[Xerte] Re: Language

[Pat Lockley]

On 09/05/2011 22:34, Julian Tenney wrote:
> I was thinking earlier - it is simple enough to make the tempaltes multi lingual with lanaguages we store in the back end, but changing them to handle the author adding different languages is another thing entirely: how would the wizard work? There's a lot more work if the author can create multi language quizzes themselves.
>
> So the wizard needs some sort of language selctor, so that the wizard writes to the right language nodes in the xml. That would entail major archtectural changes, as the nodes are instantiated with a  lot of the text nodes / attributes in them: the wizard then edits them. Need to think about that more.
>
> I think the priorities are
>
> i) the toolkits application itself. So it can be installed and configured to a  locale.
> i) equal first, but maybe later, are the templates  as we discussed, for end users ( with a long term goal of multi language support for authors who want to author in more than one language. That has interseting connotations for oer, where an author may not be the first author, but can easily translate the content).
> i) any engine changes to support those things ( i.e. a language neutral interface, with configurable language elements for things where text is required (i.e. the items on the accessibility menus).
>
> I put my hand up for the third task, loading text from language xml files for the xerte default interface, and managing all that into the runtime. I'm putting Pats hand up for leading on the first task, I'm thinking Jonathan can do the second one, and Tom can write a plan and keeep us all in line. Other roles to be defined...
>
> Alistair and I had some thoughts about a developer nonference here at Nottingham sometime, maybe late September: that could be a useful event, which we are hoping might prove a catalyst in developing the open source commnity around the Xerte Project. This would be topical. At the very least we can provide a venue for a couple of days.
>
> If enough hands go up, we can start the ball rolling?
>
> Do we want a 'Xerte Developers' list?
I think a Xerte techie list (for the website) would be good.

I am not sure i want to lead - as a I worry i'll do a tonne of work and 
no one will translate it. And i don't mind coding, but you know, i'd 
sooner not have to learn french.

A nonference sounds a plan - but how many of us would be UK?

Pat