New language localization

l10n
#21

I beg to differ. All one requires to localize something like LO are
translation skills and a good understanding of how a UI works. Sure, you
need to learn what a placeholder is but that aside, the translation itself
requires much less in the way of IT skills than most projects assume.

A translator needs to know basic concepts of math, finance,
statistics, 3D graphics, programming, typography -- just to name a few
-- in order to translate LibreOffice UI. Even Bugzilla is mentioned in
the README, see
https://translations.documentfoundation.org/gd/libo_ui/translate.html#unit=29478798
How could one translate this sentence without knowing how to file a
bug? :wink:

I had, in fact, tried to join OO/Mozilla on my own previsouly but I don't
think people who have been doing this a long time or who do this
profesionally realise how unnecessarily high the hurdles are for "just
translators". You ("we" by now I guess) are all very friendly and helpful,
I'm not suggesting the opposite for a second - but when you're so wound up
in something it's easy to forget what it's like for someone outside the
bubble.

I agree with you in general. Translation should be as easy as possible
(thus we use Pootle, and translators don't have to learn git magic).
But N'ko is a difficult case, because it uses a special script, so
adding it requires more effort, than adding a language that uses Latin
script.

Best regards,
Andras

#22

I suggest someone creates another list with automatic membership to those
who argument whether a new list is needed or not (the-pre-list-list).
And those who unsubscribe off it should autmatically become members of
"the-list-for-those-who-do-not-want-to-be-members-of-the-pre-list".

Lp, m.

#23

Hi Michael,

1) I realise Eike only asked for a bug to be filed (that in itself
is hurdle #1 as it requires knowledge of what a bug is and how to
file one by the way)

RFE bugs are the usual mean to get something into the code. Having taken
a bug helps the developer to list pending tasks / schedule / prioritize
/ create dependencies. A mail vanishes out of sight into the archive.

2) Eike referred to the Wiki page (presumably to give Kairaba
additional information on requesting new languages)
3) I went and read said Wiki page and it struck me how confusing
this seems to me and how scary it must be to someone who is new to
localization and primarily a new translator and who googles
"localizing LibreOffice" and comes across said page without knowing
about this l10n mailing list, so that's hurdle #2

What's wrong about
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/LibreOffice_Localization_Guide/Adding_a_New_Language_or_Locale#Request_a_new_language.2Flocale_to_be_added
that more or less says "just request language foobar and if the above is
mumbo-jumbo to you the poor i18n developer will have to figure it out
anyway"?

4) I then posted whether that page should not have a big sign
slapped across it saying "if this confuses you, just send us an
email" (and foolishly in the same sentence suggested this *might*
require a new list. That's clearly a lead balloon so let's not bring
that up again)

It's a wiki, feel free to clarify or even rearrange the page but please
do not remove information.

I just googled "translating LibreOffice" and actually this page
https://www.libreoffice.org/get-involved/localizers/ (which is a lot
more readable... I'd be tempted to add a small diagram though) does
come out on top so perhaps it was just an unfortunate
misunderstanding on my behlaf that, having followed Eike's link, I
assume that was the main landing page for potential localizers.

It is, and the link I gave is the page about the technical mumbo-jumbo.
My reply was to a mail that was cross-posted on the developer list,
I assumed a reference to a wiki page that includes a link to file a bug
was not out of scope for the original poster. After all, he already gave
the information that page talks about.

So I guess it narrows my concerns down to a) is that a good
reference page to give to new people whose IT skills are an unknown
and b) if bugfiling should really be done by the newbie?

If not, then the newbie would certainly find a merciful soul on this
l10n list here who would help him with that, wouldn't he?

  Eike