos on this list are approaching half million views. I stumbled upon […]

[Original post on fosstodon.org]
December 19, 2025 at 6:48 AM
I have just been trying out a new feature coming out in #FireFox and is currently available in Nightly called "Split View".

It is still "under construction" with more work to be done, but it allows me to view multiple tabs at the same time. Looks really useful.
December 18, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Reposted by Paul
Did you know: you can avoid the need for backups by failing to do anything worth saving a copy of

Follow me for more computing lifehacks
December 16, 2025 at 3:49 AM
I continue to be incredibly fortunate to contribute to Mozilla alongside awesome Mozillians such as:

https://blog.mozilla.org/l10n/2025/12/18/contributor-spotlight-andika/
Contributor Spotlight: Andika
## **About You** My name is Andika. I’m from Indonesia, and I speak Indonesian, Javanese, and English. I’ve been contributing to Mozilla localization for a long time, long enough that I don’t clearly remember when I started. I mainly focus on Firefox and Thunderbird, but I also contribute to many other open source projects. Exploring Padar Island where Komodo dragons can be spotted. ## **Contributing to Mozilla Localization** _**Q:** Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you found localization?_ **A:** I started my open source journey in the 1990s. Early on, I helped others through mailing lists by troubleshooting problems and answering questions. I also tried filing bugs and maintaining packages, but over time I felt those contributions didn’t always have a lasting impact. Around 2005, I started translating open source software. Translation felt different — it felt like a contribution that could last longer than the technology itself. When I saw poor translation quality online, I felt I could do better, and that motivated me to get involved. Localization became the most meaningful way for me to give back. _**Q:** What does your contribution to Mozilla localization look like today?_ **A:** I primarily work on Firefox and Thunderbird. Over the years, I’ve translated tens of thousands of strings although some of those strings no longer exist in the codebase and remain only in translation memory. I also contribute to many other open source organizations, but Mozilla remains one of my main areas of focus. Even though I don’t always use the products I localize — my professional work involves backend work, a lot of remote troubleshooting and maintenance — I stay connected to the quality of the translations through community collaboration and shared practices. ## **Workflow, Habits, and Collaboration** _**Q:** How do you approach your localization work and collaborate with others?_ **A:** Most of my localization work happens incrementally. I often carry unfinished translation files on my laptop so I can continue working offline, especially when the internet connection isn’t reliable. When I have multiple modules to choose from, I usually start with the ones that have the fewest untranslated strings. Seeing a module reach full translation gives me a lot of satisfaction. To avoid burnout, I set small, realistic goals, sometimes something as simple as translating 50 strings before switching to another task. I tend to use small pockets of free time throughout the day, like waiting at a public transportation station or an appointment, and those fragments add up. Collaboration plays a big role in maintaining quality. Within the Indonesian localization community, we use Telegram to discuss difficult or new terms and work toward consensus. Terminology and style guides are maintained together; it’s not a one-person responsibility. I’ve also worked on localization in other projects like GNOME, where we translate module by module, we review each other’s work, and then commit changes as a group. Compared to Pontoon’s string-by-string approach, this workflow offers more flexibility, especially when working offline. ## **Perspective Across Open Source and Beyond** _**Q:** You contribute to many open source projects. How does Mozilla localization compare, and what would you like to see improved?_ **A:** For Indonesian localization, Mozilla is the most organized team I’ve worked with and has the largest active team. Some projects may appear larger on paper, but active participation matters more than numbers, and that’s where Mozilla really stands out. One improvement I’d like to see is better support for offline translation in Pontoon. Another area is shortcut conflict detection — translators often can’t easily see whether keyboard shortcuts conflict unless all menu items or dialog elements are rendered together. Automated checks or rendered views of translated dialogs would make that process much easier. That said, one thing Pontoon does very well, and that other projects could learn from, is the improving quality of online and AI-assisted translation suggestions. Speaking at Fosdem in February 2024 on “Long Term Effort to Keep Translations Up-To-Date” ## **Professional Life and a Personal Note** _**Q:** What do you do professionally, and how does it connect with your localization work?_ **A:** I work as an IT security consultant. I started using a PC in 1984, learning to program in BASIC, Pascal, FORTRAN, Assembly, and C. C is my most favorite language up to now. I also tried various OSes from CP/M, DOS, OS/2, VMS, Netware, Windows, SCO, Solaris, then fell in love with Linux. I have been using Debian since version 1.3. Later I changed my focus from programming into IT security. My job requires staying up to date with security concepts and terminology, which helps when translating security-related strings. At the same time, localization sometimes introduces me to features I might later use professionally. The two areas complement each other in unexpected ways. As for something more personal: I hate horror movies, I love cats, and I’ve had the chance to witness the rise and fall of many technologies over the years. I also maintain a personal wiki to keep track of my open source work though I keep telling myself I need to migrate it to GitHub one day.
blog.mozilla.org
December 18, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Just thought I would do my part to help calm things down a bit:

