1
Notes on the Free Translation Project
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*************************************
4
Free software is going international! The Free Translation Project is
5
a way to get maintainers of free software, translators, and users all
6
together, so that will gradually become able to speak many languages.
7
A few packages already provide translations for their messages.
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If you found this `ABOUT-NLS' file inside a distribution, you may
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assume that the distributed package does use GNU `gettext' internally,
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itself available at your nearest GNU archive site. But you do _not_
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need to install GNU `gettext' prior to configuring, installing or using
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this package with messages translated.
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Installers will find here some useful hints. These notes also
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explain how users should proceed for getting the programs to use the
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available translations. They tell how people wanting to contribute and
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work at translations should contact the appropriate team.
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When reporting bugs in the `intl/' directory or bugs which may be
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related to internationalization, you should tell about the version of
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`gettext' which is used. The information can be found in the
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`intl/VERSION' file, in internationalized packages.
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Quick configuration advice
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==========================
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If you want to exploit the full power of internationalization, you
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should configure it using
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./configure --with-included-gettext
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to force usage of internationalizing routines provided within this
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package, despite the existence of internationalizing capabilities in the
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operating system where this package is being installed. So far, only
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the `gettext' implementation in the GNU C library version 2 provides as
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many features (such as locale alias, message inheritance, automatic
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charset conversion or plural form handling) as the implementation here.
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It is also not possible to offer this additional functionality on top
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of a `catgets' implementation. Future versions of GNU `gettext' will
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very likely convey even more functionality. So it might be a good idea
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to change to GNU `gettext' as soon as possible.
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So you need _not_ provide this option if you are using GNU libc 2 or
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you have installed a recent copy of the GNU gettext package with the
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Some packages are "localizable" when properly installed; the programs
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they contain can be made to speak your own native language. Most such
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packages use GNU `gettext'. Other packages have their own ways to
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internationalization, predating GNU `gettext'.
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By default, this package will be installed to allow translation of
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messages. It will automatically detect whether the system already
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provides the GNU `gettext' functions. If not, the GNU `gettext' own
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library will be used. This library is wholly contained within this
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package, usually in the `intl/' subdirectory, so prior installation of
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the GNU `gettext' package is _not_ required. Installers may use
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special options at configuration time for changing the default
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behaviour. The commands:
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./configure --with-included-gettext
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./configure --disable-nls
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will respectively bypass any pre-existing `gettext' to use the
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internationalizing routines provided within this package, or else,
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_totally_ disable translation of messages.
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When you already have GNU `gettext' installed on your system and run
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configure without an option for your new package, `configure' will
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probably detect the previously built and installed `libintl.a' file and
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will decide to use this. This might be not what is desirable. You
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should use the more recent version of the GNU `gettext' library. I.e.
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if the file `intl/VERSION' shows that the library which comes with this
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package is more recent, you should use
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./configure --with-included-gettext
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to prevent auto-detection.
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The configuration process will not test for the `catgets' function
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and therefore it will not be used. The reason is that even an
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emulation of `gettext' on top of `catgets' could not provide all the
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extensions of the GNU `gettext' library.
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Internationalized packages have usually many `po/LL.po' files, where
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LL gives an ISO 639 two-letter code identifying the language. Unless
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translations have been forbidden at `configure' time by using the
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`--disable-nls' switch, all available translations are installed
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together with the package. However, the environment variable `LINGUAS'
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may be set, prior to configuration, to limit the installed set.
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`LINGUAS' should then contain a space separated list of two-letter
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codes, stating which languages are allowed.
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As a user, if your language has been installed for this package, you
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only have to set the `LANG' environment variable to the appropriate
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`LL_CC' combination. Here `LL' is an ISO 639 two-letter language code,
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and `CC' is an ISO 3166 two-letter country code. For example, let's
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suppose that you speak German and live in Germany. At the shell
106
prompt, merely execute `setenv LANG de_DE' (in `csh'),
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`export LANG; LANG=de_DE' (in `sh') or `export LANG=de_DE' (in `bash').
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This can be done from your `.login' or `.profile' file, once and for
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You might think that the country code specification is redundant.
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But in fact, some languages have dialects in different countries. For
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example, `de_AT' is used for Austria, and `pt_BR' for Brazil. The
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country code serves to distinguish the dialects.
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The locale naming convention of `LL_CC', with `LL' denoting the
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language and `CC' denoting the country, is the one use on systems based
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on GNU libc. On other systems, some variations of this scheme are
119
used, such as `LL' or `LL_CC.ENCODING'. You can get the list of
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locales supported by your system for your country by running the command
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`locale -a | grep '^LL''.
