OpenOffice.org 2.4 localization

Almost two weeks since the last post. Amazing how 3 kids can suck your energy into nether...

Today's first post is an announcement.

OpenOffice.org is a free office suite that a lot of translators already use for its compatibility with MS Office and the fact that, well, it is a free download and a free use application. OpenOffice.org is developped in part by SUN Microsystem, contributions come from IBM and other major players in the software industry and there is a very strong community of users and volunteers that exchange in a variety of languages. The "Native Language Confederation" is where all the non-English things take place.

OpenOffice.org is thus localized by this community of communities under a separate project called, obviously, the "Localization Project".

The current available version of OpenOffice.org is version 2.3. Version 2.4 is expected to be released sometimes at the beginning of March and the localization efforts will thus start very soon.

Translators on Mac who do not use OpenOffice.org but prefer NeoOffice should be aware that all the localization work that goes into OpenOffice.org is automatically "recycled" into NeoOffice.

So, the deal is: you're enjoying a wonderful free office suite, and somehow you feel guilty for not having had to pay for it, or you feel that you'd love to "pay something back" but not being a programer you are not sure where to start...

Well, you are a translator by trade, aren't you ? Localization is where your skills can be used the best. Here is where you'll be able to find all the necessary informations for this version's translation.

There are TMX files available for some language communities and since the source files are in the PO format you can translate them in your favorite CAT tool.

First, get in touch with the translation group within your language community (from the Native Project page: click on your language community, go to the relevant page from there, either "contributions" or "participation" or "projects" etc. and propose your help !