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      1 Notes on the Free Translation Project
      2 *************************************
      3 
      4    Free software is going international!  The Free Translation Project
      5 is a way to get maintainers of free software, translators, and users all
      6 together, so that will gradually become able to speak many languages.
      7 A few packages already provide translations for their messages.
      8 
      9    If you found this `ABOUT-NLS' file inside a distribution, you may
     10 assume that the distributed package does use GNU `gettext' internally,
     11 itself available at your nearest GNU archive site.  But you do _not_
     12 need to install GNU `gettext' prior to configuring, installing or using
     13 this package with messages translated.
     14 
     15    Installers will find here some useful hints.  These notes also
     16 explain how users should proceed for getting the programs to use the
     17 available translations.  They tell how people wanting to contribute and
     18 work at translations should contact the appropriate team.
     19 
     20    When reporting bugs in the `intl/' directory or bugs which may be
     21 related to internationalization, you should tell about the version of
     22 `gettext' which is used.  The information can be found in the
     23 `intl/VERSION' file, in internationalized packages.
     24 
     25 INSTALL Matters
     26 ===============
     27 
     28    Some packages are "localizable" when properly installed; the
     29 programs they contain can be made to speak your own native language.
     30 Most such packages use GNU `gettext'.  Other packages have their own
     31 ways to internationalization, predating GNU `gettext'.
     32 
     33    By default, this package will be installed to allow translation of
     34 messages.  It will automatically detect whether the system already
     35 provides the GNU `gettext' functions.  If not, the GNU `gettext' own
     36 library will be used.  This library is wholly contained within this
     37 package, usually in the `intl/' subdirectory, so prior installation of
     38 the GNU `gettext' package is _not_ required.  Installers may use
     39 special options at configuration time for changing the default
     40 behaviour.  The command:
     41 
     42      ./configure --disable-nls
     43 
     44 will bypass any pre-existing `gettext' to _totally_ disable translation
     45 of messages.
     46 
     47    The configuration process will not test for the `catgets' function
     48 and therefore it will not be used.  The reason is that even an
     49 emulation of `gettext' on top of `catgets' could not provide all the
     50 extensions of the GNU `gettext' library.
     51 
     52    Internationalized packages have usually many `po/LL.po' files, where
     53 LL gives an ISO 639 two-letter code identifying the language.  Unless
     54 translations have been forbidden at `configure' time by using the
     55 `--disable-nls' switch, all available translations are installed
     56 together with the package.  However, the environment variable `LINGUAS'
     57 may be set, prior to configuration, to limit the installed set.
     58 `LINGUAS' should then contain a space separated list of two-letter
     59 codes, stating which languages are allowed.
     60 
     61 Using This Package
     62 ==================
     63 
     64    As a user, if your language has been installed for this package, you
     65 only have to set the `LANG' environment variable to the appropriate
     66 `LL_CC' combination.  Here `LL' is an ISO 639 two-letter language code,
     67 and `CC' is an ISO 3166 two-letter country code.  For example, let's
     68 suppose that you speak German and live in Germany.  At the shell
     69 prompt, merely execute `setenv LANG de_DE' (in `csh'),
     70 `export LANG; LANG=de_DE' (in `sh') or `export LANG=de_DE' (in `bash').
     71 This can be done from your `.login' or `.profile' file, once and for
     72 all.
     73 
     74    You might think that the country code specification is redundant.
     75 But in fact, some languages have dialects in different countries.  For
     76 example, `de_AT' is used for Austria, and `pt_BR' for Brazil.  The
     77 country code serves to distinguish the dialects.
     78 
     79    The locale naming convention of `LL_CC', with `LL' denoting the
     80 language and `CC' denoting the country, is the one use on systems based
     81 on GNU libc.  On other systems, some variations of this scheme are
     82 used, such as `LL' or `LL_CC.ENCODING'.  You can get the list of
     83 locales supported by your system for your country by running the command
     84 `locale -a | grep '^LL''.
