diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'ABOUT-NLS')
| -rw-r--r-- | ABOUT-NLS | 40 |
1 files changed, 15 insertions, 25 deletions
@@ -34,11 +34,12 @@ to force usage of internationalizing routines provided within this package, despite the existence of internationalizing capabilities in the operating system where this package is being installed. So far, only the `gettext' implementation in the GNU C library version 2 provides as -many features (such as locale alias or message inheritance) as the -implementation here. It is also not possible to offer this additional -functionality on top of a `catgets' implementation. Future versions of -GNU `gettext' will very likely convey even more functionality. So it -might be a good idea to change to GNU `gettext' as soon as possible. +many features (such as locale alias, message inheritance, automatic +charset conversion or plural form handling) as the implementation here. +It is also not possible to offer this additional functionality on top +of a `catgets' implementation. Future versions of GNU `gettext' will +very likely convey even more functionality. So it might be a good idea +to change to GNU `gettext' as soon as possible. So you need _not_ provide this option if you are using GNU libc 2 or you have installed a recent copy of the GNU gettext package with the @@ -53,9 +54,8 @@ Most such packages use GNU `gettext'. Other packages have their own ways to internationalization, predating GNU `gettext'. By default, this package will be installed to allow translation of -messages. It will automatically detect whether the system provides -usable `catgets' (if using this is selected by the installer) or -`gettext' functions. If neither is available, the GNU `gettext' own +messages. It will automatically detect whether the system already +provides the GNU `gettext' functions. If not, the GNU `gettext' own library will be used. This library is wholly contained within this package, usually in the `intl/' subdirectory, so prior installation of the GNU `gettext' package is _not_ required. Installers may use @@ -63,13 +63,11 @@ special options at configuration time for changing the default behaviour. The commands: ./configure --with-included-gettext - ./configure --with-catgets ./configure --disable-nls -will respectively bypass any pre-existing `catgets' or `gettext' to use -the internationalizing routines provided within this package, enable -the use of the `catgets' functions (if found on the locale system), or -else, _totally_ disable translation of messages. +will respectively bypass any pre-existing `gettext' to use the +internationalizing routines provided within this package, or else, +_totally_ disable translation of messages. When you already have GNU `gettext' installed on your system and run configure without an option for your new package, `configure' will @@ -83,18 +81,10 @@ package is more recent, you should use to prevent auto-detection. - By default the configuration process will not test for the `catgets' -function and therefore they will not be used. The reasons are already -given above: the emulation on top of `catgets' cannot provide all the -extensions provided by the GNU `gettext' library. If you nevertheless -want to use the `catgets' functions use - - ./configure --with-catgets - -to enable the test for `catgets' (this causes no harm if `catgets' is -not available on your system). If you really select this option we -would like to hear about the reasons because we cannot think of any -good one ourself. + The configuration process will not test for the `catgets' function +and therefore it will not be used. The reason is that even an +emulation of `gettext' on top of `catgets' could not provide all the +extensions of the GNU `gettext' library. Internationalized packages have usually many `po/LL.po' files, where LL gives an ISO 639 two-letter code identifying the language. Unless |