ubuntu-translations-coordinators team mailing list archive

[Gunnar Hjalmarsson <gunnarhj@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On 2021-05-09 19:08, Jay Philips wrote:
> Hi Gunnar,
>
> > Thanks for your note. What's the purpose with that group?
>
> As mentioned in the group's description, its a 'Group for translators
> of all languages to any of Ubuntu's flavors, remixes, and
> derivatives. The main focus is to welcome new translators and to
> translate projects on Lauchpad.'

"Projects on Launchpad" is a bit ambiguous. Most templates on this list:

https://translations.launchpad.net/ubuntu/impish/+lang/de

(German picked as an example) should normally *not* be translated on 
Launchpad. Templates where Launchpad is upstream should indeed be 
translated on Launchpad. But otherwise it's best to do the translation 
efforts upstream. Those translations will later make it to Launchpad 
automatically.

Then there are some packages where most strings should be translated 
upstream, but where patches add some Ubuntu specific translatable 
strings. Those strings need to be translated on Launchpad.

There is one exception: Soon before a release translators may want to 
translate some strings directly in Launchpad, even if they have been / 
will be translated upstream, since they won't otherwise make it in time.

What I'm trying to say here is important to understand for everyone who 
wants to contribute to "Ubuntu translation".

> > While I personally  think that an additional entry point, where
> > prospective translators are directed to the right people and
> > resources to get started, would be a good thing, that's not exactly
> > what I see in the group so far. I see questions about how things
> > work rather than useful guidance.
>
> The group was setup a week ago and is still in its infancy and the
> few people presently in it are looking to set the ground work of how
> best to move forward with the group before its opened to the public,
> which includes better understanding how things work and how things
> can be improved.

Fair enough.

> > Some basics about Ubuntu translation:
>
> Thanks for the information, though I presume you didn't see the
> google doc I was preparing here.
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Qq2ZaISimBryqMJm29h96yuLDWPEIdqrKbNEDWOLWq8/edit#

Actually I did, and I think you have added a couple of items since. ;)

I assume you have seen the docs at 
<https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Translations>. While there indeed is room for 
improvement of those docs, that's *the* place to go if you want to learn 
how it works.

Creating an enough complete translation documentation elsewhere would be 
unfortunate IMO. Ubuntu translation is a rather complex subject, and 
having to maintain docs at multiple places would not be desirable.

That's the reason for my hesitation. Sure, an additional entry point 
would be fine, but it should better be very short and lead the visitors to

1. the info provided by the translators team for the language

2. the wiki for further reading

rather than trying to explain it all.

> > So if you want to inform  about translation through a Telegram
> > group, I can think that you  should start with finding out how it
> > works. The ubuntu-translators  mailing list is a suitable place to
> > ask for advice and clarifications.
>
> Signed up for the ML but my emails aren't going through.

That's bad. I also noticed that your message with a CC to 
ubuntu-translations-coordinators@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx didn't make it to 
that list even if I approved it.

I think you should ask a question here:

https://answers.launchpad.net/launchpad/

and ask them to investigate what's going on.

Rgds,

/ Gunnar