     85 
     86    Not all programs have translations for all languages.  By default, an
     87 English message is shown in place of a nonexistent translation.  If you
     88 understand other languages, you can set up a priority list of languages.
     89 This is done through a different environment variable, called
     90 `LANGUAGE'.  GNU `gettext' gives preference to `LANGUAGE' over `LANG'
     91 for the purpose of message handling, but you still need to have `LANG'
     92 set to the primary language; this is required by other parts of the
     93 system libraries.  For example, some Swedish users who would rather
     94 read translations in German than English for when Swedish is not
     95 available, set `LANGUAGE' to `sv:de' while leaving `LANG' to `sv_SE'.
     96 
     97    In the `LANGUAGE' environment variable, but not in the `LANG'
     98 environment variable, `LL_CC' combinations can be abbreviated as `LL'
     99 to denote the language's main dialect.  For example, `de' is equivalent
    100 to `de_DE' (German as spoken in Germany), and `pt' to `pt_PT'
    101 (Portuguese as spoken in Portugal) in this context.
    102 
    103 Translating Teams
    104 =================
    105 
    106    For the Free Translation Project to be a success, we need interested
    107 people who like their own language and write it well, and who are also
    108 able to synergize with other translators speaking the same language.
    109 Each translation team has its own mailing list.  The up-to-date list of
    110 teams can be found at the Free Translation Project's homepage,
    111 `http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/', in the "National teams"
    112 area.
    113 
    114    If you'd like to volunteer to _work_ at translating messages, you
    115 should become a member of the translating team for your own language.
    116 The subscribing address is _not_ the same as the list itself, it has
    117 `-request' appended.  For example, speakers of Swedish can send a
    118 message to `sv-request (a] li.org', having this message body:
    119 
    120      subscribe
    121 
    122    Keep in mind that team members are expected to participate
    123 _actively_ in translations, or at solving translational difficulties,
    124 rather than merely lurking around.  If your team does not exist yet and
    125 you want to start one, or if you are unsure about what to do or how to
    126 get started, please write to `translation (a] iro.umontreal.ca' to reach the
    127 coordinator for all translator teams.
    128 
    129    The English team is special.  It works at improving and uniformizing
    130 the terminology in use.  Proven linguistic skill are praised more than
    131 programming skill, here.
    132 
    133 Available Packages
    134 ==================
    135 
    136    Languages are not equally supported in all packages.  The following
    137 matrix shows the current state of internationalization, as of May 2003.
    138 The matrix shows, in regard of each package, for which languages PO
    139 files have been submitted to translation coordination, with a
    140 translation percentage of at least 50%.
    141 
    142      Ready PO files       am az be bg ca cs da de el en en_GB eo es
    143                         +-------------------------------------------+
    144      a2ps               |       []          [] [] []                |
    145      aegis              |                      ()                   |
    146      anubis             |                                           |
    147      ap-utils           |                                           |
    148      bash               |                      []             [] [] |
    149      batchelor          |                                           |
    150      bfd                |                   []                   [] |
    151      binutils           |                   []                   [] |
    152      bison              |                   [] []                [] |
    153      bluez-pin          |                []                   []    |
    154      clisp              |                                           |
    155      clisp              |                      []    []          [] |
    156      coreutils          |             []    [] []                [] |
    157      cpio               |                   [] []                [] |
    158      darkstat           |                   ()                   [] |
    159      diffutils          |             [] [] [] [] []          [] [] |
    160      e2fsprogs          |                []    []                   |
    161      enscript           |             []    [] []        []         |
    162      error              |             []    [] []        []      [] |
    163      fetchmail          |             [] () [] [] []             [] |
    164      fileutils          |                   [] []                [] |
    165      findutils          |             []    [] [] []          [] [] |
    166      flex               |             []    [] []                [] |
    167      gas                |                                        [] |
    168      gawk               |             []    [] []                [] |
    169      gcal               |             []                            |
    170      gcc                |                   []                   [] |
    171      gettext            |       []    []    [] []                [] |
    172      gettext-runtime    |       []    []    [] []                [] |
    173      gettext-tools      |                      []                [] |
    174      gimp-print         |                [] [] []        []      [] |
    175      gliv               |                                           |
    176      glunarclock        |    []             [] []                   |
    177      gnucash            |                      ()        []         |
    178      gnucash-glossary   |                   [] ()                [] |
    179      gnupg              |             [] ()    [] []          [] [] |