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Not all programs have translations for all languages. By default, an
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English message is shown in place of a nonexistent translation. If you
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understand other languages, you can set up a priority list of languages.
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This is done through a different environment variable, called
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`LANGUAGE'. GNU `gettext' gives preference to `LANGUAGE' over `LANG'
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for the purpose of message handling, but you still need to have `LANG'
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set to the primary language; this is required by other parts of the
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system libraries. For example, some Swedish users who would rather
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read translations in German than English for when Swedish is not
132
available, set `LANGUAGE' to `sv:de' while leaving `LANG' to `sv_SE'.
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In the `LANGUAGE' environment variable, but not in the `LANG'
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environment variable, `LL_CC' combinations can be abbreviated as `LL'
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to denote the language's main dialect. For example, `de' is equivalent
137
to `de_DE' (German as spoken in Germany), and `pt' to `pt_PT'
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(Portuguese as spoken in Portugal) in this context.
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For the Free Translation Project to be a success, we need interested
144
people who like their own language and write it well, and who are also
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able to synergize with other translators speaking the same language.
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Each translation team has its own mailing list. The up-to-date list of
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teams can be found at the Free Translation Project's homepage,
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`http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/', in the "National teams"
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If you'd like to volunteer to _work_ at translating messages, you
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should become a member of the translating team for your own language.
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The subscribing address is _not_ the same as the list itself, it has
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`-request' appended. For example, speakers of Swedish can send a
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message to `sv-request@li.org', having this message body:
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Keep in mind that team members are expected to participate
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_actively_ in translations, or at solving translational difficulties,
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rather than merely lurking around. If your team does not exist yet and
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you want to start one, or if you are unsure about what to do or how to
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get started, please write to `translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to reach the
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coordinator for all translator teams.
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The English team is special. It works at improving and uniformizing
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the terminology in use. Proven linguistic skill are praised more than
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programming skill, here.
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Languages are not equally supported in all packages. The following
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matrix shows the current state of internationalization, as of November
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2003. The matrix shows, in regard of each package, for which languages
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PO files have been submitted to translation coordination, with a
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translation percentage of at least 50%.
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Ready PO files am az be bg ca cs da de el en en_GB eo es
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+-------------------------------------------+
194
coreutils | [] [] [] [] |
196
darkstat | [] () [] |
197
diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
199
enscript | [] [] [] [] |
200
error | [] [] [] [] [] |
201
fetchmail | [] () [] [] [] [] |
202
fileutils | [] [] [] |
203
findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
211
gettext | [] [] [] [] [] |
212
gettext-examples | [] [] [] |
213
gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] [] |
214
gettext-tools | [] [] [] |
215
gimp-print | [] [] [] [] [] |
217
glunarclock | [] [] [] |
219
gnucash | [] () [] [] |
220
gnucash-glossary | [] () [] |
221
gnupg | [] () [] [] [] [] |
224
gpe-calendar | [] [] |
227
gpe-contacts | [] [] |
231
gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] |
232
gpe-sketchbook | [] [] |
234
gpe-taskmanager | [] [] |
238
gphoto2 | [] [] [] [] |
240
gpsdrive | () () () |
242
grep | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
245
hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
247
indent | [] [] [] [] |
251
kbd | [] [] [] [] [] |
254
libc | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
255
libgpewidget | [] [] |
256
libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] |
260
lingoteach_lessons | () () |
265
man-db | [] () [] [] () |
267
mysecretdiary | [] [] [] |
268
nano | [] () [] [] [] |
269
nano_1_0 | [] () [] [] [] |
271
parted | [] [] [] [] [] |
272
ptx | [] [] [] [] [] |
275
recode | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
277
scrollkeeper | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
278
sed | [] [] [] [] [] |
279
sh-utils | [] [] [] |
281
sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
283
soundtracker | [] [] [] |
287
textutils | [] [] [] [] |
289
tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
290
util-linux | [] [] [] [] [] |
291
vorbis-tools | [] [] [] [] |
293
wdiff | [] [] [] [] |
294
wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
295
xchat | [] [] [] [] |
296
xfree86_xkb_xml | [] |
298
+-------------------------------------------+
299
am az be bg ca cs da de el en en_GB eo es
300
0 1 8 3 37 37 54 73 15 1 5 12 62
302
et fa fi fr ga gl he hr hu id is it ja
303
+----------------------------------------+
313
bison | [] [] [] [] |
314
bluez-pin | [] [] [] [] [] |
317
coreutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
319
darkstat | () [] [] [] |
320
diffutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
323
error | [] [] [] [] |
325
fileutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
326
findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
335
gettext-examples | [] [] |
336
gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] |
337
gettext-tools | [] [] |
340
glunarclock | [] [] [] [] [] |
343
gnucash-glossary | [] |
344
gnupg | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
347
gpe-calendar | [] [] [] |
350
gpe-contacts | [] [] |
354
gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] [] |
355
gpe-sketchbook | [] |
357
gpe-taskmanager | [] |
358
gpe-timesheet | [] [] [] |
363
gpsdrive | () [] () () |
365
grep | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
368
hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
369
id-utils | [] [] [] [] |
370
indent | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
373
jwhois | [] [] [] [] |
377
libc | [] [] [] [] [] |
378
libgpewidget | [] [] [] [] |
379
libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
383
lingoteach_lessons | |
387
make | [] [] [] [] [] |
389
minicom | [] [] [] [] |
390
mysecretdiary | [] [] |
392
nano_1_0 | [] [] [] [] |
395
ptx | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
398
recode | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
401
sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
402
sh-utils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
403
shared-mime-info | [] |
404
sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
406
soundtracker | [] [] [] [] |
408
tar | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
409
texinfo | [] [] [] [] |
410
textutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
412
tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
413
util-linux | [] [] [] [] () [] |
416
wdiff | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
417
wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
421
+----------------------------------------+
422
et fa fi fr ga gl he hr hu id is it ja
423
21 1 24 84 24 24 8 10 38 31 1 22 33
425
ko lg lt lv ms nb nl nn no pl pt pt_BR ro
426
+-------------------------------------------+
427
a2ps | () [] [] () () [] [] |
430
anubis | [] [] [] [] [] |
431
ap-utils | [] () [] |
436
bison | [] [] [] [] |
437
bluez-pin | [] [] [] |
441
cpio | [] [] [] [] [] |
442
darkstat | [] [] [] [] |
443
diffutils | [] [] [] [] |
445
enscript | [] [] [] |
447
fetchmail | [] [] () |
449
findutils | [] [] [] [] [] |
458
gettext-examples | [] [] |
459
gettext-runtime | [] [] [] |
460
gettext-tools | [] [] [] |
463
glunarclock | [] [] [] |
466
gnucash-glossary | [] [] |
468
gpe-aerial | [] [] [] |
469
gpe-beam | [] [] [] |
470
gpe-calendar | [] [] [] |
471
gpe-clock | [] [] [] |
472
gpe-conf | [] [] [] |
473
gpe-contacts | [] [] [] |
474
gpe-edit | [] [] [] |
476
gpe-login | [] [] [] |
477
gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] [] |
478
gpe-sketchbook | [] [] [] |
480
gpe-taskmanager | [] [] [] |
481
gpe-timesheet | [] [] [] |
482
gpe-today | [] [] [] |
483
gpe-todo | [] [] [] |
486
gpsdrive | () () () [] |
491
hello | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
492
id-utils | [] [] [] |
496
jwhois | [] [] [] [] |
500
libc | [] [] [] [] [] |
501
