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1Notes on the Free Translation Project
2*************************************
3
4   Free software is going international!  The Free Translation Project
5is a way to get maintainers of free software, translators, and users all
6together, so that will gradually become able to speak many languages.
7A few packages already provide translations for their messages.
8
9   If you found this `ABOUT-NLS' file inside a distribution, you may
10assume that the distributed package does use GNU `gettext' internally,
11itself available at your nearest GNU archive site.  But you do _not_
12need to install GNU `gettext' prior to configuring, installing or using
13this package with messages translated.
14
15   Installers will find here some useful hints.  These notes also
16explain how users should proceed for getting the programs to use the
17available translations.  They tell how people wanting to contribute and
18work at translations should contact the appropriate team.
19
20   When reporting bugs in the `intl/' directory or bugs which may be
21related to internationalization, you should tell about the version of
22`gettext' which is used.  The information can be found in the
23`intl/VERSION' file, in internationalized packages.
24
25Quick configuration advice
26==========================
27
28   If you want to exploit the full power of internationalization, you
29should configure it using
30
31     ./configure --with-included-gettext
32
33to force usage of internationalizing routines provided within this
34package, despite the existence of internationalizing capabilities in the
35operating system where this package is being installed.  So far, only
36the `gettext' implementation in the GNU C library version 2 provides as
37many features (such as locale alias, message inheritance, automatic
38charset conversion or plural form handling) as the implementation here.
39It is also not possible to offer this additional functionality on top
40of a `catgets' implementation.  Future versions of GNU `gettext' will
41very likely convey even more functionality.  So it might be a good idea
42to change to GNU `gettext' as soon as possible.
43
44   So you need _not_ provide this option if you are using GNU libc 2 or
45you have installed a recent copy of the GNU gettext package with the
46included `libintl'.
47
48INSTALL Matters
49===============
50
51   Some packages are "localizable" when properly installed; the
52programs they contain can be made to speak your own native language.
53Most such packages use GNU `gettext'.  Other packages have their own
54ways to internationalization, predating GNU `gettext'.
55
56   By default, this package will be installed to allow translation of
57messages.  It will automatically detect whether the system already
58provides the GNU `gettext' functions.  If not, the GNU `gettext' own
59library will be used.  This library is wholly contained within this
60package, usually in the `intl/' subdirectory, so prior installation of
61the GNU `gettext' package is _not_ required.  Installers may use
62special options at configuration time for changing the default
63behaviour.  The commands:
64
65     ./configure --with-included-gettext
66     ./configure --disable-nls
67
68will respectively bypass any pre-existing `gettext' to use the
69internationalizing routines provided within this package, or else,
70_totally_ disable translation of messages.
71
72   When you already have GNU `gettext' installed on your system and run
73configure without an option for your new package, `configure' will
74probably detect the previously built and installed `libintl.a' file and
75will decide to use this.  This might be not what is desirable.  You
76should use the more recent version of the GNU `gettext' library.  I.e.
77if the file `intl/VERSION' shows that the library which comes with this
78package is more recent, you should use
79
80     ./configure --with-included-gettext
81
82to prevent auto-detection.
83
84   The configuration process will not test for the `catgets' function
85and therefore it will not be used.  The reason is that even an
86emulation of `gettext' on top of `catgets' could not provide all the
87extensions of the GNU `gettext' library.
88
89   Internationalized packages have usually many `po/LL.po' files, where
90LL gives an ISO 639 two-letter code identifying the language.  Unless
91translations have been forbidden at `configure' time by using the
92`--disable-nls' switch, all available translations are installed
93together with the package.  However, the environment variable `LINGUAS'
94may be set, prior to configuration, to limit the installed set.
95`LINGUAS' should then contain a space separated list of two-letter
96codes, stating which languages are allowed.
97
98Using This Package
99==================
100
101   As a user, if your language has been installed for this package, you
102only have to set the `LANG' environment variable to the appropriate
103`LL_CC' combination.  Here `LL' is an ISO 639 two-letter language code,
104and `CC' is an ISO 3166 two-letter country code.  For example, let's
105suppose that you speak German and live in Germany.  At the shell
106prompt, merely execute `setenv LANG de_DE' (in `csh'),
107`export LANG; LANG=de_DE' (in `sh') or `export LANG=de_DE' (in `bash').
108This can be done from your `.login' or `.profile' file, once and for
109all.
110
111   You might think that the country code specification is redundant.
112But in fact, some languages have dialects in different countries.  For
113example, `de_AT' is used for Austria, and `pt_BR' for Brazil.  The
114country code serves to distinguish the dialects.
115
116   Not all programs have translations for all languages.  By default, an
117English message is shown in place of a nonexistent translation.  If you
118understand other languages, you can set up a priority list of languages.
