Re: gnome-doc-utils strings (was Re: New module : GNOME PowerManager)

[Clytie Siddall <clytie riverland net au>]

On 14/07/2005, at 4:42 PM, Yavor Doganov wrote:

> On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 14:04:07 +0930, Clytie Siddall wrote:
>
> > It is essential to know the purpose of the string. Background like:
> > _______________
> > Type: menu item
> > Function: brings up a dialogue which allows the user to modify
> > currently-highlighted text
> > Original: Edit
> > _______________
> > is much better than just "Edit" on its own. The less information in
> > the string, the more explanation we need.
>
> This would be a substantial burden to the developers.

Perhaps, but it's their responsibility to create clearly translatable  
templates. ;)

> Absolutely off-topic, for which I apologise: I've noticed that you're
> quite actively translating GNOME and debconf templates. How can you
> possibly do this effectively if you are not running a GNU system?  
> Apple
> Mail, AFAIK, runs only on the proprietary system MacOS X. We had one
> translator in the past who was blindly translating on Windows and the
> result was pretty painful -- all translations were a mess. That  
> usually
> happens when there is no possibility to test the translation.

I am translating these templates because nobody else will do it. Of  
course it would be better to have people who are using those systems,  
doing the translations: if you find any Vietnamese translator who is  
willing to take over any of the work, please send him or her to me!

I am currently the _only_ active Vietnamese translator in Gnome or  
Debian. I am trying to change that. I have managed to attract a  
couple of new people to the Translation Project (where I was until  
then also the only active Vietnamese translator), and hope that they  
will be able to expand their activities once they get used to the  
requirements. I am also helping to resuscitate the KDE-vi project,  
which was completely dead.

I certainly hope none of my translations are a mess, which I also  
hope is not what you are implying. Any bug reports will be as welcome  
as more translators. I do have users sending me feedback, which is  
very welcome and useful.

I won't be doing this very long, so don't let it bother you.  
Hopefully, I will be able to revitalize the Vietnamese translation  
area meanwhile.
> Most of the code is very well commented,

No, it's not. Certainly not in the files I've translated. Most of it  
is completely bare of comments.

> so if you doubt for a particular
> string you can always checkout from CVS and open the relevant file in
> another buffer of Emacs ;-) Or you can always check how other  
> people have
> translated it (f.i. our team is "using" the experience of the Russian,
> Serbian and Macedonian teams).
> There are some strings which are ambigous, but you can always test  
> your
> translation and make the right decision. Asking the developers to  
> comment
> every string in detail sounds crazy (at least to me).

I think at least commenting as many as possible would make a big  
difference.
> P.S. Have you tried GNUMail.app?

Yes, it doesn't have the features I need.

Your email is extremely inappropriate in my culture. I fail to see  
where making these kinds of insinuations is at all useful, or  
positive in contributing to this i18n list.

from Clytie (vi-VN, Vietnamese free-software translation team / nhÃm  
Viát hÃa phán mám tá do)
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/vi-VN