release 0.2.9

1 files changed, 148 insertions, 125 deletions

diff --git a/ABOUT-NLS b/ABOUT-NLS
index f923c842a..b3f2c65d4 100644
--- a/ABOUT-NLS
+++ b/ABOUT-NLS
@@ -1,16 +1,16 @@
-Notes on the GNU Translation Project
-************************************
+Notes on the Free Translation Project
+*************************************
 
-   GNU is going international!  The GNU Translation Project is a way to
-get maintainers, translators and users all together, so GNU will
-gradually become able to speak many native languages.  A few packages
-already provide native language translation for their messages.
+   Free software is going international!  The Free Translation Project
+is a way to get maintainers of free software, translators, and users all
+together, so that will gradually become able to speak many languages.
+A few packages already provide translations for their messages.
 
-   If you found this `ABOUT-NLS' file inside a GNU distribution, you
-may assume that the distributed package does use GNU `gettext'
-internally, itself available at your nearest GNU archive site.  But you
-do not need to install GNU `gettext' prior to configuring, installing
-or using this package with messages translated.
+   If you found this `ABOUT-NLS' file inside a distribution, you may
+assume that the distributed package does use GNU `gettext' internally,
+itself available at your nearest GNU archive site.  But you do *not*
+need to install GNU `gettext' prior to configuring, installing or using
+this package with messages translated.
 
    Installers will find here some useful hints.  These notes also
 explain how users should proceed for getting the programs to use the
@@ -25,60 +25,85 @@ related to internationalization, you should tell about the version of
 One advise in advance
 =====================
 
-   If you want to exploit the full power of the GNU `gettext' package
-you should configure it using
+   If you want to exploit the full power of internationalization, you
+should configure it using
 
-             --with-gnu-gettext.
+     ./configure --with-included-gettext
 
-   No existing implementation at this point provides so many useful
-features (such as locale alias or message inheritance).  It is also not
-possible to provide this additional functionality on top of a catgets
-implementation.
+to force usage of internationalizing routines provided within this
+package, despite the existence of internationalizing capabilities in the
+operating system where this package is being installed.  So far, only
+the `gettext' implementation in the GNU C library version 2 provides as
+many features (such as locale alias or message inheritance) as the
+implementation here.  It is also not possible to offer this additional
+functionality on top of a `catgets' implementation.  Future versions of
+GNU `gettext' will very likely convey even more functionality.  So it
+might be a good idea to change to GNU `gettext' as soon as possible.
 
-   Future versions of GNU `gettext' will very likely provide even more
-functionality.  So it might be a good idea to change to GNU `gettext'
-as soon as possible.
+   So you need not provide this option if you are using GNU libc 2 or
+you have installed a recent copy of the GNU gettext package with the
+included `libintl'.
 
 INSTALL Matters
 ===============
 
-   Some GNU packages are "localizable" when properly installed; the
+   Some packages are "localizable" when properly installed; the
 programs they contain can be made to speak your own native language.
 Most such packages use GNU `gettext'.  Other packages have their own
 ways to internationalization, predating GNU `gettext'.
 
    By default, this package will be installed to allow translation of
 messages.  It will automatically detect whether the system provides
-usable `catgets' or `gettext' functions.  If neither is available, the
-GNU `gettext' own library will be used.  However, installers may use
-special options at configuration time for changing this behaviour.  The
-commands:
-
-     ./configure --with-gnu-gettext
+usable `catgets' (if using this is selected by the installer) or
+`gettext' functions.  If neither is available, the GNU `gettext' own
+library will be used.  This library is wholly contained within this
+package, usually in the `intl/' subdirectory, so prior installation of
+the GNU `gettext' package is *not* required.  Installers may use
+special options at configuration time for changing the default
+behaviour.  The commands:
+
+     ./configure --with-included-gettext
+     ./configure --with-catgets
      ./configure --disable-nls
 
-will respectively bypass system `catgets' or `gettext' to use GNU
-`gettext', or else, totally disable translation of messages.
+will respectively bypass any pre-existing `catgets' or `gettext' to use
+the internationalizing routines provided within this package, enable
+the use of the `catgets' functions (if found on the locale system), or
+else, *totally* disable translation of messages.
 
    When you already have GNU `gettext' installed on your system and run
-configure without an option for your new package, configure will
+configure without an option for your new package, `configure' will
 probably detect the previously built and installed `libintl.a' file and
 will decide to use this.  This might be not what is desirable.  You
 should use the more recent version of the GNU `gettext' library.  I.e.
 if the file `intl/VERSION' shows that the library which comes with this
 package is more recent, you should use
 
-     ./configure --with-gnu-gettext
+     ./configure --with-included-gettext
 
 to prevent auto-detection.
 
