| Notes on the Free Translation Project | |
| ************************************* | |
| Free software is going international! The Free Translation Project | |
| is a way to get maintainers of free software, translators, and users all | |
| together, so that will gradually become able to speak many languages. | |
| A few packages already provide translations for their messages. | |
| If you found this `ABOUT-NLS' file inside a distribution, you may | |
| assume that the distributed package does use GNU `gettext' internally, | |
| itself available at your nearest GNU archive site. But you do _not_ | |
| need to install GNU `gettext' prior to configuring, installing or using | |
| this package with messages translated. | |
| Installers will find here some useful hints. These notes also | |
| explain how users should proceed for getting the programs to use the | |
| available translations. They tell how people wanting to contribute and | |
| work at translations should contact the appropriate team. | |
| When reporting bugs in the `intl/' directory or bugs which may be | |
| related to internationalization, you should tell about the version of | |
| `gettext' which is used. The information can be found in the | |
| `intl/VERSION' file, in internationalized packages. | |
| Quick configuration advice | |
| ========================== | |
| If you want to exploit the full power of internationalization, you | |
| should configure it using | |
| ./configure --with-included-gettext | |
| to force usage of internationalizing routines provided within this | |
| package, despite the existence of internationalizing capabilities in the | |
| operating system where this package is being installed. So far, only | |
| the `gettext' implementation in the GNU C library version 2 provides as | |
| many features (such as locale alias, message inheritance, automatic | |
| charset conversion or plural form handling) as the implementation here. | |
| It is also not possible to offer this additional functionality on top | |
| of a `catgets' implementation. Future versions of GNU `gettext' will | |
| very likely convey even more functionality. So it might be a good idea | |
| to change to GNU `gettext' as soon as possible. | |
| So you need _not_ provide this option if you are using GNU libc 2 or | |
| you have installed a recent copy of the GNU gettext package with the | |
| included `libintl'. | |
| INSTALL Matters | |
| =============== | |
| Some packages are "localizable" when properly installed; the | |
| programs they contain can be made to speak your own native language. | |
| Most such packages use GNU `gettext'. Other packages have their own | |
| ways to internationalization, predating GNU `gettext'. | |
| By default, this package will be installed to allow translation of | |
| messages. It will automatically detect whether the system already | |
| provides the GNU `gettext' functions. If not, the GNU `gettext' own | |
| library will be used. This library is wholly contained within this | |
| package, usually in the `intl/' subdirectory, so prior installation of | |
| the GNU `gettext' package is _not_ required. Installers may use | |
| special options at configuration time for changing the default | |
| behaviour. The commands: | |
| ./configure --with-included-gettext | |
| ./configure --disable-nls | |
| will respectively bypass any pre-existing `gettext' to use the | |
| internationalizing routines provided within this package, or else, | |
| _totally_ disable translation of messages. | |
| When you already have GNU `gettext' installed on your system and run | |
| configure without an option for your new package, `configure' will | |
| probably detect the previously built and installed `libintl.a' file and | |
| will decide to use this. This might be not what is desirable. You | |
| should use the more recent version of the GNU `gettext' library. I.e. | |
