Call for applications: Language Teams for 2010
- Deadline: 26 July 2010
- Call for applications: Language Teams
- Organisation: African Network for Localisation (ANLoc)
- Project: Localise Software
- Email to: localise@africanlocalisation.net
The African Network for Localisation (ANLoc) - Localise Software sub-project is excited to announce a call for language teams to localise Free and Open Source Software into African languages.
ANLoc Localise Software sub-project is starting a new round of software localisation and is urgently seeking African language teams.
ANLoc's mission is to empower Africans to participate in the digital age by removing the last inch limitations imposed on language usage by the limitation of technology.
We are achieving this by creating a network of African languages localisers who through various projects address these needs. This network and the sub-projects developed by its members are focused on empowering African languages practitioners to be skilled in these areas, forgoing short-term advances to ensure that African expertise is created for future localisation development.
Context of the project
The goal of the Localise Software sub-project is to localise existing Free Open Source applications into multiple African languages.
The language teams will be assisted with a small team of technical experts, who will help them with the different localisation processes for each of the applications they will be localising.
List of Open Source applications to be localised:
- Tux paint (a multi-platform fun drawing program for children of all ages)
- Pidgin (a multi-platform popular chat program)
- Pootle (ANLoc's web-based translation system)
- Virtaal (ANLoc's powerful multi-platform offline translation tool)
- VLC (a multi-platform popular media player)
- Abiword (a light weight multi-platform word processor)
Call for language teams applications
We are calling for language teams who want to become part of our network of African languages localisers and help us localise the above list of Open Source applications into any African language:
The project period starts from August 2010 until the end of January 2011, including localisation, review, testing, communication with the developers of the tools, and promotion of the localised applications to your community.
The Localise Software sub-project will award successful language teams with USD2,500 per team, to support the teams in promoting the outcome of their work to their local communities.
Moreover the best language team who succeeds in finishing the required tasks below, will be rewarded with a ticket and
paid accommodation for one of their team members to attend the fourth ANLoc conference that will be held in early 2011 in Kenya, and become connected with a growing African localisation community.
We accept applications from individuals and organisations. You should apply as a language team. All applications should identify a team lead.
Tasks:
To localise the applications listed above, which involves the following tasks:
- Translating the strings of each of these applications
- Getting involved with the development/localisation teams of these applications
- Uploading your work to our localisation server on a weekly basis
- Sending a weekly progress email
- Communicating with ANLoc Localise Software Tech Team and incorporating their feedback in your work
- Actively participating in a collaborative process with the Tech Team and the other language teams, sharing tips, helping each other and documenting this process
- Drafting a detailed proposal of how you will promote the outcome of your work to your community
Milestones:
August 2010:
- 1st week: Registration on Pootle Server (see documentation )
- 1st week: Email to localise-software@africanlocalisation.net mailing list introducing your team
- 1st & 2nd weeks: Finish the second part of Tux Paint localisation
- 3rd week: Tux Paint testing and review
- 3rd week: Communicate with Tux Paint developers
- 4th week: Pootle localisation
September 2010:
- 1st week: Finish Pootle localisation
- 1st week: Pootle testing and review
- 2nd to 4th week: Finish Abiword localisation
October 2010:
- 1st week: Abiword testing and review
- 1st week: Communicate with Abiword developers
- 2nd week: Finish Virtaal localisation
- 3rd week: Virtaal testing and review
- 4th week: VLC localisation
November 2010:
- 1st & 2nd week: Finish VLC localisation
- 3rd week: VLC testing and review
- 3rd week: Communicate with VLC developers
- 4th week: Pidgin localisation
December 2010:
- 1st & 2nd week: Finish Pidgin localisation
- 3rd week: Finish Pidgin testing and review
- 3rd week: Communicate with Pidgin developers
January 2011:
- Wrap up
- Promotion and distribution of the localised applications to your community.
To apply:
All applications should be sent to localise@africanlocalisation.net with the subject title 'Language Team Application' by 26 July 2010.
Applications should comprise of:
- Answers to the application questions below;
- A letter stating why you are interested in this call;
- Localisation of 50% of the user interface of Tux paint (Consult http://www.tuxpaint.org/help/)
Please read the documentation pages on the localisation process if you want more details, or send any questions to localise@africanlocalisation.net
Qualifications:
Successful applicants should have:
- Experience in localising software.
- Proficiency in at least one African language in which they will be localising
- Proficiency in one of these languages (Arabic/English/French/Portuguese)
- Ability to read and communicate in English.
- Frequent internet access
Successful applicants will be notified by 2 August 2010.
Application Questions
A. Team Details:
- Name of Entity/Organization/Team
- Description and background of Entity/Organization/Team
- Number of members in your language team
- Name of the team lead
- Email for the team lead
- Phone no. for the team lead (please add country code)
- Country (or countries) of the team members
- Language that your team will localise into (target language)
- Language from which you prefer to localise (source language):
- (a).English (default)
- (b).French
- (c).Portuguese
- (d).Other, please specify
B. Qualifications:
- Proficiency in English
- Proficiency in the source language you prefer (English/French/Portuguese/Other)
- Are you native speakers of the language you are targeting for localisation?
C. Localisation:
- Why is localisation important to you?
- Please tell us about your localisation experience; mentioning software projects in which your team have participated in their localisation.
- How many hours per week, will your team be able to devote for this project?
- Please explain your methodology in localising software, reviewing and testing your work.
- Please explain how you will approach the development of missing terminology and testing of the application; mentioning specific organisations and people that you have engaged with for these roles if needed.
- How will you build a sustained localisation effort such that you can keep the software you localised translated and up-to-date for the next 2 years?
- Have you participated in other sub-projects of ANLoc, such as the projects for terminology or locales?
- What are the communities, ICT projects, language advocacy projects, etc. that members of your team are part of?
- What expertise do you bring to Anloc in the areas of localisation, translation and/or human language technology?
D. Communication:
- Does each member of your team have a personal computer? If not, please specify how you plan to do the localisation work
- Where do you get access to the internet:
- (a).Home
- (b).Office
- (c).University
- (d).Other, please specify
- How frequent do you check your email:
- (a).Daily
- (b).Twice a week
- (c).Weekly
- (d).Monthly
The African Network for Localisation (ANLoc)
https://africanlocalisation.net
ANLoc and the Localise Software sub-project have been made possible through funding from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
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