119This is done through a different environment variable, called
120`LANGUAGE'.  GNU `gettext' gives preference to `LANGUAGE' over `LANG'
121for the purpose of message handling, but you still need to have `LANG'
122set to the primary language; this is required by other parts of the
123system libraries.  For example, some Swedish users who would rather
124read translations in German than English for when Swedish is not
125available, set `LANGUAGE' to `sv:de' while leaving `LANG' to `sv_SE'.
126
127   In the `LANGUAGE' environment variable, but not in the `LANG'
128environment variable, `LL_CC' combinations can be abbreviated as `LL'
129to denote the language's main dialect.  For example, `de' is equivalent
130to `de_DE' (German as spoken in Germany), and `pt' to `pt_PT'
131(Portuguese as spoken in Portugal) in this context.
132
133Translating Teams
134=================
135
136   For the Free Translation Project to be a success, we need interested
137people who like their own language and write it well, and who are also
138able to synergize with other translators speaking the same language.
139Each translation team has its own mailing list.  The up-to-date list of
140teams can be found at the Free Translation Project's homepage,
141`http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/', in the "National teams"
142area.
143
144   If you'd like to volunteer to _work_ at translating messages, you
145should become a member of the translating team for your own language.
146The subscribing address is _not_ the same as the list itself, it has
147`-request' appended.  For example, speakers of Swedish can send a
148message to `sv-request@li.org', having this message body:
149
150     subscribe
151
152   Keep in mind that team members are expected to participate
153_actively_ in translations, or at solving translational difficulties,
154rather than merely lurking around.  If your team does not exist yet and
155you want to start one, or if you are unsure about what to do or how to
156get started, please write to `translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to reach the
157coordinator for all translator teams.
158
159   The English team is special.  It works at improving and uniformizing
160the terminology in use.  Proven linguistic skill are praised more than
161programming skill, here.
162
163Available Packages
164==================
165
166   Languages are not equally supported in all packages.  The following
167matrix shows the current state of internationalization, as of September
1682001.  The matrix shows, in regard of each package, for which languages
169PO files have been submitted to translation coordination, with a
170translation percentage of at least 50%.
171
172     Ready PO files    bg cs da de el en eo es et fi fr gl he hr id it ja
173                     +----------------------------------------------------+
174     a2ps            |          []             []    []                   |
175     bash            |          []       [] []       []                   |
176     bfd             |                                                    |
177     binutils        |                               []                   |
178     bison           |          []          [] []    []                [] |
179     clisp           |          []    []    []       []                   |
180     cpio            |       [] []          []       [] []                |
181     diffutils       |       [] []       [] []       [] []       []       |
182     enscript        |          []                   []                   |
183     error           |                      []       []                   |
184     fetchmail       |                                                    |
185     fileutils       |    [] [] [] []       []       [] []             [] |
186     findutils       |       [] []          [] []    [] []       [] []    |
187     flex            |       []             []       []                   |
188     freetype        |                                                    |
189     gas             |                                                    |
190     gawk            |                               []    []             |
191     gcal            |                                                    |
192     gcc             |                                                    |
193     gettext         |    [] [] [] []       []       [] []       [] [] [] |
194     gnupg           |          []       []    []    [] []          [] [] |
195     gprof           |                                                    |
196     grep            |    []    []       [] [] []    [] []          []    |
197     hello           |       [] [] []    [] [] [] [] [] []          [] [] |
198     id-utils        |       [] []                   []                   |
199     indent          |       [] []             []    [] []                |
200     jpilot          |                               []                   |
201     kbd             |                                                    |
202     ld              |                               []                   |
203     libc            |    [] [] [] []       []       [] []             [] |
204     lilypond        |                                                 [] |
205     lynx            |    [] [] []                                     [] |
206     m4              |    [] [] [] []                [] []       []    [] |
207     make            |       [] []          []       [] []             [] |
208     mysecretdiary   |          []                                        |
209     nano            |                      []          []       []       |
210     opcodes         |                                                    |
211     parted          |          []                      []             [] |
212     ptx             |       [] []          [] []    [] []       []       |
213     python          |                                                    |
214     recode          |       [] [] []    [] []       [] [] []       []    |
215     sed             |    [] [] [] []    []    []    [] [] []    [] [] [] |
216     sh-utils        |    [] [] [] []       [] []    [] []          [] [] |
217     sharutils       |    [] [] [] []       []       [] []             [] |
218     sketch          |                                                    |
219     soundtracker    |          []          []          []                |
220     sp              |                                                    |
221     tar             |    [] [] []          [] []    []             [] [] |
222     texinfo         |    [] [] []       []          []                [] |
223     textutils       |    [] [] [] []       []       [] []             [] |
224     util-linux      |    [] []                                           |
225     wdiff           |       [] []             []                         |
