Re: [GMG-Devel] Replace tarnsifex in mediagoblin?

[Jim Campbell]

Hi All,

On Wed, Aug 13, 2014, at 09:58 AM, Christopher Allan Webber wrote:
> address@hidden writes:
> 
> > On 2014-08-07
> > vlado <address@hidden> wrote:
> >
> >> Hi ,
> >> 
> >> In my opinion it's not appropriate to force me to use centralized
> >> translation solution (transifex) with what is effectively
> >> decentralized social media system. Is there any way to use local
> >> translation?
> >> Thanks
> >> Regards
> >> Vladimir:
> >
> > Hello,
> >
> >
> > I have been translating various free software packages and I must say I 
> > agree.
> > Transifex allows you to download and upload a PO file, but IIRC you need to 
> > run
> > nonfree JS in your web browser for this to work. I also tried using the `tx`
> > program once, but for a reason I don't remember it failed. The point is,
> > regardless of technical terms Transifex is proprietary and centralized.
> >
> > I recently decided to stop looking for workarounds and just ask project
> > developers to push PO files directly to Git, but large projects don't do 
> > that
> > (and it's much more complicated than using translator-friendly tools) and 
> > then
> > I miss many projects I would otherwise like to translate.
> >
> > The best solution I know is running a local Pootle server as part of the
> > project, e.g. at a subdomain of the project website. No centralized service
> > dependency and full support for PO files, including download and upload.
> >
> >
> > Just a personal feeling, anyway. If any of my projects ever needs a 
> > translation
> > server, I'll use a locally installed one because that's the best (maybe 
> > nearly
> > the only) way to actively support decentralization and community 
> > sustainability.
> 
> Heya,
> 
> Sorry about taking so long to reply to this thread.
> 
> Transifex was not originally proprietary when we started to use it... it
> was free software, GPLv2, and python based.  We were also using it at
> Creative Commons when I worked there, and it was well liked.
> 
> https://github.com/transifex/transifex still has the old free software
> codebase.  Unfortunately it is no longer maintained, and Transifex went
> proprietary, and we weren't aware... it slipped under my radar.  I
> hadn't realized it until they sent me an email mentioning that they were
> excited to be patenting their Transifex Live system, which lead to a
> "WTF?" moment.  Until that moment, I thought Transifex was still free
> software.
> 
> We'll be moving to something else, but I am a bit overloaded, and weo
> need to get 0.7.0 out the door along with rewards.  After that I'll be
> looking at moving us over.
> 
> Yes, MediaGoblin relying on proprietary software is unacceptable.  We
> didn't realize it was happening because that rug was pulled out of our
> feet while we were still standing on it.
> 
> If someone wants to volunteer to help with the move, we'll probably
> either be moving to WikiTranslate or Pootle.
> 
> Thanks!
>  - Chris
> 
> _______________________________________________
> devel mailing list
> address@hidden
> http://lists.mediagoblin.org/listinfo/devel


This sounds reasonable to me, Chris.  Also, for what it's worth, the
Fedora Project documentation team is facing the same issue. Here's a
relevant thread on their mailing list about it:

https://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/docs/2014-July/015674.html

It doesn't really seem like they have a resolution on the matter, but
the thread mentions both Pootle and Zanata as potential options.

Regards,

Jim