Re: lynx-dev NLS

[Henry Nelson]

> This fr.po is completely broken and only about 2/3 of the
> messages are translated. Besides the header indicates that it

But, if it's all we have ...

> In other words it should be removed both from ftp://lynx.isc.org/lynx-2.8.3/po
> and from the 2.8.3 archive that contains the message files. In
> the latter case this fr.po file will actually prevent Lynx from
> compiling if you enable NLS..

If that is indeed the case, then it is due to the inability of the
configure script to deal with incomplete/faulty po files.  The po
files have nothing whatsoever to do with the compilation of Lynx itself.
lf the NLS library and tools are setup independently of Lynx, the only
thing the configure script need do is find libintl.h and libintl.a.
In fact, the configure script is doing a very good job in this respect.

> I find the policy concerning translations in Lynx terribly confusing

Don't we all.

> I suggest the following:
> 
> 1) Stop the use of stub files. 
> 
> 2) Instead distribute two archives - one with message files and 
>    one devoid of them. 

If you are going to create two distributions, then create one _complete_
NLS distribution, and another distribution _entirely devoid_ of the
gettext *package*, i.e., no intl/ and no po/ subdirectories, and no
ABOUT-NLS file.  I will write some "docs/README.nls" file for the nls-less
distribution if people should deem it necessary.  Really, though, it is
no more difficult than configuring "--with-zlib."

> 3) Make sure that the po files to be included in the archive
>    are fully translated - or very close to, and that they are
>    syntax-checked.

Well, this is nice, but rather idealistic.  Who's supposed to do the
maintenance, the "make sure" this and that?  Even if you volunteer
now, how long do you propose to continue your [unrewarded] efforts?

>    4) In addition to distributing them in an archive, two ftp 
>    directories could be kept, one with the finished translations 
>    and one with unfinished ones so that in the latter case others 

Again, Jim and Tom are pretty much working around the clock as it is.

> 5) Package maintainers of the various distributions should be notified 
>    of the existence of the ftp directory with the finished translations.

No.  _That_ is the job of the maintainer.  The present distribution and
the Lynx support web site(s) clearly indicate where the po files can be
downloaded from.  If the maintainer doesn't care, then there's nothing we
can do.  Any "decent" package maintainer would be on the lynx-dev mailing
list or be reading the flora archives regularly.

> My own full and syntax-checked Danish translation of 2.8.3 has
> been ready for some time now and resides as
> 
> http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/trans/da/lynx-2.8.3.da.po

So what's your beef, anyway?  All anyone has to do is substitute that
"da" for their own locale.  To give a concrete example, I g)oto
"http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/trans/ja/"; and lo and behold
there's "lynx-2.8.3.rel1.ja.po   10-Oct-2000 20:50   150k."

__Henry

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