Re: support for multilingual Packages files?

[Shaul Karl <shaulka@bezeqint.net>]

1) It is my opinion that only the Description field and the fields names 
should have a translation. Does this sounds reasonable?
2) An important issue that should be agreed upon is the character encoding 
scheme of these i18n files. If I remember correctly the `Introduction to i18n' 
suggests that UTF-8 should be chosen.

--- Begin Message ---

• To: debian-devel@lists.debian.org, debian-i18n@lists.debian.org, debian-dpkg@lists.debian.org, deity@lists.debian.org
• Subject: Re: support for multilingual Packages files?
• From: Michael Bramer <grisu@debian.org>
• Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2001 00:30:53 +0200
• Message-id: <[🔎] 20010703003053.E24189@home.debsupport.de>
• Mail-followup-to: Michael Bramer <grisu@debian.org>, debian-devel@lists.debian.org, debian-i18n@lists.debian.org, debian-dpkg@lists.debian.org, deity@lists.debian.org
• In-reply-to: <20010701095614.C6699@taz.net.au>; from cas@taz.net.au on Sun, Jul 01, 2001 at 09:56:14AM +1000
• References: <20010701095614.C6699@taz.net.au>

On Sun, Jul 01, 2001 at 09:56:14AM +1000, Craig Sanders wrote:
> Description: TTY client for LysKOM [Swedish]
>  Med lyskom kan du koppla upp dig till ditt favorit-LysKOM. Ett
>  LysKOM är ett datoriserat konferenssystem där du kan delta i
>  diskussioner, ställa frågor, och komma i kontakt med intressanta
>  människor.
> 
> huh? the Description field should be in english, like all other
> packages.

you are right.

> if you want your native language in the Packages file (an admirable
> goal), then the thing to do is NOT to use random languages in the
> standard Packages file, it is to work on adding support for Packages.en,
> Packages.se, Packages.de, Packages.XX to dpkg, dselect, apt, and other
> tools.

we must work on this.

IMHO there are translation with -es and -jp. We are working on -de.


> (i believe there is a project in progress to do that, but don't recall
> the details - try searching the debian-devel archives)

I don't know a progress to support translated Package-file in dpkg,
apt etc. Have someone a URL? 


Can we support something like this: 
debian/dists/woody/contrib/binary-i386/Packages
                  /main/binary-i386/Packages
                  /non-free/binary-i386/Packages
            /sid/contrib/binary-i386/Packages
                /main/binary-i386/Packages
                /non-free/binary-i386/Packages
debian/dists/de/woody/contrib/binary-i386/Packages
                     /main/binary-i386/Packages
                     /non-free/binary-i386/Packages
               /sid/contrib/binary-i386/Packages
                   /main/binary-i386/Packages
                   /non-free/binary-i386/Packages
debian/dists/jp/woody/contrib/binary-i386/Packages
                     /main/binary-i386/Packages
                     /non-free/binary-i386/Packages
               /sid/contrib/binary-i386/Packages
                   /main/binary-i386/Packages
                   /non-free/binary-i386/Packages

With this, a root can add a line to this apt/source.list, like:
deb http://http.de.debian.org/ de/potato main contrib non-free

and he has german Package descriptions...

(I know that the proposal is a hack. But what is a problem with this
hack?)

Comments?

Gruss
Grisu
-- 
Michael Bramer  -  a Debian Linux Developer http://www.debian.org
PGP: finger grisu@db.debian.org  -- Linux Sysadmin   -- Use Debian Linux
"Schreibe ein Programm, dass jeder Volltrottel bedienen kann, und du hast
 ein Programm, dass nur ein Volltrottel benutzen will!" -- Shaw's Principle

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