    180      gpe-calendar       |                      []                   |
    181      gpe-conf           |                      []                   |
    182      gpe-contacts       |                      []                   |
    183      gpe-edit           |                                           |
    184      gpe-login          |                      []                   |
    185      gpe-ownerinfo      |                      []                   |
    186      gpe-sketchbook     |                      []                   |
    187      gpe-timesheet      |                                           |
    188      gpe-today          |                      []                   |
    189      gpe-todo           |                      []                   |
    190      gphoto2            |                [] [] []                [] |
    191      gprof              |                   []                   [] |
    192      gpsdrive           |                      ()    ()          () |
    193      grep               |          [] []       [] []             [] |
    194      gretl              |                                        [] |
    195      hello              |             []    [] [] []          [] [] |
    196      id-utils           |                   [] []                   |
    197      indent             |             []       []             [] [] |
    198      jpilot             |                [] [] []                [] |
    199      jwhois             |                                        [] |
    200      kbd                |                [] [] [] []             [] |
    201      ld                 |                   []                   [] |
    202      libc               |             [] [] [] [] []             [] |
    203      libgpewidget       |                      []                   |
    204      libiconv           |             []    [] []             [] [] |
    205      lifelines          |                   [] ()                   |
    206      lilypond           |                   []                      |
    207      lingoteach         |                                           |
    208      lingoteach_lessons |                      ()                () |
    209      lynx               |             [] [] [] []                   |
    210      m4                 |                [] [] [] []                |
    211      mailutils          |             []                         [] |
    212      make               |                   [] []                [] |
    213      man-db             |             [] () [] []                () |
    214      mysecretdiary      |                   [] []                [] |
    215      nano               |             [] () [] []                [] |
    216      nano_1_0           |             [] () [] []                [] |
    217      opcodes            |                   []                   [] |
    218      parted             |             [] [] [] []                [] |
    219      ptx                |             []    [] []             [] [] |
    220      python             |                                           |
    221      radius             |                                           |
    222      recode             |       []          [] [] []          [] [] |
    223      screem             |                                           |
    224      sed                |             []    [] []             [] [] |
    225      sh-utils           |                   [] []                [] |
    226      sharutils          |             [] [] [] [] []             [] |
    227      sketch             |                   [] ()                [] |
    228      soundtracker       |                   [] []                [] |
    229      sp                 |                      []                   |
    230      tar                |                [] [] []                [] |
    231      texinfo            |                [] [] []             []    |
    232      textutils          |             []    [] []                [] |
    233      tin                |                      ()        ()         |
    234      util-linux         |             [] [] [] []                [] |
    235      vorbis-tools       |                [] []                   [] |
    236      wastesedge         |                      ()                   |
    237      wdiff              |             []    [] []                [] |
    238      wget               |          [] [] [] [] [] []             [] |
    239      xchat              |             []          []             [] |
    240      xpad               |                                           |
    241                         +-------------------------------------------+
    242                           am az be bg ca cs da de el en en_GB eo es
    243                            0  1  4  2 31 17 54 60 14  1   4   12 56
    244      
    245                           et fa fi fr ga gl he hr hu id it ja ko
    246                         +----------------------------------------+
    247      a2ps               | []    [] []                   ()    () |
    248      aegis              |                                        |
    249      anubis             |          []                            |
    250      ap-utils           |          []                            |
    251      bash               |          []             []             |
    252      batchelor          |             []                         |
    253      bfd                |          []                      []    |
    254      binutils           |          []                      []    |
    255      bison              | []       []                [] []       |
    256      bluez-pin          |          [] []          [] []          |
    257      clisp              |                                        |
    258      clisp              |          []                            |
    259      coreutils          | []       []                   [] []    |
