draft plans for coordination, documentation, and communications

[cfm]

Proposed

Coordination with Localization Lab

1. @cfm shadows @conorsch as deputy localization manager for SecureDrop 2.1.0
2. Introductory meeting with Localization Lab (October 20)
3. Update Localization Lab

Documentation

https://github.com/freedomofpress/securedrop-client/wiki/Internationalization

Divio documentation matrix:

	Study	Work
Practical	[x] tutorial	[ ] how-to guide
Theoretical	[ ] explanation	[x] reference

1. Adapt SecureDrop Server's "Internationalization" page for provides tooling for interactive localization updates #1348
   • ...in securedrop-client's readme?
   • ...in a separate Markdown file?
   • ...in the securedrop-client wiki? → https://github.com/freedomofpress/securedrop-client/wiki/Internationalization
   • ...elsewhere?
2. Update SecureDrop Server's "Translations" page in place, in particular: updates translation documentation for SecureDrop Client workflow securedrop-docs#289
   • https://docs.securedrop.org/en/stable/development/translations.html?highlight=translation#how-to-change-an-existing-translation
   • https://docs.securedrop.org/en/stable/development/translations.html?highlight=translation#how-to-use-the-language-glossaries-on-weblate
   • https://docs.securedrop.org/en/stable/development/translations.html?highlight=translation#how-to-use-securedrop-s-demo-server
3. Document the differences between the two workflows (à la provides tooling for interactive localization updates #1348), such as where/when:
   1. the template translation catalog (.pot) is generated
   2. individual translation catalogs (.po) are updated
   3. machine objects (.mo) are compiled in development versus for production artifacts. We differ from securedrop's model:
      • SecureDrop production: https://github.com/freedomofpress/securedrop/blob/5584c8dd458c82901e2542e172a82827f6ee3c36/install_files/ansible-base/roles/build-securedrop-app-code-deb-pkg/tasks/translations.yml#L29-L34
      • SecureDrop development: https://github.com/freedomofpress/securedrop/blob/717dc6983e2475086f30aa016bcde496aa8bfefd/securedrop/bin/dev-deps#L112-L113

Communications

Drafts for:

1. Pinned threads in "Translations" Discourse category
2. Announcement and/or blog post
3. https://community.internetfreedomfestival.org/community/channels/localization-lab-chat

Open questions

1. What are translators expected to (have to) do to see strings in context? →
   draft plans for coordination, documentation, and communications #1304 (comment)
   • Translator comments
   • Run SecureDrop Client themselves?
   • Look at screenshots?—generated where?
2. How is localization tested? → add test suite for running in a translated locale #1398
3. With continuous localization, will there be a Localization Manager continuously available? → to be discussed during orientation session

[cfm]

@creviera, today @eloquence and I discussed this rough plan for rolling out translation of the SecureDrop Client. The timeline would be TBD after the SecureDrop 2.1.0, but my hunch is that we can move this forward incrementally throughout October.

Feedback welcome on any of it! In particular:

1. Are any major steps or elements missing?
2. @eloquence recommended the securedrop-client wiki as the best place for documenting this workflow for translators (in comparison to SecureDrop Server's "Internationalization" page). Let me know if you think there's a better venue.

[cfm]

After #1317, this proposal will need to be updated based on our meeting today with @Localization-Lab.

[sssoleileraaa]

@cfm: you could also add docs to https://workstation.securedrop.org/ and then link to it in the client and/or workstation wiki, e.g. https://github.com/freedomofpress/securedrop-client/wiki/Internationalization

[cfm]

Because https://workstation.securedrop.org/ is still strictly user-facing, I've opted to start drafting (at least) this documentation in https://github.com/freedomofpress/securedrop-client/wiki/Internationalization. We can revisit this if this material outgrows a single wiki page, needs Sphinx and ReST rather than Markdown, warrants pull-request review, &c. :-)

[cfm]

A first draft of the developer- and maintainer-facing documentation is available at https://github.com/freedomofpress/securedrop-client/wiki/Internationalization. Feedback welcome!

Changes to the existing translator-facing documentation for SecureDrop are outlined above.

On the latter, here's a conclusion on which I'd appreciate a reality check: Pending #1004 and freedomofpress/securedrop-workstation#524, it seems that we're not going to be able to give SecureDrop Client translators access to an automatically-generated set of screenshots, never mind an interactive demo. We'll have to see whether the screenshots included in the Workstation documentation give translators sufficient context.

[cfm]

#1304 (comment):

Pending #1004 and freedomofpress/securedrop-workstation#524, it seems that we're not going to be able to give SecureDrop Client translators access to an automatically-generated set of screenshots, never mind an interactive demo. We'll have to see whether the screenshots included in the Workstation documentation give translators sufficient context.

In freedomofpress/securedrop-docs#289, I've proposed this as the official recommendation for how translators of the SecureDrop Client should familiarize themselves with the context of source strings presented in Weblate.

[cfm]

As of freedomofpress/securedrop-docs#289 and these draft communications, this ticket is substantively complete. Next steps are:

1. the SecureDrop team's internal orientation session on SecureDrop Server/Client localization;
2. to update Localization Lab on these plans; and
3. to finalize the communications drafted here.