+   By default the configuration process will not test for the `catgets'
+function and therefore they will not be used.  The reasons are already
+given above: the emulation on top of `catgets' cannot provide all the
+extensions provided by the GNU `gettext' library.  If you nevertheless
+want to use the `catgets' functions use
+
+     ./configure --with-catgets
+
+to enable the test for `catgets' (this causes no harm if `catgets' is
+not available on your system).  If you really select this option we
+would like to hear about the reasons because we cannot think of any
+good one ourself.
+
    Internationalized packages have usually many `po/LL.po' files, where
 LL gives an ISO 639 two-letter code identifying the language.  Unless
-translations are disabled, all those available are installed together
-with the package.  However, the environment variable `LINGUAS' may be
-set, prior to configuration, to limit the installed set.  `LINGUAS'
-should then contain a space separated list of two-letter codes, stating
-which languages are allowed.
+translations have been forbidden at `configure' time by using the
+`--disable-nls' switch, all available translations are installed
+together with the package.  However, the environment variable `LINGUAS'
+may be set, prior to configuration, to limit the installed set.
+`LINGUAS' should then contain a space separated list of two-letter
+codes, stating which languages are allowed.
 
 Using This Package
 ==================
@@ -87,117 +112,115 @@ Using This Package
 only have to set the `LANG' environment variable to the appropriate
 ISO 639 `LL' two-letter code prior to using the programs in the
 package.  For example, let's suppose that you speak German.  At the
-shell prompt, merely execute `setenv LANG de' (in `csh') or
-`export LANG; LANG=de' (in `sh').  This can be done from your `.login'
-or `.profile' file, once and for all.  Packages which are not
-internationalized will merely ignore the setting of this variable.
+shell prompt, merely execute `setenv LANG de' (in `csh'),
+`export LANG; LANG=de' (in `sh') or `export LANG=de' (in `bash').  This
+can be done from your `.login' or `.profile' file, once and for all.
+
+   An operating system might already offer message localization for
+many of its programs, while other programs have been installed locally
+with the full capabilities of GNU `gettext'.  Just using `gettext'
+extended syntax for `LANG' would break proper localization of already
+available operating system programs.  In this case, users should set
+both `LANGUAGE' and `LANG' variables in their environment, as programs
+using GNU `gettext' give preference to `LANGUAGE'.  For example, some
+Swedish users would rather read translations in German than English for
+when Swedish is not available.  This is easily accomplished by setting
+`LANGUAGE' to `sv:de' while leaving `LANG' to `sv'.
 
 Translating Teams
 =================
 
-   The GNU `gettext' tool set contains *everything* maintainers need
-for internationalizing their packages for messages.  It also contains
-quite useful tools for helping translators at localizing messages to
-their native language, once a package has already been
-internationalized.
-
-   To achieve the GNU Translation Project, we need many interested
+   For the Free Translation Project to be a success, we need interested
 people who like their own language and write it well, and who are also
 able to synergize with other translators speaking the same language.
-Each translating team has its own mailing list, courtesy of Linux
-International.  You may reach your translating team at the address
+Each translation team has its own mailing list, courtesy of Linux
+International.  You may reach your translation team at the address
 `LL@li.org', replacing LL by the two-letter ISO 639 code for your
-language.  Language codes are *not* the same as country codes given in
-ISO 3166.  The following translating teams exist, as of November 1995:
+language.  Language codes are *not* the same as the country codes given
+in ISO 3166.  The following translation teams exist, as of December
+1997:
 
      Chinese `zh', Czech `cs', Danish `da', Dutch `nl', English `en',
-     Esperanto `eo', Finnish `fi', French `fr', Irish `ga', German
-     `de', Greek `el', Italian `it', Japanese `ja', Indonesian `in',
-     Norwegian `no', Persian `fa', Polish `pl', Portuguese `pt',
-     Russian `ru', Spanish `es', Swedish `sv', Telugu `te' and Turkish
-     `tr'.
+     Esperanto `eo', Finnish `fi', French `fr', German `de', Hungarian
+     `hu', Irish `ga', Italian `it', Indonesian `id', Japanese `ja',
+     Korean `ko', Latin `la', Norwegian `no', Persian `fa', Polish
+     `pl', Portuguese `pt', Russian `ru', Slovenian `sl', Spanish `es',
+     Swedish `sv', and Turkish `tr'.
 
-For example, you may reach the Chinese translating team by writing to
+For example, you may reach the Chinese translation team by writing to
 `zh@li.org'.
 
    If you'd like to volunteer to *work* at translating messages, you
 should become a member of the translating team for your own language.
 The subscribing address is *not* the same as the list itself, it has
-`-request' appended.  For example, Swedish people can send a message to
-`sv-request@li.org', having this message body:
+`-request' appended.  For example, speakers of Swedish can send a
+message to `sv-request@li.org', having this message body:
 
      subscribe
 
-   Keep in mind that team members should be interested in *working* at
-translations, or at solving translational difficulties, rather than
-merely lurking around.  If your team does not exist yet and you want to
-start one, please write to `gnu-translation@prep.ai.mit.edu'; you will
-then reach the GNU coordinator for all translator teams.
+   Keep in mind that team members are expected to participate
+*actively* in translations, or at solving translational difficulties,
+rather than merely lurking around.  If your team does not exist yet and
+you want to start one, or if you are unsure about what to do or how to
+get started, please write to `translation@iro.umontreal.ca' to reach the
+coordinator for all translator teams.
 