    260      cpio               |          []    []       []          [] |
    261      darkstat           |          () []          [] []          |
    262      diffutils          |       [] []    [] []    [] []    []    |
    263      e2fsprogs          |                                        |
    264      enscript           |          []          []                |
    265      error              |       [] [] []          []             |
    266      fetchmail          |                                  []    |
    267      fileutils          | []       []             []    [] []    |
    268      findutils          | []    [] [] [] []    [] [] [] [] [] [] |
    269      flex               |          []                         [] |
    270      gas                |          []                            |
    271      gawk               |          []       []                   |
    272      gcal               |          []                            |
    273      gcc                |          []                            |
    274      gettext            |          []                      [] [] |
    275      gettext-runtime    |          []                []    [] [] |
    276      gettext-tools      |                                  []    |
    277      gimp-print         |          []                      []    |
    278      gliv               |          ()                            |
    279      glunarclock        |             [] []       []       []    |
    280      gnucash            |                               []       |
    281      gnucash-glossary   |                               []       |
    282      gnupg              | []    [] []    []          [] [] []    |
    283      gpe-calendar       |                            []          |
    284      gpe-conf           |                                        |
    285      gpe-contacts       |          []                            |
    286      gpe-edit           |          []                []          |
    287      gpe-login          |          []                            |
    288      gpe-ownerinfo      |          []             [] []          |
    289      gpe-sketchbook     |          []                            |
    290      gpe-timesheet      |          [] []             []          |
    291      gpe-today          |          [] []                         |
    292      gpe-todo           |          []                []          |
    293      gphoto2            |          []             []       []    |
    294      gprof              |          []                []          |
    295      gpsdrive           |          ()             []    () ()    |
    296      grep               | []    [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []    |
    297      gretl              |          []                            |
    298      hello              | [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] |
    299      id-utils           |          []             [] []          |
    300      indent             | []    [] []    []       [] [] [] []    |
    301      jpilot             |          []                      ()    |
    302      jwhois             |          []             [] [] []       |
    303      kbd                |          []                            |
    304      ld                 |          []                            |
    305      libc               |       [] []    []       []       [] [] |
    306      libgpewidget       |          [] []             []          |
    307      libiconv           |       [] [] [] []    [] [] [] []       |
    308      lifelines          |          ()                            |
    309      lilypond           |          []                            |
    310      lingoteach         |          []                []          |
    311      lingoteach_lessons |                                        |
    312      lynx               | []                      []    [] []    |
    313      m4                 |          []    []          []    []    |
    314      mailutils          |                                        |
    315      make               |          []    [] [] []          [] [] |
    316      man-db             |          []                   () ()    |
    317      mysecretdiary      |          []                []          |
    318      nano               |          []    []          [] []       |
    319      nano_1_0           |          []    []          [] []       |
    320      opcodes            |          []                []          |
    321      parted             |          []    []                []    |
    322      ptx                | []    [] [] [] []       [] []          |
    323      python             |                                        |
    324      radius             |                                        |
    325      recode             |          []    [] []    [] [] []       |
    326      screem             |                                        |
    327      sed                | []       [] [] []       [] [] [] []    |
    328      sh-utils           | []    [] []             []    [] []    |
    329      sharutils          | []       []    []       []       []    |
    330      sketch             |          []                            |
    331      soundtracker       |          []    []    []                |
    332      sp                 |          []                      ()    |
    333      tar                | []    [] []    []    [] [] [] [] []    |
    334      texinfo            |          []       [] []          []    |
    335      textutils          |          []    []       []       [] [] |
    336      tin                | []       ()                            |
    337      util-linux         | []    [] []             []    () []    |
    338      vorbis-tools       |          []                            |
    339      wastesedge         |          ()                            |
    340      wdiff              | []       []    []       [] []          |
