Re: Time to intensify Weblate usage
Hi Mike,
Basically, I can agree with all your points of view.
There is one possible consequence that I am afraid of, when
translations that are doing well within Debian itself, would show up on
weblate: an increase in workload when it comes to reviewing and
coordinating translations, especially for poorly staffed language
communities.
Let me take the case of the Dutch language community within Debian as
an example.
Our team (Debian Dutch l10n Team <debian-l10n-dutch@lists.debian.org>)
counts about 40 members/followers. Most of them aren't active
translators. They merely act as occasional reviewers.
In order to have a workable workflow, we agreed on a few rules:
- all translation activity will be coordinated in one single place: the
Dutch localisation mailing list.
- all translations will be submitted for review to the list.
- no explicit reaction on a request for the review of a translation,
means an approval of it (a kind of silent approval procedure, so to
say).
Now, last year Debian ended the email interface to the Debian
Description Translation Project and from that moment on, solely the web
interface can be used. This immediately had the following consequences:
1. two different places for reviewers to follow up on translations and
2. while on the web interface each translation needs a minimum of two
explicit approvals, no silent approvals are possible anymore and people
started to lose interest. From that moment on not even one Dutch
description translation entered the distribution any more: a real
drawback.
Now suppose one day someone on weblate wants to help out with the Dutch
translation. In principle, a very good thing, but in practice a third
location that reviewers would have to follow up on.
What I want to say through this example: we will have to be very
careful that we don't put unintentionally extra burdens op poorly
staffed teams. And we will need to stay very attentive that whatever we
undertake, it will always need to be supportive for the translation
teams involved, and, more precisely, supportive the way those teams
define it themselves.
So far my concerns.
Soon, I will propose a draft call for translations to you and to this
list, but for now it's time to go and rest.
--
Kind regards,
Frans Spiesschaert
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