| if the file `intl/VERSION' shows that the library which comes with this | |
| package is more recent, you should use | |
| ./configure --with-included-gettext | |
| to prevent auto-detection. | |
| The configuration process will not test for the `catgets' function | |
| and therefore it will not be used. The reason is that even an | |
| emulation of `gettext' on top of `catgets' could not provide all the | |
| extensions of the GNU `gettext' library. | |
| Internationalized packages have usually many `po/LL.po' files, where | |
| LL gives an ISO 639 two-letter code identifying the language. Unless | |
| translations have been forbidden at `configure' time by using the | |
| `--disable-nls' switch, all available translations are installed | |
| together with the package. However, the environment variable `LINGUAS' | |
| may be set, prior to configuration, to limit the installed set. | |
| `LINGUAS' should then contain a space separated list of two-letter | |
| codes, stating which languages are allowed. | |
| Using This Package | |
| ================== | |
| As a user, if your language has been installed for this package, you | |
| only have to set the `LANG' environment variable to the appropriate | |
| `LL_CC' combination. Here `LL' is an ISO 639 two-letter language code, | |
| and `CC' is an ISO 3166 two-letter country code. For example, let's | |
| suppose that you speak German and live in Germany. At the shell | |
| prompt, merely execute `setenv LANG de_DE' (in `csh'), | |
| `export LANG; LANG=de_DE' (in `sh') or `export LANG=de_DE' (in `bash'). | |
| This can be done from your `.login' or `.profile' file, once and for | |
| all. | |
| You might think that the country code specification is redundant. | |
| But in fact, some languages have dialects in different countries. For | |
| example, `de_AT' is used for Austria, and `pt_BR' for Brazil. The | |
| country code serves to distinguish the dialects. | |
| The locale naming convention of `LL_CC', with `LL' denoting the | |
| language and `CC' denoting the country, is the one use on systems based | |
| on GNU libc. On other systems, some variations of this scheme are | |
| used, such as `LL' or `LL_CC.ENCODING'. You can get the list of | |
| locales supported by your system for your country by running the command | |
| `locale -a | grep '^LL''. | |
| Not all programs have translations for all languages. By default, an | |
| English message is shown in place of a nonexistent translation. If you | |
| understand other languages, you can set up a priority list of languages. | |
| This is done through a different environment variable, called | |
| `LANGUAGE'. GNU `gettext' gives preference to `LANGUAGE' over `LANG' | |
| for the purpose of message handling, but you still need to have `LANG' | |
| set to the primary language; this is required by other parts of the | |
| system libraries. For example, some Swedish users who would rather | |
| read translations in German than English for when Swedish is not | |
| available, set `LANGUAGE' to `sv:de' while leaving `LANG' to `sv_SE'. | |
| In the `LANGUAGE' environment variable, but not in the `LANG' | |
| environment variable, `LL_CC' combinations can be abbreviated as `LL' | |
| to denote the language's main dialect. For example, `de' is equivalent | |
| to `de_DE' (German as spoken in Germany), and `pt' to `pt_PT' | |
| (Portuguese as spoken in Portugal) in this context. | |
| Translating Teams | |
| ================= | |
| For the Free Translation Project to be a success, we need interested | |
| people who like their own language and write it well, and who are also | |
| able to synergize with other translators speaking the same language. | |
| Each translation team has its own mailing list. The up-to-date list of | |
| teams can be found at the Free Translation Project's homepage, | |