    341      wget               | []    [] []    [] [] [] []       []    |
    342      xchat              | []       []                      []    |
    343      xpad               |                                        |
    344                         +----------------------------------------+
    345                           et fa fi fr ga gl he hr hu id it ja ko
    346                           20  1 15 73 14 24  8 10 30 31 19 31  9
    347      
    348                           lg lt lv ms nb nl nn no pl pt pt_BR ro
    349                         +----------------------------------------+
    350      a2ps               |          []    []    () () ()  []   [] |
    351      aegis              |                ()                      |
    352      anubis             |          []                         [] |
    353      ap-utils           |                         ()             |
    354      bash               |                                []      |
    355      batchelor          |                                        |
    356      bfd                |                                        |
    357      binutils           |                                        |
    358      bison              |          []    []              []   [] |
    359      bluez-pin          |                                     [] |
    360      clisp              |                                        |
    361      clisp              |                []                      |
    362      coreutils          |                         []             |
    363      cpio               |                []       []     []      |
    364      darkstat           |          []    []              []   [] |
    365      diffutils          |          []             []     []      |
    366      e2fsprogs          |                                        |
    367      enscript           |                []              []      |
    368      error              |                []              []      |
    369      fetchmail          |                         ()     ()      |
    370      fileutils          |                         []             |
    371      findutils          |                []       []     []   [] |
    372      flex               |                                []      |
    373      gas                |                                        |
    374      gawk               |                                []      |
    375      gcal               |                                        |
    376      gcc                |                                        |
    377      gettext            |                         []             |
    378      gettext-runtime    |                         []             |
    379      gettext-tools      |                                        |
    380      gimp-print         |                []                      |
    381      gliv               |                                []      |
    382      glunarclock        |          []                            |
    383      gnucash            |                                        |
    384      gnucash-glossary   |                []          []          |
    385      gnupg              |                                        |
    386      gpe-calendar       |                            []       [] |
    387      gpe-conf           |                            []       [] |
    388      gpe-contacts       |                            []          |
    389      gpe-edit           |                            []       [] |
    390      gpe-login          |                            []       [] |
    391      gpe-ownerinfo      |                            []       [] |
    392      gpe-sketchbook     |                            []       [] |
    393      gpe-timesheet      |                            []       [] |
    394      gpe-today          |                            []       [] |
    395      gpe-todo           |                            []       [] |
    396      gphoto2            |                                        |
    397      gprof              |                                []      |
    398      gpsdrive           |                ()    ()        ()      |
    399      grep               |                         [] []  []   [] |
    400      gretl              |                                        |
    401      hello              |       [] [] [] [] [] [] []     []   [] |
    402      id-utils           |                []              []   [] |
    403      indent             |                []              []   [] |
    404      jpilot             |                ()    ()                |
    405      jwhois             |                []              []   [] |
    406      kbd                |                                        |
    407      ld                 |                                        |
    408      libc               |             []       [] []     []      |
    409      libgpewidget       |                            []       [] |
    410      libiconv           |                                []   [] |
    411      lifelines          |                                        |
    412      lilypond           |                []                      |
    413      lingoteach         |                                        |
    414      lingoteach_lessons |                                        |
    415      lynx               |                []              []      |
    416      m4                 |                []       []     []   [] |
    417      mailutils          |                                        |
    418      make               |                []              []      |
    419      man-db             |                                []      |
    420      mysecretdiary      |                                []      |
    421      nano               |          []    []       []          [] |
    422      nano_1_0           |          [] []    []    []             |
    423      opcodes            |                []              []   [] |
