On Wed, May 06, 2009 at 12:50:03PM +1000, Ruediger Landmann wrote:
Noriko Mizumoto wrote:
> Instead, how about having the language list first and each language is
> linked to the translators list? So that, for example, clicking
> 'Spanish' will take the user to the list of Spanish translators with
> year by skipping all other long listed language translators lists.
That would certainly work (and would spare translators from having to
translate the "(translator - language)" string again every time a new
translator contributed to the project. On the other hand, it would make
the list much longer (because of the extra headings that it would
require; in the case of the Installation Guide, it would add 35
subheadings, many with only one name in them).
>
> If "H.1. Contributors" section can be separate xml file and write
> access to this file is allowed,
Section H ("Contributors and production methods") is a separate XML file
in the original source, but H.1 could certainly be separated from the
rest of the appendix.
Even easier, if we were to use the separate subheadings approach, each
language subheading could be a separate XML file. However, whether it's
one XML file, or many separate XML files, translators would need to be
able to commit changes directly to the repo, which I don't think they can
do right now? Otherwise, they will need to send the updated XML file to
someone who does have commit access; but in that case, it would be easier
to just ask that person to make the change themselves.
> then it can be maintained by translators without annoying the author.
This is the real crux of the matter. I can't speak for anyone else, but
for me, updating the list of credits for people who've volunteered their
time and effort to do work on the book is not in any way "annoying" --
it's an honour.
Making sure that people get the credit that they've earned is one of the
few ways that those of us maintaining these books can say "thank you" to
the translators for their time and effort.
I've also seen a suggestion that the list of translators should be cut
down to only show the translators who worked on one particular
translation of the book. For example, the version of the book in, say,
Latin would only credit the people who translated it into Latin and none
of the other translators would get any credit at all in that version. I
would hate to see that happen, for the same reason I've just given.
Whether or not a translator has contributed to *your* particular
language, that person has still made an extremely valuable contribution
to the project, and should be acknowledged. That's what it means to be
part of a community, right?
Just my personal opinion, of course.
Just to be clear here, I agree 100%. But in the same way, without
tighter process on translation notices I would be more worried that a
maintainer would *inadvertently* leave someone out, which creates a
bad situation without anyone meaning harm. Maintainers are free to
help with the maintenance of a colophon but we should always seek to
make the load spreadable. That's what it means to be scalable! ;-)
--
Paul W. Frields
http://paul.frields.org/
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