Localizing Gnome and Ubuntu in Urdu

Noumaan — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 21:35:51 +0000

During last few weeks I had been working on the Localization of Ubuntu and Gnome into Urdu. As part of Ubuntu Urdu Translators Team and Gnome Localization Project on UrduWeb, I spent my time organizing the teams and translating some files. I also made a tool Word Bank for Urdu software translators. This little utility acts as a glossary of terms used in software translations. Any one can add an English phrase and its translation in Urdu.

I didn’t get much out of the Ubuntu team, because:

It is difficult to communicate with team members.
Most team members are not very enthusiastic. I hardly see any reply from team members on the mailing list and even after several emails I failed to get them work on Rosetta.
They don’t have the tools (ability to read and write Urdu on their computers) and knowledge (Working knowledge of English and Urdu languages) necessary to work on the project.

I tried my best to develop an interest and enthusiasm among team members but so far it hasn’t worked out the way I expected.

On the other hand UrduWeb already had a localization team and some very enthusiastic members when I joined them to get help with Ubuntu Translators. Admins at Urdu Web approved my suggestions and provided me the freedom to carry out my projects and helped me implement them. We are not seeing great progress on Urdu Web front either, but it is moving a head, slowly but steadily.

After the launch of Word Bank we sparked an interest and hope among Urdu Web Localization team members. We created a Localization Policy Guideline and I took responsibility to coordinate the team effort. We have also made a team to review the quality of translations on Word Bank and Gnome. The glossary we have made on Urdu Word Bank is the greatest achievement we have made so far. It is going to help lots of translators in the future. I am now working hard to get Gnome translated on UrduWeb and then I will upload those po files on Rosetta.

Community Moving Forward

Noumaan — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 13:47:52 +0000

We have recently made little but very significant progress toward the translation of Ubuntu in Urdu. When I joined the Ubuntu community, we already had Ubuntu Pakistani Team and Ubuntu Urdu Translators team. Both had a few members, bad Wiki pages and no community leaders at all. Following the guidelines provided by Ubuntu I stepped into the role of community leader and made the following changes:

Improved the wiki pages for Ubuntu Urdu Translators and Pakistani teams.
Persuaded the Canonical and got a mailing list for Ubuntu Urdu translators.
Encouraged the teams to actively take part in the translation efforts.
Discussed the collabration with Gnome Urdu Translation group.
Encouraged the team to adopt a goal oriented strategy.

Currently I am involved in the translation of some templates on Ubuntu. I will be spending more time on developing a small software to assist Urdu Translators everywhere to find out the translations of most commonly used terms and phrases and add new translations. This project will provide a web interface to search for an English term and provide its translation in Urdu. It is not a dictionary but a word bank where any one can deposit, change, improve and look up for translations. With this project in action, I am hoping to see great improvements in the quality and progress of open source software translations in Urdu. Every one is invited to join the team or start translating templates without joining the team. Below are some links that would help new contributors get started:

My Ubuntu Blog » Translations

Localizing Gnome and Ubuntu in Urdu

Community Moving Forward