What is the status of the Free Translation Project (alias TP) with the launch of the "Free Standards Group Linux Internationalization Initiative" (alias LI18NUX), and its call for participation ?

It seems that the LI18NUX project is much amore ambitious than TP, because it addresses all i18n areas for implementing, using, documenting internationalized software, building a common set of API and standards that will work across all distribs, and ensure full compatibility of internationalized software across Linux platforms and other *nix systems.

The LI18NUX project is of concert for TP, because it may decide procedures and file formats, which may include .po files defined by TP, and policies such as the copyright rules for the translations, which may bypass the FSF agreement signed by translators in the TP. It also strictly defines the basic set of features required to support i18nalized software (including standardizing locale names and restricting other standards such as those maintained by official working committees such as IANA, ISO, Unicode and W3C).

It does not concentrate only on Linux, as LI18NUX will in fact impact all *nix operating systems, including thoses from IBM (AiX, MVS), Sun (Solaris), SGI, HP+Compaq including former Digital (HPUX, Tru64, VMS). And it already has great support from major organizations, including:

* Distributions: Caldera, Conectiva, COSIX, Debimaru GNU/Linux, Kandara, LASER5, Miracle, Plamo, Red Flag, Red Hat, SuSe, SW Linux, TurboLinux * Open source development projects: CLE (Chinese Linux Extension), glibc, Guile, ICU, KDE Estonian team, Mozilla, Samba team * Non profit & Standardization bodies: International Univ GLOCOM Japan; Japan Linux Association (JLA); PPC Linux Users Group Japan (JPLUG); Linux Research Society NLS Section; Linux Standard Base (www.linuxbase.org); Linux Business Initiative (LBI Japan); Mozilla L10n Project; Project BLUE (Japan); Team I18N (www.i18n.org), Tokyo Linux User Group (TLUG), the Open Group (www.opengroup.org), Unicode (www.unicode.org), W3C (www.w3.org), XFree86 Project (www.xfree86.org), the X Window System (www.x.org). * Many solution providers, including IBM, Compaq (now part of HP), Sun Microsystems, SGI, Acer, NEC, Fujitsu, Mitsubishi, Transmeta, Oracle, Netscape, Adobe, VA Linux, Cygnus Solutions...

However, point 12 of their charter (Online discussion and information Web sites) may conflict with FSF objectives, given that their website will constitute a copyrighted material with unauthorized copies (meaning that their work will require a usage licence.) Also, any submission in their forum is considered by them as a de facto unlimited and irrevocable licence for them to use and reproduce the submitted ideas and data without compensation (even if they sublicence your information).

Here is their charter (look also at their legal notice), slightly edited only for HTML to plain-text conversion readability :

********************************************************** Li18nux Working Group Charter 2/9/2000 3:12 AM **********************************************************

1) Name

This group shall be called the Linux Internationalization Initiative, and may be abbreviated as Li18nux or LI18NUX.

2) Description

This is a voluntary working group, consisting of Linux and Open Source related contributors who are working on Globalization, which is composed of Internationalization and Localization.

3) Group Status

The LI18NUX working group is incorporated as Free Standards Group.

4) Focus and Goals

This group shall focus on the Internationalization of a core set of APIs and components of Linux distributions in order to achieve a common Linux environment where an internationalized Linux application can be executed and behave correctly regardless of distributions. The results of the working group shall be open to everyone, and be proposed to Linux Standard Base for its LSB 2.0 or later.

The scope of our activities will be focused on software/application portability and interoperability in the International context.

5) Objectives

The objectives of the working group are as follows:

* Leverage collaborative efforts among contributors of Internationalization of Linux and Open Source Software components.

* Provide a forum for contributors to have technical discussions about Internationalization.

* Perform necessary coordination among projects that are related to Internationalization of Linux distributions and Open Source Software.

* Actively disseminate Internationalization related information of Linux and Open Source Software.

* Provide specification of Internationalized APIs and components that every distribution should include to ensure application portability and interoperability among various Linux distributions.

* Develop a catalogue of Internationalized components of Open Source Software which will be integrated in Linux distributions (including documentation, message catalogues, etc).

* Establish necessary liaisons with various committees and organizations that are working on Internationalization

* Document best practices for creation of and dissemination of Globalizable documentation and localizable elements for Linux and Open Source Software.

* Produce documentation on how to globalize applications and other resources for Open Source Software.

