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Releasing translated editions

 

Hello, everyone.

Now that we've successfully released Getting Started with Ubuntu 10.04
in English, it's time to turn our attention to releasing the
translated versions.

Each translated version will be released as it's ready.  To ensure
that the translated versions are as high quality as the original
English version, we will assign an editor to each translation.  The
editor will work with the translators and will let us know when their
translation is ready to be released.

Before the translation is released, the following must be done:

1. All of the screenshots must be taken and proofed.  To check the
status of the screenshots for your language, see
http://screenshots.ubuntu-manual.org/.  If you have any questions
about the screenshots, you can ask on this mailing list or in our IRC
channel.

2. All of the text must be translated in Launchpad.  To check the
status of your translation, see
https://translations.launchpad.net/ubuntu-manual.

3. The translated manual must compile cleanly to the PDF.  There must
be no errors during compilation.  You can check the status of the your
translations PDF at http://builds.ubuntu-manual.org/.  If you have
questions about the status there or need help troubleshooting an error
or warning message, you may contact me via this list or in the IRC
channel.

4. Finally, the editor will need to go through the translated manual
and make sure that it looks good visually.  This means that the margin
notes should be properly aligned with the paragraphs they refer to and
they're not falling off the page. Screenshots should be in place.  And
the design of the manual (layout, typography, title page, etc.) should
be of excellent quality.  I will work with you on this (as much of
these issues are handled in the code that I have to write myself).

Once the editor has approved all of the above, three versions of the
manual will be created:  (a) a PDF suitable for on-screen viewing
(with colored hyperlinks), (b) a PDF suitable for printing at home
(without hyperlinks), and (c) a version to be submitted to lulu.com
for sale (which requires US letter-sized paper instead of A4 paper).

For this process to work, we will need an editor for each translation.
 If you would like to be the editor for your translation, please
respond to this email with your full name, email address, Launchpad
ID, and language.  The editors should be fluent in the language,
willing to help edit .tex files directly (primarily to rearrange
margin notes and other tweaks), have a critical eye for grammar,
punctuation, design, and typography.  (You will, of course, be able to
have other translators help you with this work.)  As an editor, you
will be the primary point of contact for that translation and will
have the final say as to when the translation gets published.

If you have any questions about this process, please feel free to
respond to this email or chat with us in the IRC channel.

The IRC channel is located on Freenode #ubuntu-manual.  My IRC nick is godbyk.

Thanks for all your hard work and help in making the Ubuntu Manual
Project such a success!

--Kevin Godby



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