Multilingual strategy
Wikitravel has 12 language versions in various states of development, with several more coming soon. It would be great if Crossroads could be a tool for the Wikitravellers who have non-English native languages too.
There are two needs for multilingual content: 1) for navigational text (in the menus, titles, error messages, etc.) 2) for the content.
I see two ways that we can support multiple languages: one is to set up separate instances of the Crossroads software, one for each language. Each instance would have a default language, and users would be expected to contribute blog entries, make forum comments, etc., in that language.
The other is to have one instance, but each user sees the navigational text in their own language (either using content negotiation, like http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec12.html, or with a preference setting), and contributes in whichever language they prefer. Readers could filter languages that they want to see content written in; I could say, "I want to see blog posts in English and French, but not any other language."
I think it's an important issue to discuss. The first strategy is easier but the second one would probably be more likely to generate a lively, integrated community.
reen
_one_ instance option contributor available
new = typo correction only (also test to see effects of coding in Comment boxes, sorry).
This is an issue I discussed recently with Svetico (http://www.world66.com/member/svetico), one of the World66 members on the list for Crossroads beta-testing. She's not only a gifted photographer, but also "a bit of a programmer" (her own words) and very interested in development of multilingual approach and gps/geo-location (conducts her own experiments with Google Earth/Maps combi's) . As to the multilingual topic, she's in favor of the _one_ instance option and so am I... I think it would be wise to invite her _now_ already in this alpha development phase... she will probably have valuable input.
Should you agree, here is her address: svetico@yandex.ru and a picture can be found at svetico.ru
maj
agreement
I think I agree on the one-instance option as well. It will just lead to a better feeling of an international community.
Here's the multilingual module package for Drupal. I would like to have it running here ASAP
http://drupal.org/project/i18n
Thanks for the contact info for Svetic. I would like to have the UI a little more stable before others see the site. But we should start putting together the next round of invites.
giorgio
one-instance
I'm all for the one-instance too.
admin
Going multilingual
One thing we may want to consider doing sooner than later, is installing the multilingual module so that the system is generating language-aware urls (ie /en/forum, etc) early on. This will prevent us from having to change a bunch of urls/links later on. This is, of course, if we're going to use language codes in urls. The other option is to do it on a per-item basis with tags...
reen
We'd prefer "per-item with tags"
Discussed this with Svetico. Here is how we see it.
If we use language codes in urls, that would prevent visitors from seeing more than one language at the _same_ time, right? If we choose for "per-item basis with tags", we can use the "AND" option for every page with information, so something like "Info about Paris, in English AND Russian" could be offered.
If the above is correct, we'd prefer the second option, with "tags". In the alternative, should you choose for the "url" option, it would be nice to have on the pages links like "We have some information about this place in [number] languages".
giorgio
Languages automatically displayed
What I'd like to see is a language filter that automatically filters languages according to my profile. For instance: in my profile I declared I know both English and Italian, so I expect to see contents in English and Italian on Crossroads...
Would it be possible?
reen
positive, but think of flexibility...
It should be a user's personal choice* to accept the default (?) > English + all other profile declared languages automatically linked, * or make restrictions for certain languages to be displayed.All this on a per topic/subject/forum basis.
An example: I have 5 languages mentioned in my personal profile. For most topics/sujects/forums I would accept to see contributions in every possible language, for others, however, I'm sure I would like to cut some from the list.... in specific, local cases I would be interested in e.g. local Norwegians to post in Norwegian (or English of course). In such cases I certainly would restrict my languages choice to English (CR's default language (?) + Norwegian only if the option was given.
Let's go for flexibility.
reen
Languages: active & passive ~
I think it could be an idea as to give the user an opportunity to inform the community about his/her capability of [speaking/writing] a language on the one hand, and that he/she can [read only] some others... If, personally, I would have that choice, I would add to my listing Swedish, Danish, Italian and Portuguese, languages that other users can write in (me having to answer in Norwegian -that will be easily understood by Swedish and Danish users- or English (or French in case of many Italians and Portuguese).
Again, let's go for flexibility :-) There are lots of travelling people being able to communicate in more than two languages (native + English), actively or passively. This way, they will be served.I also think that the actual list is a bit too restrictive, at least from the European point of view.
Riggwelter
More languages
Hm, I missed Swedish in my language list as I registered...so, I reckon the langauge list needs to be updated with (at least) the 15 different language versions of Wikitravel.
admin
noted.
Good point. I'll double check the list ASAP.
Thanks, maj
Riggwelter
Eh...
Plenty of new languages now....still not swedish though. *sobs*
admin
How do you say "oops" in Swedish?
Sorry! It's there now... I'll try and keep adding more...
Admin Maj
Riggwelter
Oops in Swedish?
"Oj". Pronounced "Oi". :-)
admin
Update: Drupal internationalize core in Drupal 6
I've been catching up with recent Drupal developments and it's looking very good for multilingual support in the next version (6). There will be a code freeze for 6 July 1st at which point I'll review how far along they got and decide if it's worth moving ahead with rolling our own in the current version or waiting for 6.
Things looks like they're moving quickly, so it may actually be faster, and certainly easier to maintain over the long run, if we hold off until the release of Drupal 6 later this year. In the meantime, we can focus on working out the mechanics of what the experience should be for users moving between Wikitravel & Extra in different languages...
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