can't switch to local google search

[geofs]

Kubuntu 8.04 up-to-date
Firefox 3

Firefox's search box goes to google.com instead of the local google. The firefox installation scripts should:

1) Use the country setting to switch the google search to local goolge (e.g.: google.be)

2) Very Important: Use the language settings to use the correct language for google, in countries where there are more than 1 official language (eg: google.be/fr)

Next, I tried to change the google search using "administer search modules" (translated from french I'm not sure of the english words) from the searchbar drop-down menu, editing the google entry (which is empty... strange) and typing "http://www.google.be/search?hl=fr&q" but it does not work! How can I change it? I even tried to change the keywork.URL in about:settings, but...

[Gavin Sharp (gavin-sharp)]

(In reply to comment #0)
> 1. Install an older version of firefox in a non-english language.

How much older? Did this occur after an upgrade from 1.5.0.x to 2.0.0.x? I think we probably used localized Google plugins in 1.5.0.x, while we only use one Google plugin in Firefox 2 (google.com). It's supposed to forward you to the appropriate localized site, but perhaps it's not doing that for you for some reason.

[L10n-mozilla (l10n-mozilla)]

Note, google has changed their default behaviour lately from using accept-lang to set your language to using geo-location.

Though, the google cookies should stick across updates.

[Marcoos+bmo (marcoos+bmo)]

(In reply to comment #2)
> Note, google has changed their default behaviour lately from using accept-lang
> to set your language to using geo-location.

So next time I'm at FOSDEM and use Google on my laptop, I'll get the results in Dutch or French? Craptastic...

[L10n-mozilla (l10n-mozilla)]

Yes. I get French googles in Paris, Tristan gets German googles in Berlin.

[Knud (knud)]

User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; da; rv:1.9) Gecko/2008052906 Firefox/3.0
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; da; rv:1.9) Gecko/2008052906 Firefox/3.0

Danish Firefox (all versions) use google.com instead of google.dk in the search field at it can not be altered from Firefox.

You have to manualle editing C:\Programmer\Mozilla Firefox\searchplugins\google.xml if you will have Google to use the Danish Google in stead of the American Google.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Put curser in the sercar field
2. write something searchabel word
3. press enter
4. Se wich Google domain you are landing at.

[Gavin Sharp (gavin-sharp)]

We use one Google plugin across all locales and depend on Google redirecting you to the correct locale based on some combination of geo-IP/user-agent string/accept-lang headers.

I don't think we want to go back to per-locale Google plugins, so this is probably something to bring up with Google?

[L10n-mozilla (l10n-mozilla)]

It depends, google changed their mind on the expected behaviour at a not-so-ancient point in time.

Now they use, AFAICT, geo-location as their primary criteria for language selection.

So for this bug, it'd be interesting from where Knud is actually using google.

[Knud (knud)]

I am located in Denmark.

When I call www.google.com I get the english version, but with a link that say "Go to Google Danmark" - also in english.

When I call www.google.dk I get the danish version - and that is the one I prefer ;-)

Regards,
Knud

[L10n-mozilla (l10n-mozilla)]

We should bring this up with Google. Kev?

[geofs (geof)]

Kubuntu 8.04 up-to-date
Firefox 3

Firefox's search box goes to google.com instead of the local google. The firefox installation scripts should:

1) Use the country setting to switch the google search to local goolge (e.g.: google.be)

2) Very Important: Use the language settings to use the correct language for google, in countries where there are more than 1 official language (eg: google.be/fr)

Next, I tried to change the google search using "administer search modules" (translated from french I'm not sure of the english words) from the searchbar drop-down menu, editing the google entry (which is empty... strange) and typing "http://www.google.be/search?hl=fr&q" but it does not work! How can I change it? I even tried to change the keywork.URL in about:settings, but...

[Forcedalias (forcedalias)]

I'd like to add that this is definitely a Firefox issue and NOT google.

Using Firefox 3.0.1 -- going to google.com I get redirected to a localized google site. Clicking the 'to go google.com' link only fixes the issue for the current session (i.e. closing firefox reverts back to localized version of google).

This DOES NOT happen in other browsers I use (IE7, Chrome etc).

I have checked my FF cookie options and all seems okay (weren't changed from default anyway).

Believe it or not but my decision to continue using Firefox rests solely on this issue! I *hate* localized sites especially since I'm an American in another country, I want to access the original (U.S.) google. :)

[Knud (knud)]

If some users "*hate* localized sites" then I will suggest that this is rewritten so it is possibel for each user to change the URL that are used.

[Sam Brightman (sambrightman)]

I patch /usr/lib/firefox-addons/searchplugins/google.xml but it has to be re-done after every upgrade. I think this should be the default distributed version, and that another param could be added using "lr" for language - I haven't tested if there is a {moz:lang} or similar.

[Bugzilla-flamber (bugzilla-flamber)]

CC-ing the Danish team. I can't remember if we use .dk or .com

[Hskupin (hskupin)]

This is more a localization issue as a core issue of the search field. Reading the comments gives me the impression that it has to be confirmed.

[L10n-mozilla (l10n-mozilla)]

Henrik, this is foremost a google issue. They change their expectations on how google is supposed to work internationally every now and then, and this bug is mostly fall-out from those decisions.

[John Vivirito (gnomefreak)]

Report this bug upstream and drop the link in this bug report.

[John Vivirito (gnomefreak)]

This should be marked as a duplicate of bug #426426 since it is about the bigger problem not per each locale, can someone please mark it if they agree.

[Sam Brightman (sambrightman)]

This bug or similar is reported multiple times upstream:

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=458602
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=426426
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=439737

It seems like everyone wants to disclaim responsibility for this: Ubuntu passes to Mozilla suggests Google's fault. I think regardless of what Google's geolocation/language policy is, Mozilla should be offering to respect the language/location settings of the user. I think regardless of whether upstream decide to do this (and in what time-frame....), upgrading Ubuntu packages shouldn't automatically be losing my changes. Point being, for a user that finds this sufficiently problematic, it doesn't matter where the failure originally comes from: there is a simple fix that should be respected when upgrading Firefox instead of silently reverted. Any chance we can see this happen? Is there an issue with google.xml not being in ~/ or /etc?

[John Vivirito (gnomefreak)]

Thanks sam. I commented on upstream bugs to mark all a duplicate of bug #426426. Marking that bug as upstream report.

[Hskupin (hskupin)]

Given all the comments it means that we cannot do anything for this particular topic. Axel, can we close this bug out as invalid?

[L10n-mozilla (l10n-mozilla)]

We've seen a bunch of comments, but no follow up comments from Mathieu.

Mathieu, what are your cookie settings, if I may ask? Go to about:config, and search for network.cookie, and list all non-default values?

I'd also be interested if you can reproduce this on a 3.5.x build, and if you can reproduce it on a new profile.

[Hskupin (hskupin)]

Ryan, please leave the whiteboard entry for tracking purposes.

[Sam Brightman (sambrightman)]

Not really understanding why this is incomplete/undecided. With search integrated in the browser, it should really respect the user locale/language setting.

[Sam Brightman (sambrightman)]

I mean incomplete/INVALID.

[Sskroeder+bugzilla (sskroeder+bugzilla)]

*** Bug 439737 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[Sskroeder+bugzilla (sskroeder+bugzilla)]

(In reply to comment #10)
> This should be marked as a duplicate of bug #426426 since it is about the
> bigger problem not per each locale, can someone please mark it if they agree.

I agree - Closing this bug as dupe of bug 426426

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 426426 ***

[Nigel Babu (nigelbabu)]

On a quick check I see that the bug is fixed. Can someone confirm please?