Take a look at this month’s Localization Lab newsletter to learn about new projects and events for October and November, get a full picture of translation progress across all Localization Lab projects, view the urgent translation needs for October, and get tips for keeping translators updated as a project owner.
Announcements
New Projects
Deflect
Deflect is not brand new to the Localization Lab Hub, however the Deflect dashboard has been renovated and that means new strings and a new project in Transifex.
From the Deflect website:
“Deflect is a robust and innovative website protection service designed to withstand distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks — undertaken by infected ‘bots’ — are intended to disable the targeted website and prevent access for legitimate users. The attacks also serve to intimidate the organisation running the site, effectively silencing online dissent. Most small human rights and independent media organisations aren’t able protect themselves from such attacks – it’s costly, complicated and few system administrators are specialists in handling this form of cyberattack. Furthermore, commercial DDoS mitigation services are expensive and may alter their terms of service if they believe a particular website under their protection is drawing too many attacks.”
Translate Deflect here!
October Events
Localization Lab will be at the following events this month. Let us know if you’ll also be at any of the following events!
Open Technology Fund Summit
When: Tuesday, October 18th - Thursday, October 20th
Where: Baltimore, Maryland
What: "The event brings together OTF-supported projects and fellows, Advisory Council members, and Lab partners for three days of knowledge sharing, networking, project collaboration, and strategic planning."
Iran: The Road Ahead
When: Friday, October 21st
Where: Amsterdam, Netherlands
What: “2016 marks the 10 year anniversary of Zamaneh Media. These 10 years have seen major developments in Iran and in the region. Telling examples include the Green Movement in 2009 and more recently the Iran Nuclear Deal. But instead of looking back, Zamaneh wants to celebrate this milestone with you all and look ahead into the future. Ahead at all the opportunities as well as challenges that the next 10 years will bring for Iran and the wider region.” Sessions will revolve around women’s leadership in Iran, Iran’s domestic challenges and more.
For more information, visit https://zamaneh.eu/
MozFest
When: Friday, October 28th - Sunday October 30th
Where: London, UK
What: “The seventh-annual MozFest will be held in London, from Friday, Oct. 28 - Sunday, Oct. 29. MozFest is an annual celebration of the open Internet movement. It's where passionate technologists, educators, and makers come together to explore the future of the open Web.
This year, we'll highlight how the Internet movement’s boldest, most game-changing ideas can come from anyone, anywhere. We'll examine how issues like Web literacy, online privacy and encryption are relevant across the globe, and address challenges faced by people who don't yet feel they are welcome on the Web.”
For more information, visit https://mozillafestival.org/
Monthly Community Meeting
Beginning in November we are going to move to monthly community meetings considering limited attendance. Let us know if you have feedback or suggestions about the date or time of these meetings and we will be happy to try and accommodate.
When: Friday, November 4th @ 14:00 UTC
Where: https://meet.jit.si/L10nLab
What: The goal of the community meetings is to offer an open space to discuss all things related to localization and the projects supported the Localization Lab community. All community members are welcome to join and contribute with topics of discussion, questions or concerns.
Please feel free to add the meetings to your calendar and contribute to the meeting Agenda and Notes even if you are unable to attend.
Translators' Corner
September Translation Progress
Not sure which projects could use your help? Take a look at the Translation Progress of Active Projects - Through September 2016 to get a view of translation progress across projects and languages within the Localization Lab Hub in Transifex.
To help keep up this progress, be sure to let us know when you have finished translation of a project! Once we know that a project has been finished, we can recruit reviewers and contact project owners to let them know that new translations are almost ready to release.
October & November Translation Needs
The following projects are in need of translators and reviewers. Take a look and start contributing now if you can!
Lantern
Language(s) Needed: Hindi, Thai, Vietnamese
Translation Deadline: As soon as possible
Need Overview:
Lantern still needs help with Hindi, Thai and Vietnamese translations of its Android and desktop applications! Lantern continues to see growth in users of users in India, Thailand and Vietnam who are trying to access blocked content online. The team is currently seeking translators who can assist with translations into Hindi (and other regional languages), Thai and Vietnamese to try and make Lantern more accessible for these new users in South and Southeast Asia.
Project Overview:
Lantern is a free, open source Internet proxy tool that automatically detects blocked content and allows you to access it through Lantern servers. When content is not not blocked, your browser can access it directly.