https://mastodon.social/@firefoxwebdevs/115740500373677782

and

https://mastodon.social/@firefoxwebdevs/115740500918701463

Personal opinion from me:

- There are some very cool new features coming to Firefox.
- There is no need […]
Original post on mstdn.social
mstdn.social
December 18, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Reposted by Paul
I will again note: Building a web browser is exceptionally complicated. Building a modern browser means also building an ecosystem that is not cheap (e.g. do you want Sync (for passwords, tabs, history, etc.), WebPush (for notifications for mail, calendars, messages, etc), Certificate Management […]
Original post on mindof.jrconlin.com
mindof.jrconlin.com
December 17, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Reposted by Paul
https://blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/leadership/mozillas-next-chapter-anthony-enzor-demeo-new-ceo/

Directions:
1. Products should guarantee people's agency, including an easy way to turn off any AI feature (literal quote: “AI should always be a choice”)
2. More transparent monetization.
3 […]
Original post on fosstodon.org
fosstodon.org
December 17, 2025 at 7:56 AM
If we as a species do not get the chance beforehand (and I really hope we do get that chance soon), once we have got rid of the internal combustion engine I really hope we can do the same for the firearm.
December 14, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Reposted by Paul
Oh #firefox hat jetzt ein Wetter Widget auf der NewTab Page 😍
December 14, 2025 at 11:12 AM
I have a list of tech projects to look at already, but I keep getting ideas for themes and add-ons I want to make.

Need to focus on clearing a few projects down before I start anything new.
December 10, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Reposted by Paul
Curious how Web Monetization uses #openpayments?

Part 1 of our new series breaks down the basics, the browser extension, wallet setup, budgets, and how creators get supported behind the scenes.

👉 Read Part 1 by Sid Vishnoi […]
Original post on interledger.social
interledger.social
December 9, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Reposted by Paul
I've been working on improving the documentation for #bovine the the #staticwebsite server for @forgejo and @gitea, you can find it here: https://bovine.squarecows.com/docs/
December 8, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Reposted by Paul
Meet the artist behind Firefox’s new community-created app icon

https://blog.mozilla.org/en/firefox/momo-creator/
blog.mozilla.org
December 8, 2025 at 7:30 PM
I have never been a Spotify user, but further to toots about #BandcampFriday, I had a look at #BandCamp and saw an album I might treat myself to.

What do people think about Bandcamp? Good service run by good people?
December 5, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Reposted by Paul
Doing a variant of Advent of Code where I open a little door and eat a chocolate and don’t type anything or look at a computer
December 3, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Reposted by Paul
December 3, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Reposted by Paul
Black Friday is the perfect day to support independent news sites and journalists with clicks and/or cash. 💰

Here are some who are active in the fediverse. Tell us in the comments if there are any we've missed.

404 Meda, @404mediaco

Bolts, @bolts

Brian Merchant, @brianmerchant

Casey Newton […]
Original post on flipboard.social
flipboard.social
November 28, 2025 at 11:36 PM