Re: comments/string changes and issues with dpkg's messages

[Jacob Sparre Andersen <sparre@nbi.dk>]

Ian Jackson wrote:

> You seem to be suggesting removing the detail from dpkg's
> error handling - ie, reporting less information to make
> the translation easier.

Removing information from the error messages is generally a
bad idea, BUT it is also a waste of everybody's time to put
strings which in practice require knowledge of English to be
of any use in the POT files.

"Can't stat <filename> in <functionname>" can only be
expected to be comprehensible for those who have to correct
an error in the code, i.e. people who have to know English
anyway.  If the message is intended for the user of the
program it shouldn't use POSIX function names (like "stat")
or refer to internal names in the source code for the
program.  It is fine to include both a string for the user
and one for the developer in an error message, but only the
message for the user should be translatable.

Jacob
-- 
"The point is that I am now a perfectly safe penguin!"