| `http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/', in the "National teams" | |
| area. | |
| If you'd like to volunteer to _work_ at translating messages, you | |
| should become a member of the translating team for your own language. | |
| The subscribing address is _not_ the same as the list itself, it has | |
| `-request' appended. For example, speakers of Swedish can send a | |
| message to `sv-request@li.org', having this message body: | |
| subscribe | |
| Keep in mind that team members are expected to participate | |
| _actively_ in translations, or at solving translational difficulties, | |
| rather than merely lurking around. If your team does not exist yet and | |
| you want to start one, or if you are unsure about what to do or how to | |
| get started, please write to `translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to reach the | |
| coordinator for all translator teams. | |
| The English team is special. It works at improving and uniformizing | |
| the terminology in use. Proven linguistic skill are praised more than | |
| programming skill, here. | |
| Available Packages | |
| ================== | |
| Languages are not equally supported in all packages. The following | |
| matrix shows the current state of internationalization, as of May 2003. | |
| The matrix shows, in regard of each package, for which languages PO | |
| files have been submitted to translation coordination, with a | |
| translation percentage of at least 50%. | |
| Ready PO files am az be bg ca cs da de el en en_GB eo es | |
| +-------------------------------------------+ | |
| a2ps | [] [] [] [] | | |
| aegis | () | | |
| anubis | | | |
| ap-utils | | | |
| bash | [] [] [] | | |
| batchelor | | | |
| bfd | [] [] | | |
| binutils | [] [] | | |
| bison | [] [] [] | | |
| bluez-pin | [] [] | | |
| clisp | | | |
| clisp | [] [] [] | | |
| coreutils | [] [] [] [] | | |
| cpio | [] [] [] | | |
| darkstat | () [] | | |
| diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| e2fsprogs | [] [] | | |
| enscript | [] [] [] [] | | |
| error | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| fetchmail | [] () [] [] [] [] | | |
| fileutils | [] [] [] | | |
| findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| flex | [] [] [] [] | | |
| gas | [] | | |
| gawk | [] [] [] [] | | |
| gcal | [] | | |
| gcc | [] [] | | |
| gettext | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| gettext-tools | [] [] | | |
| gimp-print | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| gliv | | | |
| glunarclock | [] [] [] | | |
| gnucash | () [] | | |
| gnucash-glossary | [] () [] | | |
| gnupg | [] () [] [] [] [] | | |
| gpe-calendar | [] | | |
| gpe-conf | [] | | |
| gpe-contacts | [] | | |
| gpe-edit | | | |
| gpe-login | [] | | |
| gpe-ownerinfo | [] | | |
| gpe-sketchbook | [] | | |
| gpe-timesheet | | | |
| gpe-today | [] | | |
| gpe-todo | [] | | |
| gphoto2 | [] [] [] [] | | |
| gprof | [] [] | | |
| gpsdrive | () () () | | |
| grep | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| gretl | [] | | |
| hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| id-utils | [] [] | | |
| indent | [] [] [] [] | | |
| jpilot | [] [] [] [] | | |
| jwhois | [] | | |
| kbd | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| ld | [] [] | | |
| libc | [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| libgpewidget | [] | | |
| libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| lifelines | [] () | | |
| lilypond | [] | | |
| lingoteach | | | |
| lingoteach_lessons | () () | | |
| lynx | [] [] [] [] | | |
| m4 | [] [] [] [] | | |
| mailutils | [] [] | | |
| make | [] [] [] | | |
| man-db | [] () [] [] () | | |
| mysecretdiary | [] [] [] | | |
| nano | [] () [] [] [] | | |
| nano_1_0 | [] () [] [] [] | | |
| opcodes | [] [] | | |
