Re: Translator credits (to maintainers)

[Petr Kovar <pmkovar gnome org>]

Yair Hershkovitz <yairhr gmail com>, Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:30:36 +0300:

> On ב', 2008-07-21 at 13:06 +0200, Petr Kovar wrote:

(...)

> > Is it? Then that would be rather difficult considering the proof-readers
> > using the very same software as translators and the majority of editors
> > updating the "Last Translator" field every time one saves a catalog.
> > 
> 
> This is just a simple text file. I don't know about other proof-readers
> but myself I'm using msgmerge and meld to do the job. 

OK, now I see you've slightly different work flow processes probably.

> Anyway, as I said 
> a proof-reader can take the necessary steps to make sure the field does
> not change or restored if it did. 

No doubt he can...
 
> My point is that it is just as hard for the commiter to properly set the
> translator name in the ChangeLog  then it is for the proof-reader to
> keep the correctness of the "Last Translator" line. Again, speaking for
> myself in the commiter hat, sometimes i do forget and miss the
> translator name in the ChangeLog.

I just think the changelog entries should have a little bit higher priority
in sense of keeping track of translator credits. As I assume, this is one of
the reasons why changelogs exist. Once again, the technical possibilities
of gettext catalog headers (and initial comment lines) are very limited in
this case.

> > This seems like an argument for not rely on the "Last Translator" field
> > at all, especially when using some make-a-release script that is more
> > likely "error prone" in my opinion.
> 
> Does it really matter? Does having the translator names in the release
> notes worth everyone effort? 

That's the question. :-) As we're not the medieval authors, we sign our
work, and maybe this is the reason why some of us think we deserve
visible credits. (Two notes here: First, if there are release notes
mentioning the contributing developers, why not mention the translators
also? And second, I know to some this all might sound a little bit silly,
smugly proud.)

> If the credits are so important for someone
> than let him do the hard work of verifying he is listed and contacting
> maintainers if not.

Yeah, but that's a post festum solution.
 
Regards,
Petr Kovar