english grass users' manual?

[Markus Neteler]

On Mon, Sep 04, 2000 at 09:59:43AM +0200, Bernhard Reiter wrote:
> On Fri, Sep 01, 2000 at 09:43:06PM +0200, Eva Fenrich wrote:
> > On Thu, Aug 31, 2000 at 11:19:07AM +0100, Markus Neteler wrote:
> > > The basic problem is: Who will do the translation job? For
> > > me it is certainly a non-profit thing. Due to my limited time
> > > I cannot translate the 250 pages myself.
> > > 
> > > The publisher's proposal is to go for a raw translation which
> > > would be edited by them.
> > > 
> > > I will need volunteers who are able to read German and write
> > > English. We could share the chapters and translate it.
> > I would like to help to translate some chapters ... 
> 
> That would be great.
> 
> > > Other ideas are welcome, too. Unfortunately the budget to fund
> > > a translation is zero. Does anyone know about official fundings
> > > (maybe to force open-source projects, probably U.S. government
> > > or European Community?) available?
> 
> > My idea is not on funding, but on licence:
> > what about publishing the translation under the GNU Documentation
> > licence...
> This is a good idea.
Well, I am willing to put the book under 
GNU Free Documentation License
http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html

> The problem is that Markus might not be able to find a publisher
> for the book, who really prints it. 
> Basically this is because of the limited market potential of a GRASS book.

Actually I have a publisher. We have to work out license
details, but I feel that they will agree with a sort of
"open documentation license". And luckily some people
offer to translate selected chapters, others to proof-read
these translations. The publisher himself will edit the
book again for their style etc.
I will go through the response I received and contact 
the potential contributors personally. At time there is no 
budget, but if money arrives it will be sent to the 
translators for compensation. Applying for fundings at
European Community might take too much time, but I will
try to ask people who know about such issues.

Best wishes

 Markus Neteler