Weblate
The #FOSDEM weekend is over, and we're now working on the feedback we've collected there. One of the frequently asked questions was how to educate developers to improve localization. @nijel turned that answer into https://docs.weblate.org/en/latest/devel/starting.html#educating-developers-for-proper-internationalization
Starting with internationalization

Have a project and want to translate it into several languages? This guide will help you do so. Several typical situations are showcased, but most of the examples are generic and can be applied to ...

Weblate
Feb 2 at 11:25amWeb
Show threadLostLLMFeb 2
@weblate @nijel I must thank all the open-source devs for the work they do. I translate a lot and see some things, that can affect the moral and motivation of translators. The next list is a generic summary from more than 1000 projects and typically only 1 from the list may apply to one project. Majority actually have none. All this is life around us in "it is as it is" style. From my translation experience top problems I have seen:
1/7
Show threadLostLLMFeb 2
@weblate @nijel • no response by devs on comments and questions (success rate can be as low as 10% rate only)
• loading new source strings so that many old ones get "has been translated" status (the worst case in one of my translations has now 450 these strings and the other 60 these strings - all to by added manually again; makes you feel to quit this translation for good)
• forgetting to add translations to app even if new versions get released (worst cases have been for half year or more)
2/7
Show threadLostLLMFeb 2
@weblate @nijel • not adding context to ambiguous source strings (typically you will need to ask "verb or noun" questions)
• forgetting that languages are very different from English (e.g. languages may have different needs for word order and use different language constructs like grammatic cases)
• joining different souce stings in code (does not work for many languages)
• using identical variables in the source string (you can't change word order then)
3/7
Show threadLostLLMFeb 2
@weblate @nijel • adding source strings without context, key and location (description and screenshot are rare and those projects that have, are a lot easier to translate; probably that is too much overhead for devs)
• using different source strings for plural (instead of using language-based built-in logic in Weblate); some languages have very complex scenarions of grammatical number
• changing policy and not communicating this to translators
4/7
Show threadLostLLMFeb 2
@weblate @nijel • forgetting that for small languages it is impossible to use schemes that involve many people (translate, review, ...) - there simply are not enough translators and people for this
• assuming that all translators have GitHub account and will report issues there
• not having alternate communication methods (or having one that is not bridged to other systems)
5/7
Show threadLostLLMFeb 2
@weblate @nijel • when project is closing down, then from translators point of view the good sequence of events is: close translation → commit latest changes → do last release (if possible) → close down (often it is vice versa)
• if project is in still life phase (not closed, but nothing happens), then translation is kept open without notice of status (I know projects where no commits have happened for 5 years, but translation is still open)
6/7
Show threadLostLLMFeb 2
@weblate @nijel • forgetting that well-functioning automation is available in Weblate (like automatic source code commits, either time-triggered or by some other metrics); as a translator I would like to see my translations commited to source code in a regular and trackable way (Weblate is able to add translation percentage to commit message and this helps a lot to keep eye on status and other translation systems do not have this feature)
6.5/7
Show threadLostLLMFeb 2

@weblate @nijel Other translators probably have different comments on this, but some or all this can be added to the Weblate document you linked to (Educating developers for proper internationalization). Could be helpful.

I'm pretty sure, that devs see a lot of things that translators mess up. It would be very useful to see that list as well.

Thanks for reading this thread.
7/7

Show threadMichal ČihařFeb 3
@lostllm @weblate There are indeed way more things that would be worth mentioning. What I wrote down is what I've answered a lot during #FOSDEM, so I just wanted to put it into the documentation before I forgot to do that. Can you extend the chapter with the topics you've described here? I'm sure it would be valuable for many projects.
Show threadMichal ČihařMar 23
@lostllm @weblate I've distilled your feedback into https://github.com/WeblateOrg/weblate/pull/18592. Reviews are welcome.