Re: Package Descrption I18N Proposal

[Milan Zamazal <mz@pdm.pvt.net>]

>>>>> "KM" == Keita Maehara <maehara@debian.or.jp> writes:

    KM> First, we have to include translated description in each
    KM> package, then generate Packages-$LANG, because we cannot always
    KM> get Packages-$LANG (we cannot get translated description in
    KM> doing "dpkg --info" for a new package without updating the
    KM> package database, for example).

I agree description translations belong *logically* into their packages.

    KM> Then where should the translated description reside? I've only
    KM> installed a few files named debian/description.$LANG into
    KM> debian/tmp/DEBIAN directory when the package was built, and it
    KM> works fine.

Well, how did they reach this destination?  When I (as a foo package
maintainer) want to release new version of foo with updated description,
do I have to wait until I receive *all* the updated translations (at
least one month)?  Or should I upload the package and after receiving
translations make new version?  Possibly to be recompiled then
needlessly for other architectures?  Or possibly with new description
making received translations immediately obsolete?

Or is it no problem, since descriptions do not change much?  Maybe, but
*logically*, each package should have exactly corresponding description
translations. :-)

If descriptions were parts of upstream packages, there would be no
problem with your proposal.  However I don't think this happens soon (if
ever), so I have to look at descriptions as a Debian specific add-on.

I can see the following problems with description translations in
packages:

- The "synchronization" problem mentioned above.

- Extra work for package maintainer.  Currently, if we simply get
  Packages and translate it, we need no maintainer assistance.  We can
  also update translations ourselves.

The "dpkg -I" problem with all descriptions together in one place is not
fatal.  You can either have older translation available or you can get
the latest destrans-X.Y.Z.deb package.

I'm not sure which approach is better.  Could you please elaborate on
the two problems mentioned above?

Milan Zamazal