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diff --git a/ABOUT-NLS b/ABOUT-NLS new file mode 100644 index 000000000..1d7309be4 --- /dev/null +++ b/ABOUT-NLS @@ -0,0 +1,219 @@ +Notes on the GNU Translation Project +************************************ + + GNU is going international! The GNU Translation Project is a way to +get maintainers, translators and users all together, so GNU will +gradually become able to speak many native languages. A few packages +already provide native language translation for their messages. + + If you found this `ABOUT-NLS' file inside a GNU 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. + +One advise in advance +===================== + + If you want to exploit the full power of internationalization, you +should configure it using + + ./configure --with-gnu-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, no +prior implementation provides as many useful features (such as locale +alias or message inheritance). 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. + +INSTALL Matters +=============== + + Some GNU 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 provides +usable `catgets' or `gettext' functions. If neither is available, 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-gnu-gettext + ./configure --disable-nls + +will respectively bypass any pre-existing `catgets' or `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-gnu-gettext + +to prevent auto-detection. + + 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 +ISO 639 `LL' two-letter code prior to using the programs in the +package. For example, let's suppose that you speak German. At the +shell prompt, merely execute `setenv LANG de' (in `csh'), +`export LANG; LANG=de' (in `sh') or `export LANG=de' (in `bash'). This +can be done from your `.login' or `.profile' file, once and for all. + + An operating system might already offer message localization for +many of its programs, while other programs (whether GNU or not) have +been installed locally with the full capabilities of GNU `gettext'. +Just using `gettext' extended syntax for `LANG' would break proper +localization of already available operating system programs. In this +case, users should set both `LANGUAGE' and `LANG' variables in their +environment, as programs using GNU `gettext' give preference to +`LANGUAGE'. For example, some Swedish users would rather read +translations in German than English for when Swedish is not available. +This is easily accomplished by setting `LANGUAGE' to `sv:de' while +leaving `LANG' to `sv'. + +Translating Teams +================= + + The GNU `gettext' tool set contains *everything* maintainers need +for internationalizing their packages for messages. It also contains +quite useful tools for helping translators at localizing messages to +their native language, once a package has already been +internationalized. + + To achieve the GNU Translation Project, we need many 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 translating team has its own mailing list, courtesy of Linux +International. You may reach your translating team at the address +`LL@li.org', replacing LL by the two-letter ISO 639 code for your +language. Language codes are *not* the same as country codes given in +ISO 3166. The following translating teams exist, as of January 1996: + + Chinese `zh', Czech `cs', Danish `da', Dutch `nl', English `en', + Esperanto `eo', Finnish `fi', French `fr', Irish `ga', German + `de', Greek `el', Italian `it', Japanese `ja', Indonesian `in', + Norwegian `no', Persian `fa', Polish `pl', Portuguese `pt', + Russian `ru', Spanish `es', Swedish `sv', Telugu `te' and Turkish + `tr'. + +For example, you may reach the Chinese translating team by writing to +`zh@li.org'. + + 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, Swedish people can send a message to +`sv-request@li.org', having this message body: + + subscribe + + Keep in mind that team members should be interested in *working* at +translations, or at solving translational difficulties, rather than +merely lurking around. If your team does not exist yet and you want to +start one, please write to `gnu-translation@gnu.ai.mit.edu'; you will +then reach the GNU coordinator for all translator teams. + + The English team is special. It works at improving and uniformizing +the terminology used in GNU. Proven linguistic skill are praised more +than programming skill, here. For the time being, please avoid +subscribing to the English team unless explicitely invited to do so. + +Available Packages +================== + + Languages are not equally supported in all GNU packages. The +following matrix shows the current state of GNU internationalization, +as of January 1996. Listed are: internationalized packages, and +languages for which work is in progress, or about to start. + + See note cs de en fr it ja ko nl no pl pt sv + \ .-------------------------------------. + chess (1) | X / X | + clisp | X X X | + diffutils (2) | / . | + fileutils | . / | + flex (3) | / . | + m4 | - / - - . - | + gettext | X / X - X - X | + ptx | - / - - | + recode | - / - - - | + sh-utils | . / . | + sharutils | X / X X X X X | + tar | X / X - X X | + textutils | . / . | + wdiff | - - / - - | + `-------------------------------------' + cs de en fr it ja ko nl no pl pt sv + + The interpretation legend and notes are: + +`/' + There is no PO file, this package merely defaults to this language. + +`.' + The effort of localizing this package has been undertaken by + someone, or by a translating team, and work is, or should be in + progress. + +`-' + A PO file for this package and this language is completed and is + currently available in a pretest release, or is all ready for + inclusion in the next release of this package. + +`X' + The localization of this package to this particular language is + fully completed, and now distributed through an official release. + +(1) + This package is translated to specific languages by methods + predating GNU `gettext'. Translations are all kept on disk files, + and sources contain numbers where one normally expects strings. + +(2) + This package is planned to switch to GNU `gettext'. For the time + being, it uses temporary means for internationalization. + +(3) + This package has its translatable strings marked, but does not use + GNU `gettext'. A convenience patch may be available separately. + + If January 1996 seems to be old, you may fetch a more recent copy of +this `ABOUT-NLS' file on most GNU archive sites. + |