    424      parted             |                   []       []  []      |
    425      ptx                |             [] []    [] [] []  []   [] |
    426      python             |                                        |
    427      radius             |                                        |
    428      recode             |                         []     []   [] |
    429      screem             |                                        |
    430      sed                |                                []   [] |
    431      sh-utils           |             []                         |
    432      sharutils          |                []                      |
    433      sketch             |                                []      |
    434      soundtracker       |                                        |
    435      sp                 |                                        |
    436      tar                |          [] []       [] []     []   [] |
    437      texinfo            |                                     [] |
    438      textutils          |             []                         |
    439      tin                |                                        |
    440      util-linux         |                []              []      |
    441      vorbis-tools       |                []                   [] |
    442      wastesedge         |                                        |
    443      wdiff              |          []             []     []   [] |
    444      wget               |                []       []          [] |
    445      xchat              |       []       []                      |
    446      xpad               |                                     [] |
    447                         +----------------------------------------+
    448                           lg lt lv ms nb nl nn no pl pt pt_BR ro
    449                            0  0  2 11  7 26  3  4 18 15  34   34
    450      
    451                           ru sk sl sr sv ta tr uk vi wa zh_CN zh_TW
    452                         +-------------------------------------------+
    453      a2ps               | []    []    []    [] []                   | 16
    454      aegis              | ()                                        |  0
    455      anubis             |                   [] []                   |  5
    456      ap-utils           |                      ()                   |  1
    457      bash               | []                                        |  7
    458      batchelor          |                                           |  1
    459      bfd                |             []    []           []         |  7
    460      binutils           |             []    []           []         |  7
    461      bison              | []          []                            | 13
    462      bluez-pin          |                                           |  7
    463      clisp              |                                           |  0
    464      clisp              |                                           |  5
    465      coreutils          | []    []    []    []                 []   | 14
    466      cpio               | []          []                 []         | 13
    467      darkstat           |             []                 ()    ()   |  9
    468      diffutils          | []          []    []                 []   | 21
    469      e2fsprogs          |                   []                      |  3
    470      enscript           | []          []    []                      | 11
    471      error              |    []             []                 []   | 14
    472      fetchmail          |                   []                      |  7
    473      fileutils          | []    []    []    []           []    []   | 15
    474      findutils          | [] [] []    []    []           []         | 27
    475      flex               | []          []    []                      | 10
    476      gas                |                   []                      |  3
    477      gawk               |             []    []                      |  9
    478      gcal               |             []    []                      |  4
    479      gcc                |                   []                      |  4
    480      gettext            | [] [] []    []    []                 []   | 15
    481      gettext-runtime    | [] [] []    []    []                 []   | 16
    482      gettext-tools      |    [] []                                  |  5
    483      gimp-print         |    []       []                            | 10
    484      gliv               |                                           |  1
    485      glunarclock        | []          []             []             | 11
    486      gnucash            |    []                                []   |  4
    487      gnucash-glossary   |    []       []                       []   |  8
    488      gnupg              |    []       []    []                 []   | 16
    489      gpe-calendar       |                                      []   |  5
    490      gpe-conf           |                                           |  3
    491      gpe-contacts       |                                      []   |  4
    492      gpe-edit           |                                      []   |  5
    493      gpe-login          |                                      []   |  5
    494      gpe-ownerinfo      |                                      []   |  7
    495      gpe-sketchbook     |                                      []   |  5
    496      gpe-timesheet      |                                      []   |  6
    497      gpe-today          |                                      []   |  6
    498      gpe-todo           |                                      []   |  6
    499      gphoto2            |             []                 []         |  9
    500      gprof              |             []    []                      |  7
    501      gpsdrive           |    []       []                            |  3
