GNU Info

Info Node: (gettext.info)Discussions

(gettext.info)Discussions


Next: Organization Prev: Trans Intro 1 Up: Translators
Enter node , (file) or (file)node

Discussions
===========

   Facing this internationalization effort, a few users expressed their
concerns.  Some of these doubts are presented and discussed, here.

   * Smaller groups

     Some languages are not spoken by a very large number of people, so
     people speaking them sometimes consider that there may not be all
     that much demand such versions of free software packages.
     Moreover, many people being _into computers_, in some countries,
     generally seem to prefer English versions of their software.

     On the other end, people might enjoy their own language a lot, and
     be very motivated at providing to themselves the pleasure of
     having their beloved free software speaking their mother tongue.
     They do themselves a personal favor, and do not pay that much
     attention to the number of people beneficiating of their work.

   * Misinterpretation

     Other users are shy to push forward their own language, seeing in
     this some kind of misplaced propaganda.  Someone thought there
     must be some users of the language over the networks pestering
     other people with it.

     But any spoken language is worth localization, because there are
     people behind the language for whom the language is important and
     dear to their hearts.

   * Odd translations

     The biggest problem is to find the right translations so that
     everybody can understand the messages.  Translations are usually a
     little odd.  Some people get used to English, to the extent they
     may find translations into their own language "rather pushy,
     obnoxious and sometimes even hilarious."  As a French speaking
     man, I have the experience of those instruction manuals for goods,
     so poorly translated in French in Korea or Taiwan...

     The fact is that we sometimes have to create a kind of national
     computer culture, and this is not easy without the collaboration of
     many people liking their mother tongue.  This is why translations
     are better achieved by people knowing and loving their own
     language, and ready to work together at improving the results they
     obtain.

   * Dependencies over the GPL or LGPL

     Some people wonder if using GNU `gettext' necessarily brings their
     package under the protective wing of the GNU General Public
     License or the GNU Library General Public License, when they do
     not want to make their program free, or want other kinds of
     freedom.  The simplest answer is "normally not".

     The GNU `gettext' library, i.e. the contents of `libintl', is
     covered by the GNU Library General Public License.  The rest of
     the GNU `gettext' package is covered by the GNU General Public
     License.

     The mere marking of localizable strings in a package, or
     conditional inclusion of a few lines for initialization, is not
     really including GPL'ed or LGPL'ed code.  However, since the
     localization routines in `libintl' are under the LGPL, the LGPL
     needs to be considered.  It gives the right to distribute the
     complete unmodified source of `libintl' even with non-free
     programs.  It also gives the right to use `libintl' as a shared
     library, even for non-free programs.  But it gives the right to
     use `libintl' as a static library or to incorporate `libintl' into
     another library only to free software.



automatically generated by info2www version 1.2.2.9