[packagekit] Translations: Ambiguous, unclear and other dodgy messages

[Nils Philippsen]

Hi Richard,

On Wed, 2008-10-15 at 18:05 +0100, Richard Hughes wrote:
> On Tue, 2008-10-14 at 17:18 +0200, Nils Philippsen wrote:
> > Hi there,
> > 
> > when Richard asked for help translating PK on fedora-devel-list, I found
> > some problems when overhauling the German translation. He asked me to go
> > through the messages and flag those which are hard to translate. Please
> > copy me on replies as I'm not subscribed to the list.
> 
> Thanks for doing this -- I've changed quite a few strings after your
> review. I've attached PackageKit.pot from master -- any more that you
> think are bad?

Looks well to me, especially the translator comments are really helpful.
The nitpicker in me found a few things though (not all related to
translating), I have questions about some messages and I'll just
enumerate frequent issues for easy flagging ;-):

[...]
> #. TRANSLATORS: The package name was not found in any software sources
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:555
> #, c-format
> msgid "The package '%s' could not be installed: %s"
> msgstr ""

Maybe also mention that the second is the error?

(1): Then, I don't know how likely it is that there is a language that
would reverse the order of both placeholders (en_YODA maybe ;-), but to
be 100% on the safe-side you could use indexed placeholders wherever
there is more than one placeholder used:

#. TRANSLATORS: The package named %1$s was not found in any software
sources, the error is %2$s
#: ../client/pk-console.c:555
#, c-format
msgid "The package '%1$s' could not be installed: %2$s"
msgstr ""

Maybe always using indexed placeholders (when there are 2 or more) helps
getting used to that strange notation...

[...]
> #. TRANSLATORS: The package name was not found in the installed list.
> The detailed error follows
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:665
> #, c-format
> msgid "This tool could not remove '%s': %s"
> msgstr ""

(1)

[...]
> #. TRANSLATORS: When removing, we might have to remove other deps

Perhaps spell out "dependencies", translators might not be privy to our
slang.

> #: ../client/pk-console.c:736
> msgid "The following packages have to be removed"
> msgstr ""

Missing colon? "... removed:"? or even "... removed: %s"?

[...]
> #. TRANSLATORS: We did not remove any packages
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:748
> msgid "The package removal was cancelled!"
> msgstr ""

Spellchecker flagged this for me:

(2) Probably en_GB (or en_AU ;-) instead of en_US -- this will likely
not be "translated" (serves 'em right ;-P).

> #. TRANSLATORS: The package name was not found in any software sources
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:789
> #, c-format
> msgid "This tool could not find the package '%s' to download"
> msgstr ""

"... download."?

> #. TRANSLATORS: There was an error getting the list of files for the
> package. The detailed error follows
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:843 ../client/pk-console.c:852
> #, c-format
> msgid "This tool could not update '%s': %s"
> msgstr ""

(1)

> #. TRANSLATORS: There was an error getting the list of files for the
> package. The detailed error follows
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:874 ../client/pk-console.c:882
> #, c-format
> msgid "This tool could not get the requires for '%s': %s"
> msgstr ""

(1), "requirements" rather

> #. TRANSLATORS: There was an error getting the depends for the
> package. The detailed error follows

"dependencies"

> #: ../client/pk-console.c:904 ../client/pk-console.c:912
> #, c-format
> msgid "This tool could not get the dependancies for '%s': %s"
> msgstr ""

(1), also "dependancies" is en_US only (or even wrong, I don't get a
clear read on that), "dependencies" is common to all en_*, so better use
that for consistency

> #. TRANSLATORS: There was an error getting the details about the
> package. The detailed error follows
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:934 ../client/pk-console.c:942
> #, c-format
> msgid "This tool could not get package details for '%s': %s"
> msgstr ""
> 
> #. TRANSLATORS: The package name was not found in any software
> sources. The detailed error follows
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:964
> #, c-format
> msgid "This tool could not find the files for '%s': %s"
> msgstr ""
> 
> #. TRANSLATORS: There was an error getting the list of files for the
> package. The detailed error follows
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:972
> #, c-format
> msgid "This tool could not get the file list for '%s': %s"
> msgstr ""
> 
> #. TRANSLATORS: The package name was not found in any software
> sources. The detailed error follows
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:994
> #, c-format
> msgid "This tool could not find the update details for '%s': %s"
> msgstr ""
> 
> #. TRANSLATORS: There was an error getting the details about the
> update for the package. The detailed error follows
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:1002
> #, c-format
> msgid "This tool could not get the update details for '%s': %s"
> msgstr ""

all of the above (1)

[...]
> #. TRANSLATORS: This a request for a GPG key signature
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:1127
> msgid "Repository signature required"
> msgstr ""

Under which circumstances would this happen, i.e. is the user expected
to supply this signature? I could think of that this means that the
repositories signature isn't installed yet, true?

