Project:News/Newsletter 2009-11

This month's subject: Wrap up and the road ahead

Hello, dear translatewiki.net user.

This is our e-mail newsletter for October 2009. It intends to keep you updated on translatewiki.net's developments, and is also aimed at reminding you to visit http://translatewiki.net at least once every month to update the language(s) you have been contributing to in the past, so that the localisations will stay up to date. Our last newsletter was sent three months ago, and we have a lot of news - again. We hope to inspire you to continue contributing to translatewiki.net. The project's success depends on your continued efforts. Follow translatewiki on Twitter for the latest news.

Wrap up for not one but two Translation Rallys
The August 2009 and second MediaWiki Translation Rally, sponsored by the Dutch Wikimedia Chapter and facilitated by Open Progress was a big success. MediaWiki got 34,714 new translations during the rally and 36 users qualified for their cut of the EUR 1,000 bounty. In September 2009 there also was a translation rally for FUDforum with a 200 USD bounty, payable to the first two translators to complete localisation for a language previously under 50%. FUDforum received 4,500 new translations during the three day rally. This rally was kindly sponsored by James Morrison. Thank you translators for participating in the rally!

Google Summer of Code project completed by Niklas
Niklas has successfully completed his Google Summer of Code project. Highlights from the project include now enabled by default new translation page. It speeds up the actual translating process and fixed a major usability issue. Would you like to see translation into language Y when translating into your language? You can now choose the list of helping languages at preferences. There is a balance between message reuse and duplication. Our position has been that duplication is necessary, and now it is even less of a problem since the new translation memory, which is also a step towards better consistency. Translation memories are one area where we would like to see improvements in the future. More details in the project plan and more detailed wrap-up at Niklas' blog. Thank you Niklas for all your efforts, past and future.

Translatewiki.net is looking for enthusiastic PHP developers that can help in the further development of the platform. If this is something you would like to do, in or out of a "Summer coding project", please do not hesitate to contact us. There are many ways to make a difference!

Wikipedia updated quicker from translatewiki.net
Wikimedia recently started using LocalisationUpdate, a MediaWiki extension that brings localisations to a wiki without requiring a software update. Until now messages were only updated if the software was also updated, which could take over a month. From now on, your translations will most of the time become available in your favourite Wikimedia project within 2 days of you making them. We are very happy with this. Our thanks go out to Tom Maaswinkel, Gerard Meijssen, Roan Kattouw, Tim Starling, and Brion Vibber for making this possible and work.

New product support: OpenStreetMap, Okawix and StatusNet
Since our last newsletter we have added support for three exciting products:
 * OpenStreetMap is the freely editable and freely licensed map that is made by people like you
 * Okawix lets you download the whole content of Wikipedia, with or without images, so that you can browse it offline
 * StatusNet is an exciting and open micro-blogging product, known from identi.ca

We are anticipating further growth in the future, and our other supported products can always use your help. There is always something to translate for you, so do not be a stranger!

Siebrand contracted by Wikimedia Foundation to work on translatewiki.net
From October 2009 on, Siebrand was contracted by the Wikimedia Foundation to further the base for translatewiki.net in the year to come. Specific goals are to improve localisation of MediaWiki in the scope of Wikimedia for the 50 most often spoken languages in the world, and to further the development of translatewiki.net platform by pulling more volunteer developers in and increase the stability and continuity of the staff. We always need more staff time, we always need more developers. Contact us if you can help, or if you know of ways we have not thought of yet!

We welcome feedback about this newsletter. Please let us know by sending a reply to this mail. We will try to accommodate your wishes.

Siebrand Mazeland

Translatewiki.net staff

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