6) Background

Linux is one of the Open Source operating systems that is used widely all over the world. However, most Linux distributions and Open Source Software on the Linux distributions were originally developed for English speaking people and typically have not yet been appropriately internationalized. Therefore, local Linux distributors and user groups often need to provide patches to the English oriented Open Source Software in order to successfully support local language and local cultural conventions. We call this kind of patch approach direct localization.

The direct localization and patch approach has the following negative effects:

* Less application portability and interoperability among different distribu tions.

* An internationalized or localized application for one distribution may not execute correctly on another Linux distribution that is localized differently for a specific language environment.

* A patch may conflict with other patches, thus an application of one patch does not necessarily preserve another localization/internationalization patch.

* Inconsistent localization approaches may be adopted by each distribution resulting inhigh development, testing and maintenance costs for both Linux distributions and Open Source application Software.

* No multi-lingual capability

* In order to let worldwide Linux and Open Source Software users enjoy Linux and Open Source application Software in their preferred language environment, and to allow writing of properly globalized applications, such as Internet based applications, Internationalization of Open Source application platforms is an urgent requirement for all Open Source application users, Open Source application developers, and Linux distributors.

7) Subgroups

Technical and administrative subgroups will be established as necessary to work on tasks associated with realizing our objectives.

Currently the following technical subgroups are active.

* Internationalization Architecture * API and Application Development Environment * Graphic User Interfaces * Text Processing Tools * Web Technologies * Input Method * Typography * Globalizable Document * Inter-Application Collaboration * Heterogeneous Inter-connectivity * Printing * Public relations

8) Membership requirements

The membership of this working group shall be open to anyone who is interested in contributing to Linux and Open Source Software Internationalization. A registration form will be available on our Web page; and any such forms can be submitted to li18nux-ctl@li18nux.org for official membership registration.

9) Co-chair and administration officers

The group shall have the following co-chair and administration officers by geography.

* The Americas: Hideki Hiura hiura@li18nux.org * Asia Pacific: Akio Kido kido@li18nux.org * Europe: Anas Nashif nashif@li18nux.org * Oceana: T.B.D. * Middle East: Rasha Morgan rasham@li18nux.org * Antarctica: Tux * Africa: T.B.D.

Representation for additional regions will be added as requested.

The co-chairs are responsible for all administrative matters regarding the operation of this group (e.g., communication among this group, meeting arrangements, and official announcements from this group).

10) Steering committee

The steering committee of this working group consists of the co-chairs of this working group, leaders of the subgroups, a representatives for each of the interested distributions (commercial and non-commercial) who are committed to active contribution to the LI18NUX activities, and a representative of the Free Standards Group. The representatives for non-Linux Open Source Operating System development projects also may be invited as a guest members of the Steering committee. The members of Steering committee and its process are specified in the directives of the LI18NUX Steering committee.

The following is the mission of the steering committee:

* Decision making for this working group * Work plan development * Coordination among sub working groups * External relationships

11) Meetings

A working group shall strive to have face-to-face meetings on a quarterly (that's every three months) basis. The regular meetings will mainly be held in the San Francisco Bay area, but this group would like to have at least one meeting outside of the United States annually. This group encourages adhoc meetings or BOFs (Birds-of-a-Feather sessions) at Linux or Internationalization related events in various countries.

12) Online discussion and information Web sites

This working group shall use the li18nux@li18nux.org mailing list for communication among the members. This working group may establish other mailing lists that are specific to sub tasks as required. The administrative request to the li18nux mailing list should be sent to li18nux-ctl@li18nux.org.

This working group shall have a Web site, www.li18nux.org for information sharing. The Web pages on the site shall include, at a minimum, an official information section, sub group section, and free discussion and information section. The contents in the official information section is subject to approval by the steering committee, and the content of each sub group section is subject to the approval of either the sub group or its leader.

The resources on the Website may NOT be in the PUBLIC DOMAIN (may be copyrighted by Li18nux or originator, or licensed under particular licensing condition). However, all resources may be freely copied and re-distributed, in the event that such resources are NOT in the PUBLIC DOMAIN the provider of such resources will have provided a waiver and certification to allow them to be freely copied and re-distributed from the website.

13) Relationship with standards organizations

This working group will establish necessary liaisons with groups who are working on Globalization or Linux standardization.

The candidate liaisons are to be with:

* Linux Standard Base - www.linuxbase.org * Linux User Groups in various countries who are working on the localization of Linux * Unicode consortium - www.unicode.org * World Wide Web Consortium - www.w3.org * ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22/WG20 (Internationalization) * XFree86 * X.org - www.x.org

14) Charter Duration

This working group and its charter is expected to last through December 2001. The working group may elect to renew the charter at that time.

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