Re: Emacs localization (Re: Why emacs have not native language menu)

[Jean-Christophe Helary]

On 24 juil. 07, at 20:35, Harald Hanche-Olsen wrote:

> Emacs is very old and was never designed for localization.  Of course,
> localization support can be added in principle, but it's probably not
> a small job.  Neither is it medium sized, if you get my drift.

Of course. But there is a tutorial, there are manuals there is a  
basic core GUI. That makes a set of a relatively limited scope, and  
as far as I know most of the "external" data already has translation.

So I think the actual scope of the work is actually much smaller than  
most people imagine. And _because_ emacs is extensible it is actually  
possible to consider each major part included in a release as one  
localization project of its own.

In the end, it is really a matter of finding a system and about  
asking developers to stick to that system, just like they do when  
they write documentation for their code.

> I expect the problem is an order of magnitude larger with emacs:  If
> you include all the contributed elisp code, the number of strings that
> would need localization and translation is absolutely huge.

I think you underestimate the will of localizers. If there is a  
system available for localizers who may not have the coding power to  
actually create that system, they'll flock in and organize  
localization/translation/proofreading/delivery themselves.

> I don't say it can't be done, but it is very unlikely to happen unless
> a group of dedicated and well qualified individuals are willing and
> able to donate a substantial amount of time to the project.
>
> Did I hear you volunteer?  Good luck!

I would if a reasonably simple system exist. I am a translator by  
trade, not a coder.


Jean-Christophe Helary