Hello,
I think you are overstating the complexity of localization. Although I originally opposed the requirement, I've changed my mind after I discussed with various other users and watched the great work done by the Kabyle community.
Mark has pointed out the difficulties of editing language files, such as the necessity to escape conflicting characters, but this is not relevant to modern localization. Users need only register an account on the BetaWiki, get translator access, and edit wiki pages through a Special:Allmessages-link interface (see links). No unusual technical knowledge is needed, particularly since the language subcommittee offers guidance and answers to all communities currently localizing.
A good example of the process is the Kabyle Wikipedia community, which is testing the prototypical localization process. In just four days, with a relatively small community having (I assume) no unusual technical knowledge, with only *one* user assigned translator access (by decision of the Kabyle community), they have translated nearly the *entire* MediaWiki interface.
Consider: just a few normal users, nearly done after four days. Their Wikipedia will benefit from complete readiness, with no localization difficulties in the future. The proposed Kabyle Wiktionary will be completely localized from the start. The MediaWiki software will be available in Kabyle for the whole world.
So, this is why I no longer agree with your arguments that it is a cruel and unusual requirement.
* Kabyle discussion: http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Requests_for_new_languages/Wikipedia_Kab... * Kabyle localization interface: http://nike.users.idler.fi/betawiki/Toiminnot:Translate?x=1&msgclass=cor...
Yours cordially, Jesse Martin (Pathoschild)
You're wrong in assuming that the Kabyles have a small community. As far as I am aware, they actually had the largest community of the formerly "approved" proposals.
Again, I do not see any good reason for any of this. It can just as easily be done _after_ they have a Wiki, it does not need to be done before they are allowed to have one. Nobody has explained yet why that is necessary except Gerard who accused me of not caring about other mediawiki-based websites and offered little explanation (this was off-list anyhow).
I read Sabine's blog posting and essentially, it is just her story from the Neapolitan Wikipedia. My response to that is: so, you had difficulties with your new Wiki, so the solution is to just not let anyone else have Wikis until they fulfill your arbitrary requirements?
Mark
On 05/04/07, Jesse Martin (Pathoschild) pathoschild@gmail.com wrote:
Hello,
I think you are overstating the complexity of localization. Although I originally opposed the requirement, I've changed my mind after I discussed with various other users and watched the great work done by the Kabyle community.
Mark has pointed out the difficulties of editing language files, such as the necessity to escape conflicting characters, but this is not relevant to modern localization. Users need only register an account on the BetaWiki, get translator access, and edit wiki pages through a Special:Allmessages-link interface (see links). No unusual technical knowledge is needed, particularly since the language subcommittee offers guidance and answers to all communities currently localizing.
A good example of the process is the Kabyle Wikipedia community, which is testing the prototypical localization process. In just four days, with a relatively small community having (I assume) no unusual technical knowledge, with only *one* user assigned translator access (by decision of the Kabyle community), they have translated nearly the *entire* MediaWiki interface.
Consider: just a few normal users, nearly done after four days. Their Wikipedia will benefit from complete readiness, with no localization difficulties in the future. The proposed Kabyle Wiktionary will be completely localized from the start. The MediaWiki software will be available in Kabyle for the whole world.
So, this is why I no longer agree with your arguments that it is a cruel and unusual requirement.
- Kabyle discussion:
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Requests_for_new_languages/Wikipedia_Kab...
- Kabyle localization interface:
http://nike.users.idler.fi/betawiki/Toiminnot:Translate?x=1&msgclass=cor...
Yours cordially, Jesse Martin (Pathoschild)
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2007/4/5, Mark Williamson node.ue@gmail.com:
You're wrong in assuming that the Kabyles have a small community. As far as I am aware, they actually had the largest community of the formerly "approved" proposals.
Mark is right. In fact, it is an exceptionally large initial community. If the Kabyle Wikipedia can finally go live in a few days - great! But when comes to evaluating how easily or not "it can be done", let's rather look at how start-up communities of typical size will cope.
Regards --Arbeo
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