> #. TRANSLATORS: This a prompt asking the user to import the security
> key
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:1137
> msgid "Okay to import key?"
> msgstr ""

"Shall the key be imported?" or even "Shall the key be accepted?" as
end-users likely won't have an idea what "imported" imports ;-).

> #. TRANSLATORS: This is where the user declined the security key
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:1141
> msgid "Did not import key"
> msgstr ""

"The key wasn't accepted (imported ...)."

> #. TRANSLATORS: This a request for a EULA

Yeah right, but...

> #: ../client/pk-console.c:1175
> msgid "Eula required"
> msgstr ""

... what does that mean to the user? Just curious ;-).

> #. TRANSLATORS: This a prompt asking the user to agree to the licence

EULA <-> License?

> #: ../client/pk-console.c:1182
> msgid "Do you agree?"
> msgstr ""

"... to the license/licence?" (possibly (2)) or rather "... EULA?"? I
think you should use either "license/licence" or "EULA" consistently.

> #. TRANSLATORS: This is where the user declined the licence
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:1186
> msgid "Did not agree to licence"
> msgstr ""

(2)

> #. TRANSLATORS: This is when the daemon crashed, and we are up shit
> creek without a paddle

You mean where the fecal matter hit the rotary impeller (for all the PC
inclined types) ;-)?

> #: ../client/pk-console.c:1215
> msgid "The daemon crashed mid-transaction!"
> msgstr ""

> #. TRANSLATORS: This is when we could not connect to the system bus,
> and is fatal
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:1387
> msgid "This tool could not connect to system DBUS."
> msgstr ""

Perhaps spell it out as a fatal error to the user?

[...]
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:1549
> msgid "You need to specify a eula-id"
> msgstr ""

What does this mean for me as a user (hard to imagine that, yeah)?

[...]
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:1574 ../client/pk-console.c:1581
> msgid "You need to specify a repo name"
> msgstr ""

"repository"

> #: ../client/pk-console.c:1588
> msgid "You need to specify a repo name/parameter and value"
> msgstr ""

ditto

> #: ../client/pk-console.c:1601
> msgid "You need to specify a time term"
> msgstr ""

Is that the same as "time frame"?

[...]
> #. TRANSLATORS: The user tried to use an unsupported option on the
> command line
> #: ../client/pk-console.c:1710
> #, c-format
> msgid "Option '%s' not supported"
> msgstr ""

"... is not supported."?

[...]
> #: ../client/pk-generate-pack.c:140
> msgid "Set the filename of dependencies to be excluded"
> msgstr ""

Yet another spellchecker find: "file name"?

> #: ../client/pk-generate-pack.c:142
> msgid ""
> "The directory to put the pack file, or the current directory if
> ommitted"
> msgstr ""

"... where to put..." -- what does this message describe? a CLI option?

> #: ../client/pk-generate-pack.c:144
> msgid "The package to be put into the ServicePack"
> msgstr ""
> 
> #: ../client/pk-generate-pack.c:146
> msgid "Put all updates available in the ServicePack"
> msgstr ""

"service pack"?

> #. TRANSLATORS: This is when the user fails to supply the correct
> arguments
> #: ../client/pk-generate-pack.c:166
> msgid "Neither --package or --updates option selected."
> msgstr ""
> 
> #. TRANSLATORS: This is when the user fails to supply just one
> argument
> #: ../client/pk-generate-pack.c:174
> msgid "Both options selected."
> msgstr ""

"Both --package and --updates options selected. You can only choose
individual or all updates."? Perhaps the (new?) --updates option should
be --all-packages instead (that's how I read pk-generate-pack.c)?

