Localisation of help.ubuntu.com

[Matthew East]

On 3 May 2011 12:50, David Planella <david.planella at ubuntu.com> wrote:
> El dt 03 de 05 de 2011 a les 10:43 +0100, en/na Matthew East va
> escriure:
>> > And once more, now that the server guide will only be available online
>> > and on PDF, I'd like to bring up the subject of enabling translations on
>> > help.ubuntu.com, as otherwise only the English version will be
>> > available. Translators and LoCos keep asking for this, and I'll be more
>> > than happy to help in anything I can in that regard.
>>
>> Each time we discuss this it seems to stall. I've repeatedly set out
>> my reasons why I think that local team websites should be encouraged
>> to provide localised help rather than help.ubuntu.com, and I've
>> repeatedly said that I'm interested in hearing what translators and
>> local team leaders think about it - but the discussion never seems to
>> get further than that. See for example:
>>
>
> Translators: we've talked about it at UDS and on the list in the past.
> May I ask those of you who'd like to see a localized help.ubuntu.com
> instead of having localized team websites to host the localized content
> state your reasons on this thread?
>
> This will be very useful in bringing the discussion forward.

Actually, it would be better as a separate thread. It's a bit
off-topic for this one. I'm changing the subject here accordingly.

>> The last time we discussed it, I noted that there was a specification
>> in the ubuntu-website project to develop an auto-redirection solution
>> for www.ubuntu.com which offers users a link to the local team website
>> in their language. If that solution were implemented for
>> www.ubuntu.com, I think it would be sensible to use it for
>> help.ubuntu.com too.
>>
>
> I'm not very happy with a redirection vs. a full localization solution.
> As far as I know, that redirection project is now stalled.

Perhaps it needs to be rejuvenated...

Could you also provide your reasons or counter-arguments as to why you
prefer a full localization solution?

>> Various references to previous discussions.
>>
>> https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-doc/2010-May/014775.html
>> https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-doc/2010-May/014782.html
>> https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-doc/2010-September/015159.html
>>
>> Would you be willing to prepare a specification setting out the pros
>> and cons of the idea and starting a(nother) discussion about it? If
>> the solution is to implement some technology on help.ubuntu.com that
>> points users to a local website, would someone be interested in
>> working on this?
>>
>
> My idea was to simply enable localized content on the current site (I
> guess it's an apache server just serving html pages?). I'll be happy to
> prepare a spec on this or on a more sophisticated approach, but I want
> to set up expectations: due to changes in the work I'm going to do this
> cycle (more on this on a separate thread), while I'd be able to help, I
> won't probably be able to drive the full spec implementation unless
> someone steps up to help. Also, if I prepare a specification and a UDS
> session, I'd like to know if at least someone from the docs team would
> be able to participate in the session.

The technology of enabling localized content on the current site is
very easy. It would be more difficult to enable the auto-detection and
localised link solution. However we need to get to the bottom of which
is the best solution for users, regardless of how difficult it is to
achieve that.

-- 
Matthew East
http://www.mdke.org
gnupg pub 1024D/0E6B06FF