libgpewidget | [] [] [] |
502
libiconv | [] [] [] [] |
506
lingoteach_lessons | |
513
mysecretdiary | [] [] [] |
515
nano_1_0 | [] [] [] [] [] |
517
parted | [] [] [] [] |
518
ptx | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
523
scrollkeeper | [] [] [] [] |
526
shared-mime-info | [] |
531
tar | [] [] [] [] [] [] |
535
tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
537
vorbis-tools | [] [] |
539
wdiff | [] [] [] [] |
542
xfree86_xkb_xml | [] |
544
+-------------------------------------------+
545
ko lg lt lv ms nb nl nn no pl pt pt_BR ro
546
11 0 1 2 12 10 60 4 4 38 23 34 74
548
ru sk sl sr sv ta tr uk vi wa zh_CN zh_TW
549
+-------------------------------------------+
550
a2ps | [] [] [] [] [] | 16
553
anubis | [] [] [] | 9
558
binutils | [] [] [] | 7
559
bison | [] [] [] | 14
560
bluez-pin | [] [] [] | 13
563
coreutils | [] [] [] [] [] | 16
565
darkstat | [] [] [] () () | 12
566
diffutils | [] [] [] [] | 22
567
e2fsprogs | [] [] | 5
568
enscript | [] [] [] | 12
569
error | [] [] [] | 15
570
fetchmail | [] [] [] | 11
571
fileutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 16
572
findutils | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 29
580
gettext | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 16
581
gettext-examples | [] [] | 9
582
gettext-runtime | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 21
583
gettext-tools | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 14
584
gimp-print | [] [] | 10
586
glunarclock | [] [] [] [] | 15
588
gnucash | [] [] [] | 9
589
gnucash-glossary | [] [] [] | 8
590
gnupg | [] [] [] [] | 17
591
gpe-aerial | [] [] | 7
593
gpe-calendar | [] [] [] [] [] | 13
594
gpe-clock | [] [] [] | 9
595
gpe-conf | [] [] [] | 9
596
gpe-contacts | [] [] [] [] | 11
597
gpe-edit | [] [] [] [] [] | 11
599
gpe-login | [] [] [] [] [] | 12
600
gpe-ownerinfo | [] [] [] [] | 12
601
gpe-sketchbook | [] [] [] | 9
602
gpe-su | [] [] [] | 9
603
gpe-taskmanager | [] [] [] | 9
604
gpe-timesheet | [] [] [] [] | 11
605
gpe-today | [] [] [] [] [] | 12
606
gpe-todo | [] [] [] [] [] | 12
607
gphoto2 | [] [] [] | 11
611
grep | [] [] [] [] [] | 26
614
hello | [] [] [] [] [] | 33
615
id-utils | [] [] [] | 12
616
indent | [] [] [] [] [] | 21
617
jpilot | [] [] [] [] [] | 9
619
jwhois | () () [] [] | 11
623
libc | [] [] [] [] | 20
624
libgpewidget | [] [] [] | 12
625
libiconv | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 27
629
lingoteach_lessons | () | 0
630
lynx | [] [] [] [] | 14
633
make | [] [] [] [] | 16
636
mysecretdiary | [] [] | 10
637
nano | [] [] [] [] [] | 17
638
nano_1_0 | [] [] [] [] | 17
640
parted | [] [] [] | 15
644
recode | [] [] [] [] | 20
646
scrollkeeper | [] [] [] [] | 15
647
sed | [] [] [] [] [] [] | 23
648
sh-utils | [] [] [] | 14
649
shared-mime-info | [] [] | 4
650
sharutils | [] [] [] [] [] | 17
652
soundtracker | [] [] | 9
654
tar | [] [] [] [] [] | 24
655
texinfo | [] [] [] [] | 14
656
textutils | [] [] [] [] [] | 16
658
tuxpaint | [] [] [] [] [] | 29
659
util-linux | [] [] [] | 15
660
vorbis-tools | [] | 8
662
wdiff | [] [] [] [] | 18
663
wget | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] | 23
664
xchat | [] [] [] [] [] | 14
665
xfree86_xkb_xml | [] [] [] [] | 6
667
+-------------------------------------------+
668
51 teams ru sk sl sr sv ta tr uk vi wa zh_CN zh_TW
669
117 domains 58 41 16 16 78 0 53 12 1 10 21 22 1230
671
Some counters in the preceding matrix are higher than the number of
672
visible blocks let us expect. This is because a few extra PO files are
673
used for implementing regional variants of languages, or language
676
For a PO file in the matrix above to be effective, the package to
677
which it applies should also have been internationalized and
678
distributed as such by its maintainer. There might be an observable
679
lag between the mere existence a PO file and its wide availability in a
682
If November 2003 seems to be old, you may fetch a more recent copy
683
of this `ABOUT-NLS' file on most GNU archive sites. The most
684
up-to-date matrix with full percentage details can be found at
685
`http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/matrix.html'.
687
Using `gettext' in new packages
688
===============================
690
If you are writing a freely available program and want to
691
internationalize it you are welcome to use GNU `gettext' in your
692
package. Of course you have to respect the GNU Library General Public
693
License which covers the use of the GNU `gettext' library. This means
694
in particular that even non-free programs can use `libintl' as a shared
695
library, whereas only free software can use `libintl' as a static
696
library or use modified versions of `libintl'.
698
Once the sources are changed appropriately and the setup can handle
699
the use of `gettext' the only thing missing are the translations. The
700
Free Translation Project is also available for packages which are not
701
developed inside the GNU project. Therefore the information given above
702
applies also for every other Free Software Project. Contact
703
`translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to make the `.pot' files available to
704
the translation teams.
added
removed
ypbind-mt-1.19.1/ABOUT-NLS