| parted | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| ptx | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| python | | | |
| radius | | | |
| recode | [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| screem | | | |
| sed | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| sh-utils | [] [] [] | | |
| sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| sketch | [] () [] | | |
| soundtracker | [] [] [] | | |
| sp | [] | | |
| tar | [] [] [] [] | | |
| texinfo | [] [] [] [] | | |
| textutils | [] [] [] [] | | |
| tin | () () | | |
| util-linux | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| vorbis-tools | [] [] [] | | |
| wastesedge | () | | |
| wdiff | [] [] [] [] | | |
| wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| xchat | [] [] [] | | |
| xpad | | | |
| +-------------------------------------------+ | |
| am az be bg ca cs da de el en en_GB eo es | |
| 0 1 4 2 31 17 54 60 14 1 4 12 56 | |
| et fa fi fr ga gl he hr hu id it ja ko | |
| +----------------------------------------+ | |
| a2ps | [] [] [] () () | | |
| aegis | | | |
| anubis | [] | | |
| ap-utils | [] | | |
| bash | [] [] | | |
| batchelor | [] | | |
| bfd | [] [] | | |
| binutils | [] [] | | |
| bison | [] [] [] [] | | |
| bluez-pin | [] [] [] [] | | |
| clisp | | | |
| clisp | [] | | |
| coreutils | [] [] [] [] | | |
| cpio | [] [] [] [] | | |
| darkstat | () [] [] [] | | |
| diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| e2fsprogs | | | |
| enscript | [] [] | | |
| error | [] [] [] [] | | |
| fetchmail | [] | | |
| fileutils | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| flex | [] [] | | |
| gas | [] | | |
| gawk | [] [] | | |
| gcal | [] | | |
| gcc | [] | | |
| gettext | [] [] [] | | |
| gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] | | |
| gettext-tools | [] | | |
| gimp-print | [] [] | | |
| gliv | () | | |
| glunarclock | [] [] [] [] | | |
| gnucash | [] | | |
| gnucash-glossary | [] | | |
| gnupg | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| gpe-calendar | [] | | |
| gpe-conf | | | |
| gpe-contacts | [] | | |
| gpe-edit | [] [] | | |
| gpe-login | [] | | |
| gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] [] | | |
| gpe-sketchbook | [] | | |
| gpe-timesheet | [] [] [] | | |
| gpe-today | [] [] | | |
| gpe-todo | [] [] | | |
| gphoto2 | [] [] [] | | |
| gprof | [] [] | | |
| gpsdrive | () [] () () | | |
| grep | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| gretl | [] | | |
| hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| id-utils | [] [] [] | | |
| indent | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| jpilot | [] () | | |
| jwhois | [] [] [] [] | | |
| kbd | [] | | |
| ld | [] | | |
| libc | [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| libgpewidget | [] [] [] | | |
| libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| lifelines | () | | |
| lilypond | [] | | |
| lingoteach | [] [] | | |
| lingoteach_lessons | | | |
| lynx | [] [] [] [] | | |
| m4 | [] [] [] [] | | |
| mailutils | | | |
| make | [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| man-db | [] () () | | |
| mysecretdiary | [] [] | | |
| nano | [] [] [] [] | | |
| nano_1_0 | [] [] [] [] | | |
| opcodes | [] [] | | |
| parted | [] [] [] | | |
| ptx | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| python | | | |
| radius | | | |
| recode | [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| screem | | | |
| sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| sh-utils | [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| sketch | [] | | |
| soundtracker | [] [] [] | | |
| sp | [] () | | |
| tar | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| texinfo | [] [] [] [] | | |
| textutils | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| tin | [] () | | |
| util-linux | [] [] [] [] () [] | | |
| vorbis-tools | [] | | |
| wastesedge | () | | |
