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Subject: RE: [PATCH] Chinese translation of Documentation/HOWTO
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2007 11:58:58 +0800
Message-ID: <989B956029373F45A0B8AF0297081890D83001@zch01exm26.fsl.freescale.net>
In-Reply-To: <200706212248.34128.rob@landley.net>
Thread-Topic: [PATCH] Chinese translation of Documentation/HOWTO
Thread-Index: Ace0d/H9gUMtm0M5T1eNWsZ11TZnBgABOKIg
From: "Li Yang-r58472" <LeoLi@freescale.com>
To: "Rob Landley" <rob@landley.net>
Cc: <gregkh@suse.de>, <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>,
       <xiyou.wangcong@gmail.com>, <bryan.wu@analog.com>,
       "TripleX Chung" <xxx.phy@gmail.com>,
       "Maggie Chen" <chenqi@beyondsoft.com>, <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>
Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org
Content-Length: 2197
Lines: 55

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rob Landley [mailto:rob@landley.net]
> Sent: Friday, June 22, 2007 10:49 AM
> 
> On Thursday 21 June 2007 10:40:17 Li Yang wrote:
> > This is a Chinese translated version of Documentation/HOWTO.
Currently
> > Chinese involvement in Linux kernel is very low, especially
comparing to
> > its largest population base.  Language could be the main obstacle.
Hope
> > this document will help more Chinese to contribute to Linux kernel.
> 
> I'm putting together a kernel documentation directory at
http://kernel.org/doc
> and I could easily add translations in there.  I just don't know if
this is a
> good idea.
> 
> The problem is, the submission of patches happens on the various
kernel.org
> mailing lists, which are all in English.  Kernel development is done
in a
> single common language: English.  (If you'd like to argue for it to be
done
> in another language, please make the proposal in Linus's native
Swedish.)
> 
> Setting aside for the moment version skew and coverage issues when
translating
> Documentation, which aren't really serious blocking issues, my
question is
> this:  If developers aren't fluent enough with English to follow the
> documentation, how can they follow any of the technical discussions
necessary
> to merge their patches back into the mainstream kernel?  Doesn't this
> encourage the creation of patches that can't easily be merged back
into the
> kernel?

So as I argued in a previous email, non-native English speakers tend to
be more confused by the policies and processes.  I also don't think it's
necessary to translate the technical documents.  To be a software
developer, one has to be educated or experienced in technical terms.
Technical discussion can be done without too much requirement to grammar
and emotional expressing.  The translated document of policies and
processes will help these people to understand the process better and go
smoother in the process.

- Leo
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