[I18n-sig] Python Translation

[François Pinard]

[dindin2k@yahoo.com]

> Is there any working/ target towards translating Python to other
> languages. i.e.  Some sort of structure like the *.po files in KDE such
> that native languages can be substituted for the standards keywords.
> Are there any plans to port Python to other (human) languages.

I would not think there is.  Some while ago, I wrote to Guido about i18n
issues, and to my surprise, he replied quite strongly against the above
suggestion, which I did not even make in my letter.  So, I presumed the
issue was rather hot for him, for him to read it where not written :-).
The main point of Guido is that it goes against source portability.

Yet, and even I do not remember having discussed this with Guido, I think
it would be a good idea.  Some shops develop in-house code never meant
to be exported, and it would locally help a lot, and not hurt everybody
outside, being able to use diacritics within identifiers, and even
translated keywords.  For one of my contracts, I'm working in such a shop.

I had a very comfortable experience in such things when I was younger,
which lasted for many years, using a French adaptation of a Pascal compiler.
See `http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~pinard/accents/bonjour.tar.gz' to see some
archived code from this period (better to like French and CDC machines! :-).

My point is that source portability might be a concern for some, but not for
everybody, and I wish Python is open enough to not impose source portability
where it has no meaning.  If Python may be nationally comfortable, just
let it be, and let users choose where their priorities are.

-- 
François Pinard   http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~pinard