Comments on: Localization: What are we missing? http://thottingal.in/blog/2009/03/25/localization-what-are-we-missing/ /home/santhosh Wed, 08 Sep 2010 03:08:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: alok http://thottingal.in/blog/2009/03/25/localization-what-are-we-missing/comment-page-1/#comment-131 alok Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:21:06 +0000 http://thottingal.in/blog/?p=63#comment-131 <p>the answer lies with the user</p> <p>Creating (very broad) guidelines for translations and making it easy for people(users) to submit bug reports will help a lot and it will even make the sometimes mechanical translation work so much more interesting too.</p> <p>The real issue as you pointed out, is: are we doing l10n for the sake of seeing the %ages go up in the graphs for our $LANGs or because we want to create something useful for the person who doesn't know English but knows $LANG? </p> <p>If we keep in mind this fact while translating, things would change.<br /> Lastly hats off to all the volunteers for all $LANGs.</p> the answer lies with the user

Creating (very broad) guidelines for translations and making it easy for people(users) to submit bug reports will help a lot and it will even make the sometimes mechanical translation work so much more interesting too.

The real issue as you pointed out, is: are we doing l10n for the sake of seeing the %ages go up in the graphs for our $LANGs or because we want to create something useful for the person who doesn’t know English but knows $LANG?

If we keep in mind this fact while translating, things would change.
Lastly hats off to all the volunteers for all $LANGs.

]]> By: Anonymous http://thottingal.in/blog/2009/03/25/localization-what-are-we-missing/comment-page-1/#comment-130 Anonymous Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:41:19 +0000 http://thottingal.in/blog/?p=63#comment-130 <p>Localization is a pretty big effort and as Santhosh points out, it is time for looking into the quality of translation. When SMC started localization efforts, we worked with the idea of context sensitive translation. We even keep a guideline for translations and glossory of terms. But this is not enough for completing the cycle. Peer review is one good method and it takes up a lot time than normal translation. Before we used to have sprints for translations, i think we should have sprints(online/offline) for review of translation.</p> <p>About the keyboard shortcuts/accelerator keys, i believe its a necessity. We may have to do some innovations(one idea is keeping the same keys, and if it triggers an acceleration, irrespective of the locale set on keyboard or tranlit interface, point it to accelerator). I know its not easy and right solution. This just came to my mind. I should say, i don't know the control flow in the programs, but we should be able to find some way around.</p> Localization is a pretty big effort and as Santhosh points out, it is time for looking into the quality of translation. When SMC started localization efforts, we worked with the idea of context sensitive translation. We even keep a guideline for translations and glossory of terms. But this is not enough for completing the cycle. Peer review is one good method and it takes up a lot time than normal translation. Before we used to have sprints for translations, i think we should have sprints(online/offline) for review of translation.

About the keyboard shortcuts/accelerator keys, i believe its a necessity. We may have to do some innovations(one idea is keeping the same keys, and if it triggers an acceleration, irrespective of the locale set on keyboard or tranlit interface, point it to accelerator). I know its not easy and right solution. This just came to my mind. I should say, i don’t know the control flow in the programs, but we should be able to find some way around.

]]> By: Anonymous http://thottingal.in/blog/2009/03/25/localization-what-are-we-missing/comment-page-1/#comment-129 Anonymous Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:19:41 +0000 http://thottingal.in/blog/?p=63#comment-129 <p>Localization issues</p> <p>Having a *real* community (not just 1 or 2 person) of localizers (most importantly translators) should have resolved all of the above issues for Indic Localization.</p> Localization issues

Having a *real* community (not just 1 or 2 person) of localizers (most importantly translators) should have resolved all of the above issues for Indic Localization.

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