Re: Kernel-Messages translation

Mikael Krantz (mk@algonet.se)
Mon, 16 Jun 1997 11:47:57 +0200

Kurt Huwig <kurt@huwig.de> wrote (selectively quoted):
> There are 3 kinds of kernel-messages:
> 1. printk( "Foo bar string" );
> 2. printf( "%d\n", value );
> 3. printf( "Foo %s bar string", foo_bar_string );
...
> I remember of 3 suggestions how to translate the messages:
>
> 1. (my posted solution) A hook in 'printk()' allows the replacement of the
> given string. Replacement is done at run-time via magic.
> 2. Small program that replaces the strings in the source-code. It is easy
> to find the 'printk()' statements and relative easy to just replace
> valid C strings and not comments.
> 3. All 'printk()' statements are rewritten to take the strings from a
> table.

4. For each printk() statement in the source {
Write down the string printed.
("The foo %s failed with status %d")

Write down translations to the needed (human) languages
(Swedish: "Foo 'namn' misslyckades med status 'siffra'",
French : "Le foo «nom» a manqué avec l'état «numéro»",
German : ...)
}
Distribute these strings in a text file alphabetically sorted
after the english version.
The admin that doesn't understand a given message can then look it
up in this very specialised dictonary.

Advantage: No kernel modification. Thus transparent to "english
enabled" admins.
Disadvantage: ... anyone?

Solution 4 obviously works on Kurts 3 types of strings...

By not actually "dubbing" the kernel we would increase
the speed at which an admin learns English.

btw: I do not offer to iplement my solution... translations are not
fun.

/MK
<mk@algonet.se>... For my pgp-key, mail me with Subject: send pgp.