Re: Persian translations

[Pablo Saratxaga <pablo mandrakesoft com>]

Kaixo!

On Mon, Dec 01, 2003 at 05:57:15PM +0100, Karl Eichwalder wrote:

> From the individual GNOMErs point of views, there is zero reason to rate
> governmental translations higher as those done by independent parties -

It is not "govenmental translations" but "translations using official lexicon"

Well, I would prefer for my own language, if there were two different
translations, one following the standard norm, and one that doesn't,
follow the standard norm.

Some people may consider the "unofficial" translations the same
as you would see an English text written with all 'f' replaced with 'ph'
like in "phoobar"...
Yes, if we consider only the principle of individual freedom, such
a translation should be allowed; but often the notion of "correctness"
is very important in language related things.

> cooperation would be good, of course, but refusing to add available
> translations because something might happen in future times isn't
> acceptable.
> 
> At least, add the files as ...@unofficial, please.

That would in practice create a fork.
It would be better to add them, and simply don't package them, or delete
them when distributing in Iran if that is absolutely needed.

>> A lot of countries around the world legislate about the use of
>> languages, but those laws vary a lot.
> 
> Yes, but this does not mean we (as members of the free world) aren't
> allowed to add such language files.

I disagree; when Turkish academic authorities decide to switch to latin
alphabet and that has been enforced, what would be the purpose to add
Turkish files in arabic script?
Yes, we *can* do it, but for what purpose?

I don't see the translating of computer programs as a gratuitous expression
of freedom; instead I see it as a mean to both democratize the use
of computing by allowing it to be used in local languages, and the
empwering of a given language by makign it able to be used in a modern
aspect of life.

If involvment of a given public authority is an important part of the life
of a given language, then that fact has to be taken into account.

-- 
Ki ça vos våye bén,
Pablo Saratxaga

http://chanae.walon.org/pablo/		PGP Key available, key ID: 0xD9B85466
[you can write me in Walloon, Spanish, French, English, Italian or Portuguese]

PGP signature