Re: proposal for translated content projects

Jack Catchpoole a écrit :

> Hi all,
> 
> I am overwhelmed by the fantastic response we've had to 
> the call for translated content on the website.  In just
> a week we've added 6 new languages to the home page, we
> already have all the suggested "essential docs" translated
> into Spanish, there are at least another 2 home page
> translations that I know of in my overflowing Inbox, and
> probably more pages that I haven't yet seen (but will get
> to!) ... Excellent stuff!  Congratulations to you all,
> and many thanks.
Thanks to you to have accepted the proposal to translate the web pages, 
accepted to use UTF-8, 
accepted to put in place XML to facilitate translation of Sprout, 
...
> 
> So all of this has got me thinkng.  Seems like we have a
> lot of interest in doing this, and people are willing to
> offer help, but we have no real plan or way to make sure
> volunteers have something to do, if and when they come 
> along.
> 
> Here's some ideas, but they're just that - ideas.  Not
> final, just proposals - please add your comments and
> suggest alternatives if you have them.
As you know, I will certainly post a long comment ;-)
> 
> It seems a bit hit and miss to offer the translated pages
> that we have only "parallel" to their english versions,
> buried deep in the site.  Sure, we have spanish, dutch,
> french ... versions of /community/lists/index.html, but
> what if a spanish speaker who doesn't speak english
> lands on the site ?  
Logically, a spanish speaker who doesn't speak english, use the spanish version of Google (http://www.google.es/)
and will do a search of NetBeans with option 'páginas en español' that will give him in the two first links the pages of netbeans (www.netbeans.org/index_es.html and www.netbeans.org/community/contribute/index_es.html).
So, normally, it would not be a problem.
> If they came from Google they might
> land anywhere in the site, not be able to read any
> navigation etc, and never find our translated pages -
> and never know that there are other spanish speaking NB 
> community members out there that she could talk to.
> Hopefully they'll check the home page, and find their
> translated welcome page, but that doesn't link to any
> other translated content on the site ...
True, but on the main page, you can invite your guest to look at the map page, 
to find all web pages having a spanish flag.
And also go to the kb/index.html page, that list all articles by category, 
but where not yet flags are appearing 
(I know that you are choosing between a flag or the iso 2 letters, 
but please choose asap, to have a coherent web site ).
> 
> As you might know, SourceCast, the app that hosts
> netbeans.org, uses the principle of "modules", where each
> SourceCast module has it's own website, issue tracking
> category, cvs permissions, mailing lists, etc etc.  I was
> wondering if we shouldn't set up new modules for each new
> language, ISO.netbeans.org where ISO is the language code
> as we have been using for html pages (fr, nl, es ...).
Af first glance, it would be nice, but at second glance, it will be difficult.
hereafter the reason why:

If we want a fr.netbeans.org site, having the same look and feel than the official one, 
www.netbeans.org, we have to translate the pages appearing in the www site, with all texts, menu, and images wrapped around.
And that added things are really painful to read when you have to translate a page.

Another problem, is that you have to change all the links to images or not yet already translated pages. So, no more possible to don't change the links. Because all links are relatives ones.

Another problem, is that it will be impossible to have a printable version of the translated document. (Now, it's not a problem, the translated files are also available in testwww, without any menu, header, ..., so have both the printable and displayable version of the document.

Personaly, I would like to continue as now. 
Just do efforts to adapt scripts that have to wrap text with localized menus, and I will be glad.
And maybe also construct a RSS for each language. It will permit to have RSS available in the other language than english one.

But please feel you free to give me more arguments to convince me.

> 
> We would have to set up some guidelines for creation of a
> new project like this, eg :
> 
> - make sure there is enough interest in doing it
> - make sure there is/are volunteers interested and able
>   to actually *do* the work required
> - some minimum number of translated key docs to put on 
>   the site ?
> - A volunteer leader who controls commit permissions etc ?
> 
> In the standard site navigation header or footer, we
> could add links like (please excuse my spelling and incorrect
> chars) :
> 
> <link>Cesky</link> | <link>Espanol</link> | <link>Francais</link> | ...
> 
> These links would either appear on the home page (or maybe
> every page ?), and link to the appropriate language site.
> 
> Each site would start off with some minimum set of docs,
> say the 5 or 6 "essential docs" we've discussed.  There 
> shoudl be some standard navigation for each site, linking
> those docs up.  
> 
> There should be a well defined list of other things to 
> work on, if and when new volunteers come along :
> 
> - other website content (the new "Using NetBeans Guide"
>   for eg);
> - translate Sprout
> - translate the IDE ?
> - other docs selected by the localisation team, that
>   they feel are important to that language community ...
> 
> After the essentials are there, and the TODO list is
> up, and the "how to get involved" info is up, basically
> whatever else appears on the site would be entirely up
> to that team.
> 
> That site should also be the focus point for the translation
> effort - meaning there is info there about how to join
> if interested, there is some kind of status dashboard
> showing what is done and what is needed ... 
> 
> It would also be great if that site could be the focus
> point for localising the IDE itself into that language -
> same principle, a status board showing what is done and
> what needs to be done.
> 
> translatedfiles.netbeans.org should serve as the "home" of
> IDE localisation efforts, where HOWTOs and guides on what
> to actually do to localise the IDE are hosted.
> 
> Initially a/the project leader/s would have commit
> privileges, and, following the existing guidelines, grant
> commit access to new members who contribute content.
> 
> Each language project would be independent of the main www
> project - don't need to wait on someone with commit
> privileges for www to add your pages or make corrections.
> 
> Enough for now.  Comments ?


-- 
Vincent Brabant
----------------
http://www.netbeans.org/index_fr.html
http://vbrabant-fr.skynetblogs.be