gettext doc suggestions

[Karl Berry]

Further suggestions from Clytie.

Date: Fri, 1 Apr 2005 17:51:13 +0930
From: Clytie Siddall <address@hidden>
To: address@hidden (Karl Berry)
Cc: address@hidden
Subject: Re: sed and general gettext .po file suggestions

[...]

I would suggest a 1-2-page checklist for gettext, one each for 
developers, translators and maintainers, which includes the 
highest-priority checks and quick commands. It's abundantly obvious 
that many developers/translators are not able to, don't have time for, 
or simply don't read the whole manual (and it's true, there are no good 
puns in it at all :( ).

A Quick Reference for gettext would help us all. Even if you do plough 
through the whole manual initially, you tend to retain the bits you 
most need, and note them down, making your own quick reference. 
Providing one already-created would ensure it includes the bits we need 
remembered, so the process works best.

[...]

The trouble is, I don't necessarily use the packages for which I do 
translations (or know I'm using them: most are probably doing their 
good work in my system base [MacOSX] somewhere). I simply download the 
.po file and work through the strings.

The Report-Msgid-Bugs-To header means the translator has the contact 
address, whether s/he uses the package and knows where to find such 
details, or not. In my experience, people are much more likely to use 
things if they are jumping up and waving their hands in front of them. :)

If I'm encountering typos etc. in these .po files, and they haven't 
been reported before, evidently previous translators have found that 
task too hard or too time-wasting. They will be much more likely to use 
that header if it's there.

Just a suggestion. :)

from Clytie (vi-VN, team/nhÃ³m Gnome-vi)

Clytie Siddall--Renmark, in the Riverland of South Australia

á»ž thÃ nh phá»‘ Renmark, táº¡i miá»n sÃ´ng cá»§a Nam Ãšc