[Python-ideas] Cross link documentation translations

[Stephen J. Turnbull]

Julien Palard writes:

 > I'm not well-aware of SIGs and their inner workings, (SIG-Doc mail
 > archive has not been updated since 2013), and cross-language
 > unification is probably not a good idea, at first (each team have
 > its unique organization / leaders / etc), but why not, I'm open to
 > any ideas.

As you're probably aware, Debian[1] has #(languages) + 2 teams
translating the Debian-specific parts of packages.  One of the special
teams works on internationalizing the packaging software (mostly but
not entirely done, even after more than a decade), and another
provides infrastructure for accepting and distributing translations.
As with Debian, I don't think there will be unification of
organizations, and it certainly isn't needed.  On the other hand,
*somebody* will need to construct the web page and repository
structure and linkage, and there will be an on-going need for
integrating new versions.  The debian-i18n mailing list is also useful
for propagating best practices.

Quality of translation is an issue that Debian doesn't much have to
deal with (because the Debian teams are working on the same task --
installation and configuration -- they quickly develop idioms for
repetitive queries), but for manuals the issue is important.  IMHO, it
would be ideal if the integrators included a team of editor/reviewers
independent of the various language teams.  At least for Japanese,
translations (both of generic English and specifically English
software manuals) are often mechanical and not very educational, and
occasionally actively misleading.  Of course this is pie-in-the-sky;
surely people with such skills and the interest are likely to be
participating in the teams.  But I think it's a good idea to keep
quality of translation in mind, and possibly impose some sort of
formal review process or two-approvals requirement.


Footnotes: 
[1]  The example I'm familiar with, I suppose many other projects have
similar setups.