    The English team is special.  It works at improving and uniformizing
-the terminology used in GNU.  Proven linguistic skill are praised more
-than programming skill, here.  For the time being, please avoid
-subscribing to the English team unless explicitely invited to do so.
+the terminology in use.  Proven linguistic skill are praised more than
+programming skill, here.
 
 Available Packages
 ==================
 
-   Languages are not equally supported in all GNU packages.  The
-following matrix shows the current state of GNU internationalization,
-as of November 1995.  Listed are: internationalized packages, and
-languages for which work is in progress, or about to start.
-
-          See note    cs de en fr it ja nl no pt sv
-                \   .-------------------------------.
-     chess      (1) |    X  /                    X  |
-     clisp          |    X  X  X                    |
-     diffutils  (2) |       /  .                    |
-     fileutils      |    .  /                       |
-     flex       (3) |       /  .                    |
-     m4             |    -  /  -  -  .           -  |
-     gettext        |    X  /  X           X     X  |
-     ptx            |    -  /  -                 -  |
-     recode         |    -  /  -        -     -     |
-     sh-utils       |    .  /  .                    |
-     sharutils      |    X  /  X     X  X     X  X  |
-     tar            |    X  /  X           -  X  X  |
-     textutils      |    .  /  .                    |
-     wdiff          | -  -  /  -  -                 |
-                    `-------------------------------'
-                      cs de en fr it ja nl no pt sv
-
-   The interpretation legend and notes are:
-
-`/'
-     There is no PO file, this package merely defaults to this language.
-
-`.'
-     The effort of localizing this package has been undertaken by
-     someone, or by a translating team, and work is, or should be in
-     progress.
-
-`-'
-     A PO file for this package and this language is completed and is
-     currently available in a pretest release, or is all ready for
-     inclusion in the next release of this package.
-
-`X'
-     The localization of this package to this particular language is
-     fully completed, and now distributed through an official release.
-
-(1)
-     This package is translated to specific languages by methods
-     predating GNU `gettext'.  Translations are all kept on disk files,
-     and sources contain numbers where one normally expects strings.
-
-(2)
-     This package is planned to switch to GNU `gettext'.  For the time
-     being, it uses temporary means for internationalization.
-
-(3)
-     This package has its translatable strings marked, but does not use
-     GNU `gettext'.  A convenience patch may be available separately.
-
-   If November 1995 seems to be old, you may fetch a more recent copy
+   Languages are not equally supported in all packages.  The following
+matrix shows the current state of internationalization, as of December
+1997.  The matrix shows, in regard of each package, for which languages
+PO files have been submitted to translation coordination.
+
+     Ready PO files    cs da de en es fi fr it ja ko nl no pl pt ru sl sv
+                     .----------------------------------------------------.
+     bash            |       []          []          []                   |  3
+     bison           |       []          []          []                   |  3
+     clisp           |       [] [] []    []                               |  4
+     cpio            |       []    []    []       [] []    []             |  6
+     diffutils       |       []    []    []                []          [] |  5
+     enscript        |       []    [] [] []          []             []    |  6
+     fileutils       | []    []    []    []       [] []    [] []    [] [] | 10
+     findutils       |       []    []    [] []    [] []    []    []    [] |  9
+     flex            |             []    []       []                   [] |  4
+     gcal            |       []          []          []    []          [] |  5
+     gettext         |    [] []    []    []       [] [] [] [] []    [] [] | 12
+     grep            |       []    []    []       [] [] [] []    [] [] [] | 10
+     hello           |       []    []    []       [] [] [] [] []    [] [] | 10
+     id-utils        |       []          []                []             |  3
+     indent          |    [] []                   []       []    []       |  5
+     libc            |       []    []    []       [] []    []          [] |  7
+     m4              |       []          []    []    []          []    [] |  6
+     make            |       []    []    []       [] []    []             |  6
+     music           |                   []                []             |  2
+     ptx             |       []    []    []          [] [] [] []       [] |  8
+     recode          |    [] []    []    []          []    [] []    [] [] |  9
+     sh-utils        |       []    []    []          [] [] [] []       [] |  8
+     sharutils       |       []    []    []          []                [] |  5
+     tar             |       []          [] []    [] [] [] [] []    [] [] | 10
+     texinfo         |       []          []                               |  2
+     textutils       | []    []    []    []       [] [] [] []          [] |  9
+     wdiff           | []    []    []    []          [] [] []          [] |  8
+                     `----------------------------------------------------'
+       17 languages    cs da de en es fi fr it ja ko nl no pl pt ru sl sv
+       27 packages      3  3 25  1 18  1 26  2  1 12 20  9 19  7  4  7 17  175
+
+   Some counters in the preceding matrix are higher than the number of
+visible blocks let us expect.  This is because a few extra PO files are
+used for implementing regional variants of languages, or language
+dialects.
+
+   For a PO file in the matrix above to be effective, the package to
+which it applies should also have been internationalized and
+distributed as such by its maintainer.  There might be an observable
+lag between the mere existence a PO file and its wide availability in a
+distribution.
+
+   If December 1997 seems to be old, you may fetch a more recent copy
 of this `ABOUT-NLS' file on most GNU archive sites.