Subject: RE: [PATCH] Chinese translation of Documentation/HOWTO
From: Bryan Wu <bryan.wu@analog.com>
Reply-To: bryan.wu@analog.com
To: Li Yang-r58472 <LeoLi@freescale.com>
Cc: Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>, 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
In-Reply-To: <989B956029373F45A0B8AF0297081890D83001@zch01exm26.fsl.freescale.net>
References: <989B956029373F45A0B8AF0297081890D83001@zch01exm26.fsl.freescale.net>
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Organization: Analog Devices, Inc.
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2007 12:22:08 +0800
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On Fri, 2007-06-22 at 11:58 +0800, Li Yang-r58472 wrote:
> > -----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

Leo is right. Policies and processes should be clear for all developer
including non-native English speakers, while other technical documents
do not need to be translated.

After I read the translations, I also found something I missed before.

Thanks for the work
- Bryan Wu
-
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