DOCS-HOWTOVersion 1.0File name: msn/docs/DOCS-HOWTOThis file and its contents are licenced under the GNU-FDL licence version 1.2 or up.http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.htmlIf you modify this file, please update the version and add your name to the credits at the end.This little document is a guide to translators and translationmanagers that works or wants to work in aMSN. It is indeed alittle document, but has a lot of information. We suggest you to print it and leave it within the reach of your hands if youare serious in this translation business.First things first: there are TWO documents you must read.This is the DOCS-HOWTO, that explains what you have to dowhen you waht to translate the FAQ, README and HELP files of you There is *another* document called LANG-HOWTO, that is in msn/lang/LANG-HOWTO, that deals with the translation of the messages, those that are shown on aMSN's menus, dialog boxes and windows. We call those files "language files" or, in short,"langfiles". YOU SHOULD READ BOTH DOCUMENTS, the DOCS-HOWTO *and* the LANG-HOWTO,but choose one first, read it, understand it and, only then, read the other.Another word of warning: if you are in doubt, please ask! We will be pleased to help you. The right place to ask questions is our discussion list: amsn-lang@lists.sourceforge.netYou must subscribe to post there. Instructions on how to subscribecan be found here: http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/amsn-langOne of our goals is to be the most internationalized free software / open source project of the world. And for that we need you!Thanks for the interest on the aMSN project!Index:*. Introduction.   What is this aMSN translation stuff all about?0. The most important thing   Explains why and how to subscribe to the amsn-lang forum.1. For translators   For those who want to translate aMSN to their own language,    or help improve/extend the existing translation. Must read.	-- Rules that must be followed	-- How to add a new language2. For translation managers   For those who are in charge of coordination of local or global    translation efforts and commiting the langfiles to the CVS server.   If you want to start a local translation effort please read this.3. Useful tools   Some of the tools you *must* use before sending your files. These   tools are included with aMSN. ============Introduction============There are many ways you can help the aMSN project. One of them is by translating the software to other languages. This can be easilydone. Another way is proofreading the current translations in searchof typos and errors and missing (untranslated) messages. There isplenty of work for everyone who wants to be involved, and this seemsto be your case as you are reading this file ;-)If you open you aMSN main window, you will notice that there is a "Help" menu. This menu has seven entries. There is a "Help" section, a FAQ section and an "About" section in english. Also, we have the samescheme - a "Help" section, a FAQ section and an "About" section - in your own language. At the bottom we have a "version" item.In order for you to have the FAQ, About and Help sections translated to your own language, there must be exist the corresponding FAQ, README andHELP files for your language.The Help menu of aMSN Messenger can be translated into any language you want. It is easy to do so because all of the translated texts for every new language are stored in special files:FAQxx	  - The translated FAQ fileREADMExx  - The translated README fileHELPxx	  - The translated HELP fileThe name of these indicates clearly the language it contains. The format is FAQxx, READMExx and HELPxx, where "xx" is the two-caracter ISO code of your language. For instance, for the italian language, whose ISO code is IT, the files are called   FAQit   READMEit   HELPitA few examples:Valenciano: FAQva, READMEva, HELPvaSpanish: FAQes, READMEes, HELPesGerman: FAQde, READMEde, HELPdeFrench: FAQfr, READMEfr, HELPfrThe ISO codes for the valenciano, spanish, german and french languages are, respectively, va, es, de and fr. Later in this document we will see howto determine the country code for new languages.All translated FAQxx, READMExx and HELPxx files (which we call "documents") are stored in the msn/docs folder of your aMSN installation. The exception arethe english files, that have no country code (FAQ, README and HELP) and resideon the main msn folder for legacy reasons. For the languages alreadypresent in aMSN (some completely translated, some not) look in the msn/docsfolder and look for the apropriate files reflecting your language.Unfotunately, we don't have these files integrated with our website, the waythe so-called "langfiles" are (refer to the msn/lang/LANG-HOWTO document and ourtranslation website: http://amsn.sourceforge.net/modules.php?name=Translation). We are studying ways to intregrate the FAQ, HELP and README files in the automatedtranslation scripts we hav on the Internet - bu there is nothing practical right now.You should check periodically the lateststable version of aMSN (or the CVS versionif you have this access) and compare the latest english FAQ, README and HELP filesto you langiage's (possibly outdated) FAQxx, READMExx and HELPxx files Yeah, I know. Hard work, difficult to understand.Nothing we can do right now, sorry.Even if your HELPxx, FAQxx and READMExx files are the same version as the master (english) ones, you still have work to do in them. It is important to proofread thefiles, scanning them for possible typos, gramatical errors or bad writting styles introduced by other translators.This document (msn/docs/DOCS-HOWTO) deals ONLY with the HELP, FAQ and README files. Please read the present document completely, make sure you understand everything and ask what to do (at amsn-lang@lists.sourceforge.net) when in doubt.There are other files that need translation and proofreading like thelangXX files (that is, the language files that translates aMSN's messages, menus and dialog boxes). There is another document called LANG-HOWTO,located at msn/lang/LANG-HOWTO. *PLEASE READ THAT DOCUMENT TOO*Tip: this DOCS-HOWTO file surely contains many errors. If you are anative english speaker, please help us by proofreading it.===========================0. The most important thing===========================You MUST subscribe to the amsn-lang@lists.sourceforge.net mailinglist. There you can discuss various issues with the members of thetranslation team, including:- The best way to translate a word or phrase;- What character code you should use or not use;- Best translation practices;- Issues and questions about this HOWTO;- Coordination of local efforts;- Stablishment of local language translation managers.One important thing you MUST ask at the amsn-lang list is if thereis somebody already doing what you intend to. For instance, if you want to translate the FAQ file into greek(FAQel) you shoud ask first. This way, if there is another personalready translating the same FAQel you won't waste your time.You can subscribe to the list by visiting this page:   http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/amsn-langRemember, joining or not is not an option. You MUST subscribe.==================1. For Translators==================When you translate the FAQ, README or HELP files, you should send the entire updated FAQxx, HELPxx or READMExx file to the translator managers, who can be reached at    amsn-translations@lists.sourceforge.netDiff files are also accepted, and can be used in certain cases whereyou update more than one file with a single diff or you mergedifferent files into one, but the best and easyest way (for bothtranslators and managers) is to send the whole translated file. Ifin doubt, send the entire file.You must send a text file attached to your email message. Translations sent in the body of the email will be ignored, due to character coding and line break issues.You can help us by translating some sentences to your language,or modifying wrongly translated sentences (proofreading).RULES THAT MUST BE FOLLOWED:----------------------------FIRST OF ALL:   STAY TUNED ON THE amsn-lang@lists.sourceforge.net LIST!!!   Developers will always announce there the availability of new versions of   the english FAQ,README and HELP files!!! This will be your starting gun!When a new version of the file is announced, follow these steps:0. Make sure you are looking at the right file.Translated FAQs are in the msn/DOCS folder.Also make sure you read and understand the translation instructions at msn/docs/DOCS-HOWTO. By the way, it's the present document.1. You will have always to download two files: the most updated englishfile and the most updated file in your language. For this example, we will use the FAQ file and the language-couple egnlish/german. But it works the same wayfor the other two files (README, HELP) and the other 50 languages.If you want to translate (or update) the FAQde file (german FAQ file) you must download both   FAQ   and   FAQdefrom our SourceForge's CVS. There is no other way to dowload these up-to-date files.We are working on it (to make download of latest FAQ, README and HELP files easyer) but now it is just the way it is.