[PD] What about multilingual Pd ?

[Marc Lavallée]

Le 12 Décembre 2005 03:52, Andre Schmidt a écrit :
> if we make the gui (with the _VERY_ simple english) to multilangual,
> wouldnt we need to translate the objects too ?

No. The effort is about software localization, not translation of a 
programming language.

Translating the objects would require PD to support dialects, like 
AppleScript did. It would be impractical, because PD's language is 
graphical and not using a natural language metaphor.

Since Apple is based in the U.S. (THE unilinguistic power), I was not 
surprised when it dropped support for dialects in AppleScript, although it 
was working perfectly (I used it for a while). The reason invoked was that 
most developers were not using this feature, but it doesn't mean it was a 
completely bad idea...

Menu items like "File", "New", "Open", and GUI objects like "messages", 
"number", "symbol" and "comment" are easy to translate. Non-gui objects 
must be named, and most have distinct names or are diminutives, so it would 
be a bad idea to translate them. Even in English, most object names must be 
decoded, like "osc~"; those names are not in English, they are in the PD 
dialect.

> and i think multilangual gives more problems to ALL, than the user
> learning a little simple english...

Localization is common and considered a *good* thing.

ALL can also learn or remember a little bit of their own language to use 
computers; it's part of the solution to keep and enhance our local 
cultures. Since I'm French speaking, I prefer "commentaire" to "comment", 
"symbole" to "symbol", "nombre" to "number", "bascule" to "toggle"...

Using "little simple english" with technology is not enough to deal with 
complex concepts, and it is an insult to our cultural intelligences. 
English is a rich language, but it's not mine...

> so leave the gui (and objects) in english and just make multilanguage
> help files, tutorials etc...

PD can be localized, like any other software. It's not a problem, and it's 
the first step to multilingual documentation.

> but then again, as long as theres english version, i dont really care :)

PD will alway support its "lingua franca", don't worry.

> ps. my mother language is finnish, and i was unable to use a finnish
> language os...

That's sad.
I visited Finland, and most people were using their computers in Finnish.
Welcome to the 21th century.

I read the other comments about this sensible subject; of course, some would 
prefer to have support for some new "super-duper" features, and consider 
this language issue irrelevent. The good news is that PD is a free software 
and therefore open to people that would like to use it in their own 
language.

Mathieu, we want DesireData! 
(and a better name...)
--
Marc