Re: Translating PHP error messages (fwd)

Ghislain, let me clearly state that my mother tongue ain't English either. I'm Czech. However, I disagree with the conclusions you come to, as well as some premises they're based on. Try to translate "flex scanner error" into your native language. Will it be any easier to understand? Now, consider how many users omit the text of the error they've run into, and just whine "it just won't work" in the mailing lists. That's laziness. I've even encountered a guy who failed to include the errmsg text in five consecutive emails even though I kept aking him to do that. So, I think estimating 20% percent of mailing list posts and bug database entries don't initialy contain relevant error messages - is fair. That's 20% of time and bandwidth waisted for everybody. Now imagine PHP had localized error reporting, and I guess you can double that number, because significant percentage of users won't bother looking up english error texts before submitting their posts to mailing lists / bug db entries. So, how would you like posts like this: <fake_post> I've got this error and I don't know why I got that, can anybody help? Chyba analyzy: chyba analyzy, ocekavam T_PROMENNA nebo '$' v ... </fake_post> If you know PHP's error messages really well, you could guess it means Parse error: parse error, expecting T_VARIABLE' or '$'' but then again, you might not... Here, the problem isn't the use of English, it's that the error messages were written by some 'square head' (no offense intended). Why the heck won't it just say I screwed up a variable name? Yes, PHP could definitely use somewhat more intuitive error messages, but localization alone would just add insult to the injury. I _can_ imagine forms of localized error messages that wouldn't necessarily worsen things. PHP could either display error messages in both English (always), and another language (optional). Or display the english version, and a link to the localized version (ala the link to PHP credits on phpinfo() generated pages). This is, of course, awfully webcentric. I'm a win32 user, so I outline possible design on this platform. There could be a php.ini entry for dll's containing localized messages in resources. You could download a dll for your language, and enable it in php.ini. Usage of dll's or their counterpart in the Unix world would, on the other hand, make it hard to localize error messages in mass virtual hosting environments, so it's not the best thing since sliced bread. Dunno, but either way, most programming languages are based on English - if, include, switch, function, variable, these are all plain English words. So, knowledge of English is really a plus. I might not know what split() exactly does, but can make a qualified guess, because I know what the word 'split' means. And it works the other way around, too. I'm rather inclined to vote 'no' on this subject. At least there's a huge 'IT DEPENDS'. At 20:20 21.12. 2000, ghislain Seguy wrote the following: -------------------------------------------------------------- >My mother tongue is not English, and sometimes, it may help a lot to have >localized version : everyone's using PHP is not core developper. >I definitely think that some people who just use PHP for their web site, with >only low level of programming could be confused when they run into some >"flex scanner error". >I was comparing with MySQL error reporting system, and it is worth a look : >They have (1) an error code, (2) the description of the error >With (1), every body can spot in a snap any error you mention, and description >may be translated into any language : All we need. > >That's the way I see it, from where everybody don't speak english all day >round. This is not such an effort to deal numbers to errors, and get a >message catalogue, while it may add real value to PHP. -D > >Hope this help. > >Ghislain. ------end of quote------ ____________________________________________________________ Cynic: A member of a group of ancient Greek philosophers who taught that virtue constitutes happiness and that self control is the essential part of virtue. cynic@mail.cz