Re: translating automake infopage

[Cancerbero]

El Sat, 07 Aug 2004 02:24:50 +0200
Alexandre Duret-Lutz <address@hidden> escribió:

> [Moved from address@hidden
> 
> >>> "Cancerbero" == Cancerbero  <address@hidden> writes:
> 
>  Cancerbero> Hello. 
> 
> Hi Cancerbero,
> 
>  Cancerbero> I don't know if this is the correct way to make
>  Cancerbero> this kind of questions. If not, please let me know
>  Cancerbero> where... (and excuse me for my bad english).
> 
> Let's move this to address@hidden and address@hidden
> 
>  Cancerbero> I would like to know if there exists an spannish
>  Cancerbero> translation of the manual of automake (info
>  Cancerbero> automake). 
> 
> I don't know.  It sounds very unlikely to me.  (Mostly because
> I'm skeptical about the worthiness of any such translation.)
> 

That quoting, in a GNU mailing list, atonished me. 

>  Cancerbero> If not, I would like to know how is the politic for
>  Cancerbero> making such translation (where are the sources of
>  Cancerbero> that documentation). Thanks.
> 
> The sources are in the doc/ directory if the Automake tarball.
> 

So, you are using texi format. Haven't you discused about editing
(and mantaining) the info pages in other formats like docbook?

> I do not know If any politics for translated documentation exist.
> 
> First there is the translation hassle: the manual is in constant
> flux, and keeping track of the changes using just `diff' seems
> very expansive for the translator.  

Well, my idea is not to  mantain the info page but translate what
has  been done  to spanish,  so  the speaking  people (spanish  -
speakers) can have  a basic reference about automake.  My idea is
to  translate the document  but perhaps  in other  (more general)
typesetting format  like docbook.  Then sent it  to you  (in texi
format)  and publish it  in some  gnu/linux/free-software spanish
documentation site (like es.tldp.org). What do you say?

> I wonder  if tools similar  to gettext exist for  manuals?  For
> instance  some  tool   that  would  update  translated  manuals
> automatically when some nodes  or paragraphs of the master copy
> have   been  reordered  without   further  changes;   and  mark
> paragraphs that need editing.

> Also, there are the  installation questions.  E.g., does `info'
> supports  several translated  versions  of a  manual?  If  yes,
> where should  they be installed  and how should they  be named?
> (I  see nothing  about this  in the  Texinfo manual,  but maybe
> there are plans for this.)

My   (external)   opinion  is   that   a  formal   multi-language
documentation  system  must  be  a  basic requeriment  in  a  gnu
system. But I know that implement it will not be tribial. 

Well,  sorry  about  bother   you  with  this  king  of  negative
things. But  it's my point of  view and I  really surprised about
that lack in the main GNU's documentation system.

Greetings from Uruguay. 

-- 
Sebastián Gurin (Cancerbero)
cancerbero_sgxARROBAusers.sourceforge.net
http://www.geocities.com/cancerbero_sgx

Entre ellos, todo es hablar; nadie sabe ya entender. 
Todo cae al agua: nada entra en pozos profundos.
                   --Nietzsche