Asking for Feedback: User created languages/translations

[Tim Wessman]

Hello,

Feedback time (I hope)!

Please note again, this is NOT an official plan nor statement from HP. I do not speak for HP in an official capacity like that. I am simply giving an idea to gauge interest or possibly identify any problems with this idea. If there does seem to be interest, then maybe I will take the idea up the chain to try and get approval and figure out when or how to possibly make it happen.

One of the problems we've run into with Prime is the difficulty in getting good translations. Basically, this is because you need a person who is a) not mathematically inept, b) has at least a passing familiarity with using a calculator, and c) ideally has a Prime and can look at the screen to get size restrictions/limitations to best fit the translations into the available space. Translations houses can usually provide a), and very rarely b), but never really c). :-(

One idea would be for the connectivity kit to contain a tool to edit the language/help resources directly. Then users would be able to share small excerpts of replacements for existing translations (to fix small problems), complete replacement translations of entire translations, or even possibly add completely new languages to the prime software (on every platform). Interested users would then be able to install these resource files to either correct existing translations, or have completely new languages not in the "official" collection.

Part 1:

I assume that the way this would work is as such: HP would publish the database files for the current language/help translation under something like the CC0 license (https://creativecommons.org/about/cc0/). Basically, that means nobody would be "required" to give attribution, and makes it as close as possible to "public domain" as can be possible. Needing to give credit, and link to every single person who ever touched it from then on would probably get very, very messy after a short time for everyone.

That would mean that changes made and published would be able to be used to feed back into the "official" translations and hopefully benefit everyone. So my question really focuses around this: If HP did let us publish our database, they'd probably insist that we'd be able to feedback user created inputs to the translators on our side in an effort to improve the "originals".

Question 1: How big of an issue would creating this tool in such a way that HP could potentially use your translations to improve the "official" translations or content be for you?


Part 2:

To avoid fragmentation, we would not allow the tool to re-arrange UI strings or help files, create new strings for the general system, and some certain strings would not be able to modified (for example, specific names of applications, some exam mode stuff, etc). Probably 99.8%> of the text in the system would changeable however. Without the limitation, it would be impossible that any user on any version of the Prime software would be able to download a language pack and have it correctly use the proper text. Allowing full adjustment would just be a recipe for problems I think. You'd also be able to link related helps together, add syntax examples, and so on.

This tool would then be able to publish files to either replace small groups of strings, whole languages, or new languages. Those files would be sendable from the connkit to be stored on the hardware or apps. You would also be able to merge multiple files if there were people with varying translations, and other similar things.

Question 2: What level of interest would you have under those conditions?
Question 3: Does anyone see any problems I am missing with this idea?
Question 4: I assume the tool would be english only at first (possibly always?). Without command of the base language (english), I am assuming those individuals doing "translations" wouldn't need a fully translated UI since by definition they'd have to be a least proficient in english? (I am thinking initial cost of getting the tool ready here, needing full translations on day 1 increases the cost some)

I would really appreciate feedback on these 4 questions. Having something I could point to for the boss and say "See! There are real customers who have an interest in this!" could considerably help in making it happen I think.