Re: Translation of autoconf docs into spanish

[santilistas]

Ralf Wildenhues wrote:
> Hello Santilín,
>
> * santilistas wrote on Sun, Aug 09, 2009 at 06:31:56PM CEST:
>   
>> Hi, I'd like to know if there is a translation of the autoconf docs into
>> Spanish.
>>     
>
> No, although there exists a very outdated Spanish version of the
> primary Autoconf web page.
>
>   
>> If not, as I am going to read the manual thoroughly in order to
>> understand autoconf, I've thought that I could translate it into Spanish
>> at the same time. How should I start? Translating the texi files? That
>> would add a little more thrilling to this task as I am eager to learn LaTeX.
>>     
>
> First, please note that LaTeX and Texinfo are not the same thing;
> GNU manuals are written in the latter.  I have no idea whether there
> is a coherent effort (or, for that matter, any effort at all) to
> translate the manuals into other languages.  In any case I would urge
> you to enquire about that with the translation teams which manage the
> translations of the GNU programs' messages and the like.
>
> I personally would welcome a translation of a large manual like the
> Autoconf one only if it was done by somebody both fairly knowledgeable
> of the package in question (it's fine if you get there along the way,
> but that probably means you'd have to go back to the earlier-written
> parts later again), and if also the person or group would agree to
> maintain the translation for an extended amount of time.  Without the
> latter, a manual can still be helpful, but I would consider it a mostly
> wasted effort, never recommend it to users, and, as soon as it is
> outdated, I would not want to work on bug reports by users who learned
> from that manual only.
>
> Sorry to sound so negative, but really I think the translation is a huge
> amount of work with limited pay-off; it would seem sensible to do only
> if there was a group of people to maintain it.
>
> Finally, thank you for the offer, and for any work you might invest in
> this effort.  :-)
>
> Cheers,
> Ralf
>
>   
I agree with you in that a one-person effort like this is a waste of
time. I'll try and connect people from the GNU spanish translation group
to see if they are interested in my joining them.

With respect to the literacy on autoconf and the like, this is precisely
my aim, and that is why I want to read throrougly and carefully the
manuals. The effort of the added translation is not much greater.

Regards,
--santilín