| wdiff | [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| xchat | [] [] [] | | |
| xpad | | | |
| +----------------------------------------+ | |
| et fa fi fr ga gl he hr hu id it ja ko | |
| 20 1 15 73 14 24 8 10 30 31 19 31 9 | |
| lg lt lv ms nb nl nn no pl pt pt_BR ro | |
| +----------------------------------------+ | |
| a2ps | [] [] () () () [] [] | | |
| aegis | () | | |
| anubis | [] [] | | |
| ap-utils | () | | |
| bash | [] | | |
| batchelor | | | |
| bfd | | | |
| binutils | | | |
| bison | [] [] [] [] | | |
| bluez-pin | [] | | |
| clisp | | | |
| clisp | [] | | |
| coreutils | [] | | |
| cpio | [] [] [] | | |
| darkstat | [] [] [] [] | | |
| diffutils | [] [] [] | | |
| e2fsprogs | | | |
| enscript | [] [] | | |
| error | [] [] | | |
| fetchmail | () () | | |
| fileutils | [] | | |
| findutils | [] [] [] [] | | |
| flex | [] | | |
| gas | | | |
| gawk | [] | | |
| gcal | | | |
| gcc | | | |
| gettext | [] | | |
| gettext-runtime | [] | | |
| gettext-tools | | | |
| gimp-print | [] | | |
| gliv | [] | | |
| glunarclock | [] | | |
| gnucash | | | |
| gnucash-glossary | [] [] | | |
| gnupg | | | |
| gpe-calendar | [] [] | | |
| gpe-conf | [] [] | | |
| gpe-contacts | [] | | |
| gpe-edit | [] [] | | |
| gpe-login | [] [] | | |
| gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] | | |
| gpe-sketchbook | [] [] | | |
| gpe-timesheet | [] [] | | |
| gpe-today | [] [] | | |
| gpe-todo | [] [] | | |
| gphoto2 | | | |
| gprof | [] | | |
| gpsdrive | () () () | | |
| grep | [] [] [] [] | | |
| gretl | | | |
| hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| id-utils | [] [] [] | | |
| indent | [] [] [] | | |
| jpilot | () () | | |
| jwhois | [] [] [] | | |
| kbd | | | |
| ld | | | |
| libc | [] [] [] [] | | |
| libgpewidget | [] [] | | |
| libiconv | [] [] | | |
| lifelines | | | |
| lilypond | [] | | |
| lingoteach | | | |
| lingoteach_lessons | | | |
| lynx | [] [] | | |
| m4 | [] [] [] [] | | |
| mailutils | | | |
| make | [] [] | | |
| man-db | [] | | |
| mysecretdiary | [] | | |
| nano | [] [] [] [] | | |
| nano_1_0 | [] [] [] [] | | |
| opcodes | [] [] [] | | |
| parted | [] [] [] | | |
| ptx | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| python | | | |
| radius | | | |
| recode | [] [] [] | | |
| screem | | | |
| sed | [] [] | | |
| sh-utils | [] | | |
| sharutils | [] | | |
| sketch | [] | | |
| soundtracker | | | |
| sp | | | |
| tar | [] [] [] [] [] [] | | |
| texinfo | [] | | |
| textutils | [] | | |
| tin | | | |
| util-linux | [] [] | | |
| vorbis-tools | [] [] | | |
| wastesedge | | | |
| wdiff | [] [] [] [] | | |
| wget | [] [] [] | | |
| xchat | [] [] | | |
| xpad | [] | | |
| +----------------------------------------+ | |
| lg lt lv ms nb nl nn no pl pt pt_BR ro | |
| 0 0 2 11 7 26 3 4 18 15 34 34 | |
| ru sk sl sr sv ta tr uk vi wa zh_CN zh_TW | |
| +-------------------------------------------+ | |
| a2ps | [] [] [] [] [] | 16 | |
| aegis | () | 0 | |
| anubis | [] [] | 5 | |
| ap-utils | () | 1 | |
| bash | [] | 7 | |
| batchelor | | 1 | |
| bfd | [] [] [] | 7 | |
| binutils | [] [] [] | 7 | |
| bison | [] [] | 13 | |
| bluez-pin | | 7 | |
| clisp | | 0 | |
| clisp | | 5 | |
| coreutils | [] [] [] [] [] | 14 | |
| cpio | [] [] [] | 13 | |
| darkstat | [] () () | 9 | |
| diffutils | [] [] [] [] | 21 | |
| e2fsprogs | [] | 3 | |
| enscript | [] [] [] | 11 | |
| error | [] [] [] | 14 | |
| fetchmail | [] | 7 | |
| fileutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 15 | |
| findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 27 | |
| flex | [] [] [] | 10 | |
| gas | [] | 3 | |
| gawk | [] [] | 9 | |
| gcal | [] [] | 4 | |
| gcc | [] | 4 | |
| gettext | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 15 | |
| gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 16 | |
| gettext-tools | [] [] | 5 | |
| gimp-print | [] [] | 10 | |
| gliv | | 1 | |
| glunarclock | [] [] [] | 11 | |
