[OSGeo-Discuss] Translation to Indian languages Feed back please

[Alex Mandel]

On 11/07/2011 06:19 PM, Ravi Kumar wrote:
> Indian scene:
> European: English to Spanish etc are meant for using GIS itself by the learned user. 
> Indictranslation: Most Indians who use GIS use it in English. The Indic translation is for making
>                          the semi-english-literate to actually use FOSS4G tools for villages, for local administration etc.
>                          So the english word is just changed to indian language, such that user can read english in his own script.
> 
> FOSS4G tools are all front-end translatable, with ease or with a pinch of salt.
> All those who have tried/succeeded in Indic translation may pl give their experience.
> 
> To Grade software-usability easy translation is one of the parameters.
> 
> Translating properties files. 
> Online: this needs a good internet connection (and also a feeling that you may mess it up)
> Offline: You do it at leisure, using openoffice/googletransliterate etc
> 
> Translation with coding: 
> I wonder, how many FOSS4G tools still have stayed here..??
> Where after translation the code needs re-compilation, or work that a programmer only can do.
> 
> Ravi Kumar
> 

Many of the projects I'm familiar with have translation files. Basically
a text file with the english term, and you fill in the native language
term in the pair separated by some marker. This file is then sent to the
developers who put it into the code base so it will be included in the
next build. I'm not aware of any tools that allow translation files to
be dropped in on the fly, though I could see it being possible on Python
based applications that are not compiled before shipping.

In some cases there are some fancier tools that make this process even
simpler. Take a look at Qt linguist, it's what QGIS uses to edit
translation files. They also have a person in charge of accepting
translations who reviews all the files that come in an applies them to
the main code.

Usually the biggest hold up I've seen is finding enough volunteers to
actually complete language translations. We don't have any translations
of Indic languages for OSGeo-Live nor have we received any interest.

Thanks,
Alex