For more information, you can visit the Lantern website. Download Lantern for Windows or Mac OS from the Lantern site and download the mobile app for Android from the website or Google Play.
Translate Lantern here!
F-Droid
Language(s) Needed: Burmese, Shona, and assistance finishing and reviewing several near-finished translation. Take a look the F-Droid dashboard to see if you can help.
Translation Deadline: N/A
Need Overview:
Thanks to the great response from one Burmese translator last month, F-Droid has been 75% translated into Burmese and just before the training deadline! This is a great achievement, however there is still 25% of the project left to go. There is also a continued need for Shona translators due to expressed interest in using F-Droid in Zimbabwe.
F-Droid strings are hosted via Weblate - not Transifex - so in order to contribute you will need to create a Weblate account. Weblate is intuitive and functions much like Transifex, however if you have any questions you can refer to the Weblate documentation or contact us.
Project Overview:
F-Droid is a community-run appstore for Android devices with a focus on providing Free Software and respecting the privacy of users. F-Droid allows users to “swap” apps, or transfer apps from one device to another without an Internet connection, and also lets users create their own app repositories from which others can install apps.
For more information, visit the F-Droid website.
Translate F-Droid here!
Umbrella
Language(s) Needed: Spanish, Traditional Chinese (review only)
Translation Deadline: N/A
Need Overview:
At a recent Localization Lab supported Localization Sprint held in Bogotá, a group of Spanish-speaking digital security trainers and professionals collaborated and were collectively able to translate 80% of the application into Spanish. The Umbrella team is still looking for individuals who can help translate this last chunk of the application so that a full Spanish version of the app can finally be released.
If you are specifically interested in reviewing the Umbrella App, please contact us so that we can coordinate.
Project Overview:
Umbrella is a free, open-source app for Android devices, developed by the Security First team. Umbrella brings together all the latest tools and advice on how to operate securely. Based on your level of ability, it offers simple, practical advice on what to do and what tools to use, reflecting your level of risk.
For more information, you can visit the Security First website. Download Umbrella on Google Play, through F-Droid or Amazon.
Translate Umbrella here!
Call for Language Coordinators
Thank you to all who responded to last month’s call for language coordinators. We heard back from individuals willing to assist with Simplified Chinese, Turkish and Arabic. We are still looking for language coordinators in the following languages to pilot language coordination of projects within Transifex:
Arabic
Persian
Russian
Spanish
One goal of Localization Lab is to make this community as self-sustainable and effective as possible. In order to do this, we need the help of dedicated individuals who are willing to assist with screening and welcoming new translators, finding translators when a project is in need of translations as well as communicating with Localization Lab staff and project owners about challenges and needs of users and translators.
You can read more about the ideal role that a Language Coordinator would play in the Localization Lab Contributor Roles & Guidelines.
If you are interested in language coordination for one of the above languages or can recommend an individual who might be interested, please contact us.
Project Owners’ Corner
Keep Us Up-to-Date!
Large Updates: If you are going to make significant updates to resources in your project, make an announcement within your project and post about it via the Localization Lab Google Group.
Why? Giving translators a heads-up about big project changes will help them determine which projects are best to work on and when, and it will limit translation work that won’t ultimately see publication.
Regular and Small Updates: Even if you make minor updates to strings in your project, be sure to announce the changes. Dependant on the notification settings of your translators, they may not notice when a project has been updated and is no longer 100% finished. Several projects are currently in this state - 99% finished when they were 100% translated last month.
Translation Releases: If you release any translations - whether 100% finished and reviewed, or partially translated - announce the release and let us know in the Google Group. Notifying translators that their work is being utilized is not only the best thank you for all of their efforts, but will allow them to use the tools they’ve contributed to, market them in their own networks, and notify you of any outstanding localization issues in the live translations. And if keep the Localization Lab team informed, we can help publicize!
Engage Your Users in Localization
Take note from the Tor Project and get your users and visitors to your website involved in the translation process. Let them know how they can contribute to translations even if just by simply linking them to your project dashboard in Transifex or Weblate.
Keep in Touch!
Join the Localization Lab Google Group to keep up with announcements, pose questions to fellow translators and project owners and take part in discussions.
Follow us on Twitter
Join the Localization Lab Skype Channel or come chat with us on IRC for quick questions or casual discussion.
Send us an email with any suggestions, questions or concerns you might have.