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From: Guillaume Lelarge <guillaume@lelarge.info>
Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2023 21:45:45 +0200
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 <CAECtzeV6dyu4jTOrorFW=B=EicyejWO7_Seew3Ch0=0wO+M-RQ@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Is translating server messages really worth it?
To: pgsql-translators@lists.postgresql.org
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Hi,

I know that $SUBJECT is a bit curious from someone who's been translating
PostgreSQL server messages for quite some time now (I checked, I've been
doing it for 20 years...). But still, I'm wondering.

Most of the time when I'm at a customer's office trying to help them with
their PostgreSQL cluster, I tell them to set lc_messages to C, so that
server messages are in english. It's kind of weird or funny to do the
translation, and tell people not to use it. But, yeah, I don't know if it's
a good thing or not, but when someone tries to search if someone else
already met some weird server messages, this someone has more chances to
get a hit with an english message than with a french message (though I
guess it's the same for other non-english languages). If you have to use a
tool such as pgbadger, this kind of tool only knows English messages.

So, yeah, I'm kinda wondering if it makes sense to translate server
messages. For client tools, such as psql or pg_dump or vacuumdb, it
definitely makes sense. But the server logs? I pretty much don't know. It's
a lot of work, with some nearly-impossible-to-translate messages.

Anyway, I was wondering how you feel about this.

And I have another question, quite a bit related :) If a file (let's say
psql-fr.po) is not translated at 80%, it's not distributed. But I was
wondering if it was only this file (psql-fr.po) or all the files for this
language? I'm considering leaving the postgres-fr.po file without any
translation, but keep the other files up to date.

Thank you for your comments.

Regards.


-- 
Guillaume.

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Hi,</div><div><br></div><div>I know that $SUBJECT is =
a bit curious from someone who&#39;s been translating PostgreSQL server mes=
sages for quite some time now (I checked, I&#39;ve been doing it for 20 yea=
rs...). But still, I&#39;m wondering.</div><div><br></div><div>Most of the =
time when I&#39;m at a customer&#39;s office trying to help them with their=
 PostgreSQL cluster, I tell them to set lc_messages to C, so that server me=
ssages are in english. It&#39;s kind of weird or funny to do the translatio=
n, and tell people not to use it. But, yeah, I don&#39;t know if it&#39;s a=
 good thing or not, but when someone tries to search if someone else alread=
y met some weird server messages, this someone has more chances to get a hi=
t with an english message than with a french message (though I guess it&#39=
;s the same for other non-english languages). If you have to use a tool suc=
h as pgbadger, this kind of tool only knows English messages.</div><div><br=
></div><div>So, yeah, I&#39;m kinda wondering if it makes sense to translat=
e server messages. For client tools, such as psql or pg_dump or vacuumdb, i=
t definitely makes sense. But the server logs? I pretty much don&#39;t know=
. It&#39;s a lot of work, with some nearly-impossible-to-translate messages=
.</div><div><br></div><div>Anyway, I was wondering how you feel about this.=
<br></div><div><br></div><div>And I have another question, quite a bit rela=
ted :) If a file (let&#39;s say psql-fr.po) is not translated at 80%, it=
9;s not distributed. But I was wondering if it was only this file (psql-fr.=
po) or all the files for this language? I&#39;m considering leaving the pos=
tgres-fr.po file without any translation, but keep the other files up to da=
te.</div><div><br></div><div>Thank you for your comments.</div><div><br></d=
iv><div>Regards.</div><div><br></div><div><br><span class=3D"gmail_signatur=
e_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature" data-sma=
rtmail=3D"gmail_signature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Guil=
laume.<br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>

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