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List:       kde-i18n-doc
Subject:    Re: Rosetta for Kubuntu Dapper and KDE
From:       Kevin Donnelly <kevin () dotmon ! com>
Date:       2006-05-28 11:59:07
Message-ID: 200605281310.06112.kevin () dotmon ! com
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On Sunday 28 May 2006 09:21, Carsten Niehaus wrote:
> Am Sonntag 28 Mai 2006 05:58 schrieb Yukiko Bando:
> > > Personally I'd encourage them to work with the KDE translation team,
> > > but many people will prefer the web interface offered by Rosetta.
> >
> > I don't understand why people prefer the web interface as I don't like it
> > myself.  Translators don't need to know _all_ about subversion.  As far
> > as I know, the simple two commands "svn co" and "svn up" will do. :)
>
> There are many reasons:
> * You are new to Linux and want to help. But you have problems with the
> shell * You cannot add applications to your system so you don't have svn *
> You are not at home but for example in a boring lesson in you university.
> You simply surf to the web-interface and translate a little
> * You are in the university on one of the public PCs. There is a browser
> but no KBabel+svn

I think this discussion needs to separate two things.  The first is the 
relationship between Rosetta and KDE-svn.  The second is whether a web 
interface is a good option to have.  I have little interest in Rosetta 
because of issues with the first point.  However, that does not mean that the 
second point is thereby invalid.  Carsten has summarised the most obvious 
benefits very well.  

Like it or not, using KBabel+svn will put some people off.  It may be second 
nature to people on this list, but that emphatically does NOT apply to most 
users.  A few years ago, we had people questioning the need for a GUI at all 
- there's no need to repeat the same arguments with regard to using a 
frontend instead of doing your own backend plumbing.  

I would also like to say again that whatever problems majority languages have 
with finding translators, the problem is 10 times worse with minority 
languages, and anything that might help here is a benefit.  A web interface 
will not guarantee more translators, but it means one less barrier to those 
who might consider it.

> Personally, I prefere KBabel as well, but I think Rosetta is a great way to
> find your way to i18n. We just have to find a way to integrate it.

I myself believe that KDE-svn should have its own web interface, but the 
consensus on the list the last time this was raised was that this was 
unnecessary.  IMHO, it should be set up in a "quarantine zone", so that a 
selection of po-files (say 10-20) is assigned to a special dir by the team 
co-ordinator, and these are the only ones that are available for translation 
via browser.  Once they are complete, the co-ordinator can check them, merge 
them with the KDE-svn originals, and select another 10-20 files.  This would 
keep things manageable.  Rosetta and IRMA are not available for this purpose, 
but what about something like Pootle?  This makes browser-based translation 
available for those that want it, might attract a few extra volunteers, 
allows for quality-control by the co-ordinators, and maintains sync with 
KDE-svn.

-- 

Pob hwyl / Best wishes

Kevin Donnelly

www.kyfieithu.co.uk - KDE yn Gymraeg
www.eurfa.org.uk - Geiriadur rhydd i'r Gymraeg
www.rhedadur.org.uk - Rhedeg berfau Cymraeg
www.cymrux.org.uk - Linux Cymraeg ar un CD

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