| gnucash | [] [] | 4 | |
| gnucash-glossary | [] [] [] | 8 | |
| gnupg | [] [] [] [] | 16 | |
| gpe-calendar | [] | 5 | |
| gpe-conf | | 3 | |
| gpe-contacts | [] | 4 | |
| gpe-edit | [] | 5 | |
| gpe-login | [] | 5 | |
| gpe-ownerinfo | [] | 7 | |
| gpe-sketchbook | [] | 5 | |
| gpe-timesheet | [] | 6 | |
| gpe-today | [] | 6 | |
| gpe-todo | [] | 6 | |
| gphoto2 | [] [] | 9 | |
| gprof | [] [] | 7 | |
| gpsdrive | [] [] | 3 | |
| grep | [] [] [] [] | 24 | |
| gretl | | 2 | |
| hello | [] [] [] [] [] | 33 | |
| id-utils | [] [] [] | 11 | |
| indent | [] [] [] [] | 19 | |
| jpilot | [] [] [] [] [] | 10 | |
| jwhois | () () [] [] | 10 | |
| kbd | [] [] | 8 | |
| ld | [] [] | 5 | |
| libc | [] [] [] [] | 20 | |
| libgpewidget | | 6 | |
| libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 21 | |
| lifelines | [] | 2 | |
| lilypond | [] | 4 | |
| lingoteach | | 2 | |
| lingoteach_lessons | () | 0 | |
| lynx | [] [] [] [] | 14 | |
| m4 | [] [] [] | 15 | |
| mailutils | | 2 | |
| make | [] [] [] [] | 15 | |
| man-db | [] | 6 | |
| mysecretdiary | [] [] | 8 | |
| nano | [] [] [] | 15 | |
| nano_1_0 | [] [] [] | 15 | |
| opcodes | [] [] | 9 | |
| parted | [] [] | 13 | |
| ptx | [] [] [] | 22 | |
| python | | 0 | |
| radius | | 0 | |
| recode | [] [] [] [] | 19 | |
| screem | [] | 1 | |
| sed | [] [] [] [] [] | 20 | |
| sh-utils | [] [] [] | 13 | |
| sharutils | [] [] [] [] | 16 | |
| sketch | [] | 5 | |
| soundtracker | [] | 7 | |
| sp | [] | 3 | |
| tar | [] [] [] [] [] | 24 | |
| texinfo | [] [] [] [] | 13 | |
| textutils | [] [] [] [] [] | 15 | |
| tin | | 1 | |
| util-linux | [] [] | 14 | |
| vorbis-tools | [] | 7 | |
| wastesedge | | 0 | |
| wdiff | [] [] [] [] | 17 | |
| wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 25 | |
| xchat | [] [] [] | 11 | |
| xpad | | 1 | |
| +-------------------------------------------+ | |
| 50 teams ru sk sl sr sv ta tr uk vi wa zh_CN zh_TW | |
| 97 domains 32 19 16 0 56 0 48 10 1 1 12 23 913 | |
| Some counters in the preceding matrix are higher than the number of | |
| visible blocks let us expect. This is because a few extra PO files are | |
| used for implementing regional variants of languages, or language | |
| dialects. | |
| For a PO file in the matrix above to be effective, the package to | |
| which it applies should also have been internationalized and | |
| distributed as such by its maintainer. There might be an observable | |
| lag between the mere existence a PO file and its wide availability in a | |
| distribution. | |
| If May 2003 seems to be old, you may fetch a more recent copy of | |
| this `ABOUT-NLS' file on most GNU archive sites. The most up-to-date | |
| matrix with full percentage details can be found at | |
| `http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/matrix.html'. | |
| Using `gettext' in new packages | |
| =============================== | |
| If you are writing a freely available program and want to | |
| internationalize it you are welcome to use GNU `gettext' in your | |
| package. Of course you have to respect the GNU Library General Public | |
| License which covers the use of the GNU `gettext' library. This means | |
| in particular that even non-free programs can use `libintl' as a shared | |
| library, whereas only free software can use `libintl' as a static | |
| library or use modified versions of `libintl'. | |
| Once the sources are changed appropriately and the setup can handle | |
| the use of `gettext' the only thing missing are the translations. The | |
| Free Translation Project is also available for packages which are not | |
| developed inside the GNU project. Therefore the information given above | |
| applies also for every other Free Software Project. Contact | |
| `translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to make the `.pot' files available to | |
| the translation teams. | |