    502      grep               | []    []          [] []                   | 24
    503      gretl              |                                           |  2
    504      hello              | [] []       []    [] []                   | 33
    505      id-utils           | []          []    []                      | 11
    506      indent             | [] []       []    []                      | 19
    507      jpilot             |             []    []    []     []    []   | 10
    508      jwhois             | ()          ()    []                 []   | 10
    509      kbd                |             []    []                      |  8
    510      ld                 |             []    []                      |  5
    511      libc               |    []       []    []           []         | 20
    512      libgpewidget       |                                           |  6
    513      libiconv           | [] [] []    []    [] []                   | 21
    514      lifelines          |             []                            |  2
    515      lilypond           |             []                            |  4
    516      lingoteach         |                                           |  2
    517      lingoteach_lessons |                                ()         |  0
    518      lynx               | []          []    [] []                   | 14
    519      m4                 | []          []                 []         | 15
    520      mailutils          |                                           |  2
    521      make               | []          []    []           []         | 15
    522      man-db             |             []                            |  6
    523      mysecretdiary      |             []    []                      |  8
    524      nano               | []          []       []                   | 15
    525      nano_1_0           | []          []       []                   | 15
    526      opcodes            |             []    []                      |  9
    527      parted             |             []    []                      | 13
    528      ptx                | []          []    []                      | 22
    529      python             |                                           |  0
    530      radius             |                                           |  0
    531      recode             | []    []    []    []                      | 19
    532      screem             |             []                            |  1
    533      sed                |    [] []    []    [] []                   | 20
    534      sh-utils           | []    []          []                      | 13
    535      sharutils          | []          []    []                 []   | 16
    536      sketch             |             []                            |  5
    537      soundtracker       |             []                            |  7
    538      sp                 |                   []                      |  3
    539      tar                |    [] []    []    []           []         | 24
    540      texinfo            | []          []    []           []         | 13
    541      textutils          | []    []    []    []                 []   | 15
    542      tin                |                                           |  1
    543      util-linux         |             []    []                      | 14
    544      vorbis-tools       | []                                        |  7
    545      wastesedge         |                                           |  0
    546      wdiff              | [] []       []    []                      | 17
    547      wget               | [] [] []    []    [] []              []   | 25
    548      xchat              |    [] []    []                            | 11
    549      xpad               |                                           |  1
    550                         +-------------------------------------------+
    551        50 teams           ru sk sl sr sv ta tr uk vi wa zh_CN zh_TW
    552        97 domains         32 19 16  0 56  0 48 10  1  1  12    23    913
    553 
    554    Some counters in the preceding matrix are higher than the number of
    555 visible blocks let us expect.  This is because a few extra PO files are
    556 used for implementing regional variants of languages, or language
    557 dialects.
    558 
    559    For a PO file in the matrix above to be effective, the package to
    560 which it applies should also have been internationalized and
    561 distributed as such by its maintainer.  There might be an observable
    562 lag between the mere existence a PO file and its wide availability in a
    563 distribution.
    564 
    565    If May 2003 seems to be old, you may fetch a more recent copy of
    566 this `ABOUT-NLS' file on most GNU archive sites.  The most up-to-date
    567 matrix with full percentage details can be found at
    568 `http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/contrib/po/HTML/matrix.html'.
    569 
    570 Using `gettext' in new packages
    571 ===============================
    572 
    573    If you are writing a freely available program and want to
    574 internationalize it you are welcome to use GNU `gettext' in your
    575 package.  Of course you have to respect the GNU Library General Public
    576 License which covers the use of the GNU `gettext' library.  This means
    577 in particular that even non-free programs can use `libintl' as a shared
    578 library, whereas only free software can use `libintl' as a static
    579 library or use modified versions of `libintl'.
    580 
    581    Once the sources are changed appropriately and the setup can handle
    582 the use of `gettext' the only thing missing are the translations.  The
    583 Free Translation Project is also available for packages which are not
    584 developed inside the GNU project.  Therefore the information given above
    585 applies also for every other Free Software Project.  Contact
    586 `translation (a] iro.umontreal.ca' to make the `.pot' files available to
    587 the translation teams.
    588 
    589