Revision of General localisation guidelines from Thu, 13/08/2009 - 16:31

Introduction

• Read through Translate.org's localization guide to get started. Refer to this documentation whenever you get stuck somewhere.
• Changing the locale of your operating system. Instructions needed here
• On variables Instructions needed here
• On plural forms Instructions needed here

Terminology

• Terminology lists
  • to the localize-software team mailing list to suggest the terminology sources you will be using for your project.
  • Alternatively, use Glossmaster's terminology bank for your work.
  • If you have no terminology available for you language, inform the rest of the team, and someone might be able to point you to where you can find terminology for your language.
• How to add terms to the existing terminology list?
  • Instructions needed here
  • If you unsure of a term, do not add it
• Verb-noun ambiguities? Instructions needed here

Translation

Online using Pootle

• Get a Pootle account
• Terminology lists available on the Pootle server, how to use it? Instructions needed here

Offline

• Download the .po or .pot files for the open source applications you will be localizing from the Pootle server.
• Translate using any CAT tool you are familiar with, but we recommend that you use Virtaal (available for Windows and Linux users) or Poedit (for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X users).
• Integrate terminology, how? Instructions needed here
• You will need to upload your translations to the Pootle server Instructions needed here

Review

• Can be done after uploading your translation back on Pootle server.
• Pootle's Quality Checks
  • Instructions needed here
  • Some tests are crucial (Firefox might break if some errors existed, other tests are cosmetic. We highly recommend that you perform all the tests
• How to search for text/terms to review/replace using Pootle? Instructions needed here

Testing

• Install the software and go through all menus, dialogues, installer, etc.
• Reach out to the community for wider testing and feedback

Resources

• You can download and install keyboards and fonts for your language from here.
• to the localise-software team should you have any special needs.

How to get help

• to the localize-software team mailing list.