Localization - Add English in Crowdin for proofreading

[LilianaMoore]

The source language (English) needs proofreading. Mainly due to missing "a/an/the" articles and some stylistic mistakes; and for visual improvements for better UI readability by rewording some sentences and shortening obsolete or redundant phrases.

Also, please allow translators to create glossary terms (in project settings) for better consistency tracking.

[JosefNemec]

I don't think that's possible. At least I don't see that option anywhere in Crowdin project settings. The only way I see right now, is to add English as another target language, but that would mean "re-translating" all existing strings.

I think it sort of makes sense and you could do proofreading via this "re-translation", but I don't see an option to add source language just for proofreading.

The other option would be to do changes via GitHub editor and submitting pull request.

[JosefNemec]

I checked again and I can't figure it out. If you know how to setup source language for proofreading in Crowdin, please let me know. Otherwise let me know which of proposed solutions from my previous comment do you prefer. Thanks

[comradekingu]

It is possible directly in Weblate, depending on file format, and Weblate has direct links to source next to each string, which makes contributing upstream a lot easier.

[LilianaMoore]

It's usually done, as you said, by adding English as a target language.
There is no need to edit the source directly.
You can have both English versions - draft technical English as a source and revised English as a target.

Definitely, Crowdin will be a better choice because the edits can be easily done there on the fly.

[comradekingu]

@LilianaMoore I think you meant to say Weblate there. ;)

[LilianaMoore]

@LilianaMoore I think you meant to say Weblate there. ;)

I was considering the options between GitHub and Crowdin as suggested by @JosefNemec. Unfortunately I don't know Weblate, but after a brief look at what it has to offer, I must admit that Crowdin is more compact and much easier to navigate. Especially when it comes to browsing the strings, crosschecking other languages, querying the translation memory or managing term-bases.

[JosefNemec]

I've added English target language to our Crowding project, please make all proofreading changes there.

I'll also have to make some adjustments to Playnite itself, but that's not blocking any work that can be done on Crowdin. It only means that any changes to English strings will be integrated in next major version.

Btw, thank your very much for considering doing proofreading. I wrote majority of that text, but as you can probably see, I'm not a native English speaker or exceptionally good with English grammar :)

[comradekingu]

@LilianaMoore You can't browse the strings and translation at the same time on Crowdin, and they are divided in pages, neither can you cross-reference like the Matrix and the different Zen modes in Weblate. Nor can you do it with several languages at the same time, or all the languages for any string like the "other languages" tab.
There is no string grouping either.
On Weblate you have specific settings for translation memory per project, and per user.
Can't remember how the Crowdin dictionary works, so I will refrain from comparing that.

You joined GitHub yesterday to make no contributions and recommend Crowdin.
Link us to your translator accounts please.

I guess you could bring more credibility to the table, I think you will find some similarities to jcl5m1/ventilator#96 from Crowdin. Which is specifically a Crowdin account, also an empty account, except for the difference being specifically faked commits.(!)

[JosefNemec]

We've been using Crowdin for a while now and I'm very happy with it. I tried several other solutions before choosing Crowdin and it had the best GitHub integration and easiest setup (that was two years ago). I don't see any reason to switch to anything else right now.

I also don't think LilianaMoore came here to shill for Crowdin. A lot of people here submitted issues with completely new GitHub accounts because they simply didn't use GitHub before, that's completely normal.

[LilianaMoore]

@LilianaMoore
You joined GitHub yesterday to make no contributions and recommend Crowdin.
Link us to your translator accounts please.

I guess you could bring more credibility to the table, I think you will find some similarities to jcl5m1/ventilator#96 from Crowdin. Which is specifically a Crowdin account, also an empty account, except for the difference being specifically faked commits.(!)

I joined GitHub only because the author asked for any localization suggestions to be posted here.
@comradekingu It would be nice if you didn't downplay users who have a different point of view from yours, by making certain vague assumptions.

I am not Crowdin representative and honestly, if I were to recommend something for individual use, I would recommend Memoq or perhaps Smartcat as a free online-only emergency alternative.
After all, an experienced translator can download the XLIFF file and do the job in their preferred CAT tool, then upload it back.

But since this is a crowdsourcing project (where anyone can join in and contribute), which has been active on Crowdin for over a year now, I see no reason why translators and their contributions - collaboration and communication - should now be split over several platforms.

[comradekingu]

Fake accounts on GitHub are also very prevalent. A lot of users fork repos for no reason, without ever doing anything in them, like your fork of Playnite currently.
Also got the no real name, avatar found elsewhere optics.
Not calling it one way or the other, but in the very least linking to some accounts on Crowdin and elsewhere would grant some credibility. Throwing in a comparison to Weblate in the most absolute of terms, when you haven't used it seems a bit rich. Not downplaying you at all, the more the merrier.

Uploading to Crowdin does not skirt the issue. That is a contribution to their closed translation memory, and crowdin is also a targeted platform for user tracking. In my humble opinion that has no place anywhere, much less for actual libre software efforts. In all this, Crowdin tries to make it seem like they support libre software. TIn reality they require libre software projects to be non-commercial to even qualify for gratis hosting, a fact they brush over at every opportunity.

[JosefNemec]

Please keep the discussion about the original topic: proofreading of source English strings.

As I already said, I'm quite happy with current solution using Crowdin, it works for our needs.

This is also not the place to discuss and compare various localization platforms. If you have valid reasons to believe that Playnite should switch to a different platform, open new issue for it.

[JosefNemec]

@LilianaMoore Would it cause issues for you if I merged proofread changes from English target language back to source files? I know that it would mark those strings as untranslated again in English target, but it would mean that those changes would be visible to other languages, which may benefit from new wording.

Also, I would not have to make any program change in Playnite itself.