Older blog entries for pusakat (starting at number 15)

Keeping up to date with the changes in d-i is a daily thing. I just dusted off some new strings in the level 1 master file for Tagalog and am working on several packages in the other levels.

I updated the translation for isocodes iso_3166 table and submitted it the other day to Tobias.

There are other packages that need attention, with only a few strings.

I'm hoping though that there will be volunteers for the other major packages that need work.

I updated the Tagalog message catalog translation file for shadow the other day. Sent the update to Tomasz, the shadow package maintainer. Since he is the official maintainer for shadow (upstream for all), all distributions that use shadow (what distro doesn't?) will have Tagalog translations for all components of shadow.

Getting back in the saddle after being bucked off it isn't exactly easy. For starters, one has to overcome the sense of defeat that comes with the experience. Furthermore, it can be a PITA to regroup one's resources to get past the failure, and focus on working out a solution to the problem.

It's the third month of the year, and I have little to show in terms of work done on TL, or organizing the efforts that are underway in translation. It would be nice if someone on the translation team would draft something like a style guide, even just for comments or as a basis for a final style guide for the project.

Of course, there's also the fact that translation work doesn't just happen in one project or system. There are several fronts which direly need translation work for Tagalog, and only a few people are really serious about doing this over a broad range of projects.

In the course of researching for other tasks, I've discovered a wealth of documentation that would be helpful to the wannabe translator. But I'll save that for when I have it organized and have more time to enumerate them and discuss the options.

Zero work on FOSS today. Had automotive alternator anguish just a day before New Year's and that ate up most of my time on the run up to New Year's Eve.

No word from G. The wait is killing me. I'm expecting a rejection anyway since I think that I bombed out during the technical phone screen.

My outlook this year regarding my work on FOSS since I've decided to keep my FOSS posts here on advogato:

• Continue work on d-i tl. Keeping on top of this is fun.
  
• Start getting the bulk of gnome-tl in shape. It's a long way to go.
  
• work on wwwtl.gnu.org
  
• Find other things to package for debian
  
• promote i18n/l10n/a11y work in the Philippines
  

My work on Debian gets into Ubuntu somehow, so my focus is there instead of on Ubuntu per se. I do take some time to log into launchpad and fix a couple of translation files here and there when I have time. Of course, it would be great if there were more people involved in this. If you are interested in doing Tagalog translation work for Free/Open Source Software, join our mailing list at debian-tl. It isn't strictly a Debian mailing list anymore, nor is it strictly for Tagalog translation, the scope has expanded to any Philippine language, so please join us if you're interested in translating F/OSS to a Philippine language.

My wishlist of FOSS related stuff for this year:

• More technical books (like I don't have enough of them already)
  
• maybe a new 'puter that I actually own since the one I'm currently using isn't really mine (UPM legally owns it, I merely possess the object),
  
• if not a new 'puter, maybe a new hard disk
  

Just finished updating the Tagalog translations of the shadow package and sent the tl.po to Tomasz, the upstream maintainer. I'll try to get the updates to him much earlier since he takes the time to send update email to all translators ahead of a release.

d-i is definitely a moving target and I have to keep on my toes to keep the tl translation in sync. It is easier to do this daily since the updates are usually a few strings a day, and it is much more manageable to do that than all in one go. It would also make things easier if there were more translators who are dedicated to maintaining translations for even just one program each to distribute the load of translation. But at the moment, it's wishful thinking. The drawback to this is that the style of translation will vary with each translator. Someone should spend time writing up a style guide for translation in Tagalog as well as an updated glossary of technical terms with their suggested translations.

Did a little work on d-i translation, just 4 strings in the master translation file. Am doing a little work on shadow upstream translation so it can be merged back into debian quickly. I'm a little behind in the additional files that haven't been translated to Tagalog: xserver-xorg/debian/po/tl.po and menu/po-sections/tl.po. I seem to recall that jsg might have worked on menu/po-sections on launchpad, so I should check that out. I also have to ping the aptitude translator, Ryan E., to find out if he's making any progress. Looking at the aptitude translation file though, I may have to set aside time to review it and suggest revisions to keep it in sync with the rest of the translations.

I've been working primarily on translation of the Debian GNU/Linux installer to Tagalog. Here's a link to a summary of translation statistics for Tagalog. Although most of the work has been done by myself, I'm grateful that there are others who are interested in working on translation as well. The work is slow for the most part; this is due to the fact that translation isn't automatic. There is much work to be done toward making it easier for translators to contribute. In this regard, I think that the Ubuntu infrastructure, as well as their distribution's integration of launchpad, is a good example of how it can be achieved. I'm interested though in working out a framework for translation in Filipino languages to help coordinate the different efforts in this arena.

Vacation can put a damper on free software work... of course, everything takes a back seat to family.

yes... it's been that long. i haven't had time to advogato online, but have been sucked up in RL.

python xml rpc entry

I'm test posting a diary entry on Advogato using the XML-RPC interface using Python. No, it isn't scripted yet, but if this works, I just might write one for myself as an instructive exercise.

Teaching Kids

Teaching kids, particularly in grade school, can be very educational for the would-be-teacher as well as for the kids. I spent most of today helping my step-son-to-be review some science and geography lessons. Going over the material just brings back facts and information that I normally would take for granted, but attempting to make all that make sense and for it to be meaningful enough to remember for our kids is not an easy task. It makes me more appreciative of teachers. Of course, my own background as an Education major in college colors my perspective a bit. It makes me want to review Papert's work in education and how much computers can be used as a tool in learning.

Storms

It is still Typhoon time here in the Philippines. Twenty fatalities last I heard. Weather can still be a killer even with all the advancements man has made.