226     wget            |    [] [] [] []       [] []    [] [] []          [] |
227                     +----------------------------------------------------+
228                       bg cs da de el en eo es et fi fr gl he hr id it ja
229                        0 14 24 32 11  1  8 23 13  1 33 22  4  0  7  9 18
230     
231                       ko lv nb nl nn no pl pt pt_BR ru sk sl sv tr uk zh
232                     +----------------------------------------------------+
233     a2ps            |          []                   []    []             |  6
234     bash            |                                                    |  4
235     bfd             |                                                    |  0
236     binutils        |                                                    |  1
237     bison           |                               []                   |  6
238     clisp           |          []                                        |  5
239     cpio            | []       []       []     []   []                   | 10
240     diffutils       |                   []          []       [] []       | 11
241     enscript        |          []              []   []                   |  5
242     error           |                                  []       []       |  4
243     fetchmail       |                                                    |  0
244     fileutils       | []       []       []     []   [] [] [] [] []       | 17
245     findutils       | []       []       []     []   []    [] [] []       | 16
246     flex            | []                            []       []          |  6
247     freetype        |                                                    |  0
248     gas             |                                                    |  0
249     gawk            |                                           []       |  3
250     gcal            |                                                    |  0
251     gcc             |                                                    |  0
252     gettext         | []                []     []   []    [] [] []    [] | 18
253     gnupg           |                   []                   [] []       | 10
254     gprof           |                                                    |  0
255     grep            |                   []                [] [] []       | 12
256     hello           | [] [] [] []    [] []          [] []    [] [] []    | 22
257     id-utils        |          []                   []       []          |  6
258     indent          | []       []       []          [] []    [] []       | 12
259     jpilot          |                                                    |  1
260     kbd             |                                           []       |  1
261     ld              |                                                    |  1
262     libc            | []    []       [] []     []      []    [] []       | 16
263     lilypond        |          []                            []          |  3
264     lynx            |          []              []   []       []          |  8
265     m4              |          []       []          []       []          | 12
266     make            | []       []       []     []   []          []       | 12
267     mysecretdiary   |                                                    |  1
268     nano            |                                        []          |  4
269     opcodes         |                                           []       |  1
270     parted          |          []                   []                   |  5
271     ptx             |       [] []    [] [] []       []       [] []       | 15
272     python          |                                                    |  0
273     recode          |                   []          []    [] []          | 13
274     sed             |          []              []   [] [] [] [] []       | 19
275     sh-utils        |       [] []    [] []     []   [] [] [] [] []    [] | 21
276     sharutils       |          []                   []       []          | 11
277     sketch          |                                                    |  0
278     soundtracker    |                                                    |  3
279     sp              |                                                    |  0
280     tar             |       []       [] []     []         [] [] []       | 15
281     texinfo         |                               []                   |  7
282     textutils       |       [] []    [] []     []   [] [] []             | 16
283     util-linux      |                          []               []       |  4
284     wdiff           |                               [] []    [] []       |  7
285     wget            |          []                   [] [] [] [] [] []    | 17
286                     +----------------------------------------------------+
287       33 teams        ko lv nb nl nn no pl pt pt_BR ru sk sl sv tr uk zh
288       53 domains       9  1  6 20  0  6 17  1  13   25 10 11 23 21  2  2  387
289
290   Some counters in the preceding matrix are higher than the number of
291visible blocks let us expect.  This is because a few extra PO files are
292used for implementing regional variants of languages, or language
293dialects.
294
295   For a PO file in the matrix above to be effective, the package to
296which it applies should also have been internationalized and
297distributed as such by its maintainer.  There might be an observable
298lag between the mere existence a PO file and its wide availability in a
299distribution.
300
301   If September 2001 seems to be old, you may fetch a more recent copy
302of this `ABOUT-NLS' file on most GNU archive sites.  The most
303up-to-date matrix with full percentage details can be found at
304`http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/matrix.html'.
305
306Using `gettext' in new packages
307===============================
308
309   If you are writing a freely available program and want to
310internationalize it you are welcome to use GNU `gettext' in your
311package.  Of course you have to respect the GNU Library General Public
312License which covers the use of the GNU `gettext' library.  This means
313in particular that even non-free programs can use `libintl' as a shared
314library, whereas only free software can use `libintl' as a static
315library or use modified versions of `libintl'.
316
317   Once the sources are changed appropriately and the setup can handle
318to use of `gettext' the only thing missing are the translations.  The
319Free Translation Project is also available for packages which are not
320developed inside the GNU project.  Therefore the information given above
321applies also for every other Free Software Project.  Contact
322`translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to make the `.pot' files available to
323the translation teams.
324
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