[maemo-developers] Maemo localization to officially non-supported languages

[From: Mohammed Hassan]

Hi Jordi,

On Mon, 2007-10-22 at 22:43 +0200, ext Jordi Mas wrote:
> Hello Quim,
> > The current system based on logical strings and not on standard open
> > source practices is open for change though, or at least not-closed to
> > changes. In fact I’m willing to push this feature to the maemo roadmap.
> > A problem here are the implications any change has on code, processes,
> > licensing and such. Nothing that couldn’t be done but since the basic
> > L10n is covered, other features tend to get higher priority and
> > attention.
> >   
> 
> As many other people has pointed out I think that this is a must have
> step for Maemo.

I have to admit it. It's not easy to get rid of them. This will affect
the current process we are following.

I completely understand that you need proper PO/T files to translate and
we need to provide you with them.
What I'd propose is we/I replace the logical IDs with Engineering
English in the POT files you use to translate and convert them back upon
packaging and building.

If this is fine then I can start to see what's needed to be done to
deliver this :-)


> At platform level I see these main needs:
> 
> - The use of standard PO files.

Would my suggestion above role this out ?


> - The possibility to register a new language in the system (the user can
> switch to it).
This is the I18N part. I'm sure they can tell better than me.


> - The possibility to package a deb packet with all the translations and
> install it.
That'd be a standard debian package I guess ? It can also be automated
if we will use a central place/repository to gather all the
translations.


>  From the community management perspective there are many ways of
> organsing it. From going to a system like Pootle or LaunchPad to more
> simple approaches. One easy to setup scenario is:
> 
> - A Wiki page to list the localization teams / efforts.
> - A Wiki page with the I18N requirements / needs are collected.
> - A mailing list to coordinate the community I18N/L10N efforts.
> - An automatic generated PO statistics files for every language, like
> GNOME's Damned Lies. (nice to have)
> - Access to a Subversion space to upload the translations.
> 
> May be makes sense to move all of this to a Wiki page (community
> localization?) and start collecting all this feedback there.
> 
> If such a system is put in place, I can help testing the whole process
> and tools help to translate (I hope with other folks) the system into
> Catalan.

Let's not go into details like the system we use to manage the
translations and stuff. I like the wiki idea so I'd vote for that :-)