Re: l10n issues (Re: GNOME Releng web site)

[Karl Eichwalder <keichwa gmx net>]

Owen Taylor <otaylor redhat com> writes:

> I think we should try very hard to get translations to 100%
> (at least translations with sufficiently enthusiastic 
> translators) FOR the release.

Of course!

>  a) A few weeks to a month before the release (or so), we declare a
>     string freeze.

Most of the time this strategy doesn't work that good.  It will lead to
not so good english message strings:

    Translators will discover all kind of inconsistencies.

The question is how to correct them?  Provide an English PO file (en.po
or en_US.po)?  Freeze the strings for proofreading (one or two weeks)
and then start the final translation period (2-4 weeks).

Nevertheless, you'll discover "strange" translation after a period of
usage only.  This is why I'd like to see the described re-releases (as
1.4.1 or so).

>  b) We make tarballs, give them to the translators, and tell them
>     "these will be the po files for GNOME 1.4"

In an ideal world this would be nice.

>  c) We tell developers, "if you change your strings, we will break 
>     your kneecaps."

Yes ;) but if you don't fix all found typos etc. people will report
them...  At least, we to define clearly what "string freeze" means.

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