> #. TRANSLATORS: This is when the temporary directory cannot be created
> #: ../client/pk-generate-pack.c:222
> msgid "Failed to create directory."
> msgstr ""

"Failed to create temporary directory '%s' which is needed for ..."?
Listing the directories helps people who can't or don't want to use
strace to debug permission issues ;-).

> #. TRANSLATORS: This is when the list of packages from the remote
> computer cannot be opened
> #: ../client/pk-generate-pack.c:231
> msgid "Failed to open package list."
> msgstr ""

Is this a problem on the remote end, or in the network, or local?

> #. TRANSLATORS: This is when the user fails to supply the correct
> arguments
> #: ../client/pk-generate-pack.c:241
> msgid "Finding package name."
> msgstr ""

"Please specify a package name."?

> #. TRANSLATORS: This is when the package cannot be foudn in any
> software source
> #: ../client/pk-generate-pack.c:245
> #, c-format
> msgid "Failed to find package '%s': %s"
> msgstr ""

(1)

[...]
> #. TRANSLATORS: The package was not found in any software sources
> #: ../client/pk-tools-common.c:109
> #, c-format
> msgid "The package could not be found"
> msgstr ""

"The package '%s' could not be found in any software source."?

[...]
> #. TRANSLATORS: update to a new version of the package
> #: ../contrib/packagekit-plugin/src/contents.cpp:330
> #, c-format
> msgid "Upgrade to version %s"
> msgstr ""

Update (a single package) or upgrade (a whole distro)?

> #. TRANSLATORS: To install a package
> #: ../contrib/packagekit-plugin/src/contents.cpp:336
> #, c-format
> msgid "Install %s Now"
> msgstr ""

"... now" (capitalization)

[...]
> #: ../policy/org.freedesktop.packagekit.policy.in.h:1
> msgid "Accept EULA"
> msgstr ""

I assume this is about a PolicyKit action/authorization: "Accepting a
EULA for package installation"?

(3) I think for actions/authorizations the gerund form(?) would suit
better than an infinitive.

[...]
> #: ../policy/org.freedesktop.packagekit.policy.in.h:13
> msgid "Install local file"
> msgstr ""

(3), "... package file"?

> #: ../policy/org.freedesktop.packagekit.policy.in.h:14
> msgid "Install untrusted local file"
> msgstr ""

(3), "untrusted" meaning "unsigned"? "Installing unsigned local package
file"?

> #: ../policy/org.freedesktop.packagekit.policy.in.h:15
> msgid "Refresh system sources"
> msgstr ""
> 
> #: ../policy/org.freedesktop.packagekit.policy.in.h:16
> msgid "Remove package"
> msgstr ""
> 
> #: ../policy/org.freedesktop.packagekit.policy.in.h:17
> msgid "Rollback to a previous transaction"
> msgstr ""

above: (3)

> #: ../policy/org.freedesktop.packagekit.policy.in.h:18
> msgid "Set network proxy"
> msgstr ""

(3), "Setting a network proxy" (article)?

> #: ../policy/org.freedesktop.packagekit.policy.in.h:19
> msgid "Trust a key used for signing packages"
> msgstr ""

(3)

> #: ../policy/org.freedesktop.packagekit.policy.in.h:20
> msgid "Update packages"
> msgstr ""

(3)

> #: ../src/pk-main.c:85
> msgid "Startup failed due to security policies on this machine."
> msgstr ""

Spellchecker find: "Starting failed ..."?

> #: ../src/pk-main.c:87
> msgid "The correct user is not launching the executable (usually
> root)"
> msgstr ""

"An unauthorized user launched the program (usually this should be done
by the 'root' user)"?

> #: ../src/pk-main.c:88
> msgid ""
> "The org.freedesktop.PackageKit.conf file is not installed in the
> system /etc/"
> "dbus-1/system.d directory"
> msgstr ""

"... system directory /etc/dbus-1/system.d"?

I hope that wasn't too pedantic ;-).

Nils
-- 
Nils Philippsen      "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase 
Red Hat               a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty
nils at redhat.com       nor Safety."  --  Benjamin Franklin, 1759
PGP fingerprint:      C4A8 9474 5C4C ADE3 2B8F  656D 47D8 9B65 6951 3011