(gettext.info.gz) Discussions

 
 12.3 Discussions
 ================
 
 * NOTE: * This documentation section is outdated and needs to be
 revised.
 
    Facing this internationalization effort, a few users expressed their
 concerns.  Some of these doubts are presented and discussed, here.
 
    * Smaller groups
 
      Some languages are not spoken by a very large number of people, so
      people speaking them sometimes consider that there may not be all
      that much demand such versions of free software packages.
      Moreover, many people being _into computers_, in some countries,
      generally seem to prefer English versions of their software.
 
      On the other end, people might enjoy their own language a lot, and
      be very motivated at providing to themselves the pleasure of
      having their beloved free software speaking their mother tongue.
      They do themselves a personal favor, and do not pay that much
      attention to the number of people benefiting of their work.
 
    * Misinterpretation
 
      Other users are shy to push forward their own language, seeing in
      this some kind of misplaced propaganda.  Someone thought there
      must be some users of the language over the networks pestering
      other people with it.
 
      But any spoken language is worth localization, because there are
      people behind the language for whom the language is important and
      dear to their hearts.
 
    * Odd translations
 
      The biggest problem is to find the right translations so that
      everybody can understand the messages.  Translations are usually a
      little odd.  Some people get used to English, to the extent they
      may find translations into their own language "rather pushy,
      obnoxious and sometimes even hilarious."  As a French speaking
      man, I have the experience of those instruction manuals for goods,
      so poorly translated in French in Korea or Taiwan...
 
      The fact is that we sometimes have to create a kind of national
      computer culture, and this is not easy without the collaboration of
      many people liking their mother tongue.  This is why translations
      are better achieved by people knowing and loving their own
      language, and ready to work together at improving the results they
      obtain.
 
    * Dependencies over the GPL or LGPL
 
      Some people wonder if using GNU `gettext' necessarily brings their
      package under the protective wing of the GNU General Public
      License or the GNU Library General Public License, when they do
      not want to make their program free, or want other kinds of
      freedom.  The simplest answer is "normally not".
 
      The `gettext-runtime' part of GNU `gettext', i.e. the contents of
      `libintl', is covered by the GNU Library General Public License.
      The `gettext-tools' part of GNU `gettext', i.e. the rest of the
      GNU `gettext' package, is covered by the GNU General Public
      License.
 
      The mere marking of localizable strings in a package, or
      conditional inclusion of a few lines for initialization, is not
      really including GPL'ed or LGPL'ed code.  However, since the
      localization routines in `libintl' are under the LGPL, the LGPL
      needs to be considered.  It gives the right to distribute the
      complete unmodified source of `libintl' even with non-free
      programs.  It also gives the right to use `libintl' as a shared
      library, even for non-free programs.  But it gives the right to
      use `libintl' as a static library or to incorporate `libintl' into
      another library only to free software.
Info Catalog
(gettext.info.gz) Trans Intro 1
(gettext.info.gz) Translators
(gettext.info.gz) Organization
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