discuss: Re: Suggestion for i18n Coordinator role
Subject:
Re: Suggestion for i18n Coordinator role
From:
Edward Cherlin ####@####.####
Date:
17 Jun 2005 15:26:22 -0000
Message-Id: <200506170827.22692.edward.cherlin@etssg.com>
On Wednesday 15 June 2005 06:59, Javier Fernández-Sanguino Peña
wrote:
> The following is a improvement suggestion for the i18n
> coordinator role definition in the TLDP pages.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
>----
>
> i18n Coordinator
>
> The i18n coordinator helps TLDP reach a wider audience by
> overseeing the translation of documents into multiple
> languages.
>
> [NOTE: Shouldn't there be a coordinator per language? That
> would make more sense ]
And one coordinator for the language coordinators. There are
tasks that don't divide well, and can't be done effectively by a
coordinator for a single language.
> Responsibilities
>
> * Act as a liason between TLDP in the United States and
> Linux documentation groups in other countries.
One person.
> * Keep track of the translators for the languages he
> coordinates to.
One per language.
> * Keep track of the status of translations for
> TLDP documents and translators (or translator teams) in charge
> of the translation.
One per language.
> * Keep track of translations that are
> finished but out of date, ask translators in charge to update
> them or ask for new translators to review and update the
> translation.
I didn't understand that clearly enough. Does "translator in
charge" mean the same as "coordinator for a particular
language"? We need people to keep track of out-of-date documents
per language, and somebody to keep track of out-of-date or
abandoned languages.
> Commitment
>
> The amount of time depends on the number of languages
> coordinated. Since the i18n coordinator does not translate the
> documents himself he need to dedicate time in a monthly basis
> to ask for new translators, detect out of date translations
> and enroll new translators into the TLDP translation effort.
There is rather more to the job of language coordinator. Somebody
has to manage the translation memory system and somebody has to
manage QA on incoming translations. They can be the same person,
but they don't have to be.
> Qualifications
>
> Coordinators should have good inter-personal skills and be
> profient in the languages they coordinate to. Having good
> bonds with the language-speaking free software community he
> coordinates to is a plus since that would enable him to find
> new translators when previous translators of documents for a
> given language are not available.
The over-coordinator has to have better interpersonal skills, and
a wide knowledge of language issues in general and document
localization in particular.
> Supervision
>
> Peer feedback is obtained from TLDP's general discussion
> mailing list. The i18n coordinator is overseen by the chief
> coordinator.
>
> Training
>
> New coordinators are encouraged to read the Author-Guide so
> that they can adapt it and translate it to the languages they
> coordinate to. Any specific questions can be brought up on
> TLDP's general discussion mailing list.
A Translation-Guide would seem to be needed.
> Policies Affecting Assignment
>
> ???
>
> Benefits Of The Position
>
> The i18n coordinator has the opportunity to interact with
> members of the Linux community throughout the world.
and provide essential tools for fighting poverty and creating a
better society. Among other benefits to the world at large and
to specific language communities.
> --------------------------------------------------------------
>----
>
> Hope you find this useful
Thanks. I might apply for this position.
> Javier Fernandez-Sanguino
> Debian GNU/Linux developer and coordinator of the spanish
> translation team
That reminds me. I just got the Sinhala Linux distro from Sri
Lanka and the BanglaLinux distro from Bangla Desh and Bengal. I
need to bother the developers about documentation.
--
Edward Cherlin, Simputer Evangelist
Encore Technologies (S) Pte. Ltd.
The Village Information Society
http://cherlin.blogspot.com
