Request for Docs Freeze Extension for ubuntu-docs

[David Planella]

Al 21/03/12 13:54, En/na Jeremy Bicha ha escrit:
> On 21 March 2012 04:37, David Planella <david.planella at ubuntu.com> wrote:
>>> I was a bit surprised to see that ubuntu-docs and kubuntu-docs are
>>> listed on https://wiki.ubuntu.com/NonLanguagePackTranslationDeadline .
>>> It doesn't seem right to give the translators less time to translate
>>> stuff that will be changing until the last possible minute especially
>>> since Ubuntu has complete control over the packaging for these. Is
>>> that page still up-to-date?
>>
>> The page is up to date. I'm not sure I quite follow the part about stuff
>> changing at the last minute. There is a clear deadline (docs string
>> freeze) after which (barring freeze exceptions) translators know the
>> text is frozen and can start doing their work safely.
>>
>> There is also a clear deadline (NonLanguagePackTranslationDeadline)
>> where they know translations should be finished.
> 
> Thanks David for the reply. My question was: Why is ubuntu-docs
> subject to the NonLP deadline; wouldn't it be better for everyone if
> it were part of the later LanguagePackTranslation deadline? Two weeks
> is awfully short to translate something massive like ubuntu-docs and I
> hate to cut it into some of that time.
> 

Ah, right, I understand the question now. All packages which are not
supported by language packs are subject to
NonLanguagePackTranslationDeadline. Not being supported by language
packs means that the developers need to manually fetch the translations
from Launchpad, put them into the package, and do a package upload.

That's why back in the day this additional deadline was set up: to give
developers some extra time to do the manual integration of translations.

The Ubuntu Docs, the slideshow and the installer, to mention the most
important packages, fall into this category.

>>> It's important that we first understand
>>> how long translators have
>>
>> Looking at the release schedule, they've got 2 weeks and 2 days to
>> translate Ubuntu documentation:
>>
>> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PrecisePangolin/ReleaseSchedule
>>
>> It's a tight schedule, but the idea is to leave documenters as much time
>> as possible to do their work after UI freeze.
>>
>>> before answering my other question: How much
>>> additional time can we have to improve the Unity documentation?
>>>
>>
>> Technically, and if the docs team would commit to fetch translations
>> from Launchpad and do an upload with those translations by
>> LanguagePackDeadline, that'd give both translators and documenters extra
>> time.
> 
> Maybe mdke knows a bit more about how that works, but I think I'd need
> someone to walk me through how to do that correctly. For instance,
> there are typos in the Oneiric manual (where I believe we did freeze
> at the scheduled deadline) but I wasn't sure how to go about fixing
> them.
> 

Other people in the docs team will provide more in depth details or
correct me, but on a very high level view, the workflow would probably be:

- Do the fixes in bzr
- Request a freeze exception (if we're in the development cycle and a
freeze is in place) or SRU (if we're post release), making sure the
translations team is notified
- If it's an SRU that is is granted, do the upload to -proposed and
coordinate with the translations team (e.g. on this list) and with
archive admins to make the upload coincide with a new language pack release

I hope this helps.

>> However, it is up to the release team to grant that exception. I
>> personally think that given the current situation it might be the best
>> approach.
>>
>> I realize documentation is volunteer work, and you guys are awesome at
>> producing high quality docs for Ubuntu. At the same time, though,
>> everyone should realize that changes in the schedule affect other
>> volunteer contributors, and while it's perfectly ok not to be able to
>> finish a task, we should expect to do it gracefully, i.e. letting
>> everyone affected know well in advance, if at all possible.
>>
>> As I've said on other occasions, this is not meant to point fingers at
>> anyone, rather as an opportunity to learn for the future, and to work on
>> a solution for now.
>>
>> Jeremy, I see that the release team is CC'd, but do you think you could
>> ensure to follow up with them (e.g. making sure it's on the agenda for
>> their next meeting) and let us know about the outcome?
> 
> Yes, I'll follow up with the release team today so that translators
> can know what's going on.
> 
> I guess a bit of my frustration is that I realize the docs won't be as
> good as I hoped, but that's the cost of short release cycles: never
> enough time to do everything. :-)
> 
> Thanks,
> Jeremy
> 


-- 
David Planella
Ubuntu Translations Coordinator
www.ubuntu.com / www.davidplanella.wordpress.com
www.identi.ca/dplanella / www.twitter.com/dplanella

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