[libreoffice-l10n] Re: [libreoffice-documentation] Proposal: Documentation workflow and cooperation between NL teams

Hi Michael, :-)

Thanks for this input and creative thinking. Objective examination of
contrasting ideas is a great way to identify the best way forward.

I've read your presentation and sat there thinking about your ideas,
but I don't think we hit the jackpot yet. Let me explain why.

1) Your system sees documentation and other i18n-able content being
processed within a unified work process. You yourself alluded to the
complexity of such a system. I see that as a problem because a) it
will take quite some time and considerable development work to
implement, and b) it will impose a degree of technical expertise and a
learning curve on i18n and English docs people that might be beyond
many.

2) Your system deprives i18n teams/individuals of the current
flexibility and freedom of action that is one of the founding
principles behind TDF. They would be obliged to work as "minions"
(said with a *big* *humorous* smile) of a "big machine" that does not
let them address and implement any NL-specific needs and approaches.

We have to bear in mind that i18n is done by teams ranging in size
from one solitary individual to a number of contributors, and they
have varying degrees of technical expertise, as well as varying
degrees of willingness to learn new systems that would get imposed on
them. IMHO, by offering people total freedom of action, but backed up
by a good level of support if they want to adopt existing workflows,
tools and content, we are likely to draw-in a lot more contributors ot
the community of communities.

To better explain what I mean, I refer you to my recent post
explaining TDF's i18n policy, such as I have come to understand it
(see [1]).

My humble suggestion would be to keep thinking, but focus on a
workflow for the English documentation team. If we really come up with
something that is a real winner, it is likely to be naturally adopted
by at least *some* i18n teams. But, IMHO, a "standardized", "global",
"factory" approach is unlikely to win widespread support.

While you're thinking, I'd invite you to evaluate the current options
up for discussion:

1) Andreas Mantke's and Jean Weber's work on their Plone-based web;

2) The Alfresco evaluation sandbox I've got installed at
https://documentation.traduction.biz which might work for the "English
docs" team and for any i18n teams interested in collaborating closely
with "English docs", whether on a "translation-based" approach or on
an "own content creation" approach (or a mixture of the two);

3) A wiki-based approach;

3) Any other system you see as advantageous (which I am betting would
be Drupal-based :-D ).

HTH. ;-)

[1] 
http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/How-do-I-contribute-to-Documentation-and-l10n-tp2141125p2147769.html

David Nelson

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