[Reportbug-maint] Bug#384287: Reportbug not translated (Was: Bug#605892: please state that mails will be publically archived)

[Stefano Zacchiroli]

[ copying the bug log, dropping -devel ]

On Mon, Dec 06, 2010 at 06:50:20PM +0100, Christian PERRIER wrote:
> > If I remember correctly, that was discussed some years ago, and the
> > outcome of the discussion was, that as our translation teams lack the
> > ressources, non English speaking users should contact their respective
> > -user-foo mailing lists, asking someone to proxy their bug report for them.
> > 
> > I don't think so much has changed regarding that, has it?
> 
> That's correct.
> 
> I think it could be good to translate reportbug but the text showed to
> users should be more direct and invite them to send their bug report
> in English language only (with excuses, apologies, etc, etc.).
> 
> So, yes that assumes the user needs some English skills to send the
> bug report. So one might wonder why (s)he would need a translated
> interface...:-)... At first, I woul say that even if one is able to
> read/write some (often broken) English, one does also better
> understand something written in one's own language...an that includes
> the user interface for reportbug (for instance, explanations about bug
> severities).
> 
> So, I would welcome reportbug i18n.

Agreed.

Another argument that comes to my mind is that there are quite some
cases where a bug report can be fully described by a series of technical
steps/shelllogs/etc. In all those cases, a user not mastering English
can be fully capable of providing all needed information to reproduce a
bug, no matter her (natural) language skills.  To me, that is another
valid argument to help those users with a translated reportbug interface
(of course, being very clear that the text in the buglog should better
be in English, to maximize the chances that the maintainer can look into
it and help the submitter.

Now, we "only" need someone providing a patch :-)

Just my 0.02€,
cheers.

-- 
Stefano Zacchiroli -o- PhD in Computer Science \ PostDoc @ Univ. Paris 7
zack@{upsilon.cc,pps.jussieu.fr,debian.org} -<>- http://upsilon.cc/zack/
Quando anche i santi ti voltano le spalle, |  .  |. I've fans everywhere
ti resta John Fante -- V. Capossela .......| ..: |.......... -- C. Adams
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