Translations in Libre Software Proyecto fin de M aster Autora: - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

M´ aster Universitario en Software Libre Curso Acad´ emico 2011/2012

Translations in Libre Software

Proyecto fin de M´ aster Autora: Laura Arjona Reina Tutor: Dr. Gregorio Robles

1 / 14 Laura Arjona Reina Translations in Libre Software

2 / 14 Laura Arjona Reina Translations in Libre Software

3 / 14 Laura Arjona Reina Translations in Libre Software

Goals and Objectives

Goals Overview of the localization process Encourage involvement Objectives Explain the localization process Analyze benefits and counterparts Case studies: projects and tools Personal experiences

4 / 14 Laura Arjona Reina Translations in Libre Software

Introduction

i18n, l10n, translations

Internationalization (i18n): make a software “localizable” Localization (l10n): Adapt it to a certain language (locale) Translation: Adapt the text

FLOSS: free, libre, open source software

Use, change, redistribute, redistribute your changes If it’s free software, YOU can translate it! Open development model = new scenarios

Free cultural works, Creative Commons

Non-code parts as free cultural works (e.g. wiki help) Side-products of localization (e.g. glossaries)

5 / 14 Laura Arjona Reina Translations in Libre Software

The localization workflow

Internationalize, Localize Maintenance, Quality Assurance

6 / 14 Laura Arjona Reina Translations in Libre Software

Internationalization

Objects to be localized

KDE: applications, documentation Debian: installer, documentation, web, wiki, specific packages Pleft: server strings, marketing material

Conventions

File formats: plain text files, PO (Gettext), XLIFF (OAXAL) Internationalization guides, i18n + l10n mailing lists

Tools and platforms

GNU Gettext KDE scripts to generate POTs, GNOME Damned lies Web l10n platforms implementing some i18n tasks

7 / 14 Laura Arjona Reina Translations in Libre Software

Localization

Standalone translation tools

Poedit, Gtranslator, Lokalize, Virtaal

Translation web platforms

Pootle, Launchpad, Transifex, Weblate

Other approaches

Editor add-ons Projects with built-in l10n tools: Drupal, Wordpress plugins

8 / 14 Laura Arjona Reina Translations in Libre Software

Benefits, problems

Benefits

Extra features, increase market, recruitment Business opportunities (professional translators, web platforms) Social benefits: reduce the digital gap, minority languages, free cultural works

Problems

Design challenges, i18n aspects not covered by existent tools Coordination challenge: developers against translators Crowdsourcing and QA, work overload

9 / 14 Laura Arjona Reina Translations in Libre Software

Take away

i18n, l10n is a process Tools, guides, people Worth to take in account from the beginning Free software makes it possible and easy Tradition and new trends Well stablished tools and formats New tools integrating new standards Living in the borderline Advantages More competitive Recruitment (sustainability) Social, economic benefits Good starting point For improving i18n, l10n For studying about it For getting involved

10 / 14 Laura Arjona Reina Translations in Libre Software

M´ aster Universitario en Software Libre Curso Acad´ emico 2011/2012

Translations in Libre Software

Proyecto fin de M´ aster Autora: Laura Arjona Reina Tutor: Dr. Gregorio Robles

Thanks!

11 / 14 Laura Arjona Reina Translations in Libre Software

Bonus track 1: The GSoC flyers translation

Wiki page + ODT template + 1 person in charge

http://code.google.com/p/google-summer-of-code/ wiki/GsocFlyers 2012 flyers translated to 34 languages

including: Aragonese, Breton, British English, Occitan, Swahili, Tatar

Project-specific “localizations”.

12 / 14 Laura Arjona Reina Translations in Libre Software

Bonus track 2: Wikipedia

Wikipedia content is “created”, not translated.

Although translations are allowed

Wikidata project, near future improvements (i18n):

Language links in a database (reduce redundancy and errors) Infoboxes data in a database: Minority languages take advantage of larger editions

Wikidata: http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikidata Lydia Pintscher’s talk in LinuxTag2012: http://blip.tv/opensuse

13 / 14 Laura Arjona Reina Translations in Libre Software

Bonus track 3: Translatewiki.net

Translators receiving newsletter: +5,000 (May 2012) All translators can review translations Translation Rallies (with prizes)

14 / 14 Laura Arjona Reina Translations in Libre Software