Re: [PHP-DEV] Translating PHP error messages (fwd) From: Zeev Suraski (zeev <email protected>)
Date: 12/20/00

At 10:44 20/12/2000, Sascha Schumann wrote:
>On Wed, 20 Dec 2000, Andi Gutmans wrote:
>
> > I personally don't like multi-lingual support. I think software developers
> > all over the world pretty much have to learn English in order to get around
> > so I think they can handle English PHP error messages. It also makes it
> > harder for us to debug if they send us foreign language error messages.
> > We'll need to cross reference them (with an error#) which is yet another
> > step to not replying right away but having to go and open a file. Sucky
> IMO.
>
> It might prove useful to research what other projects have
> already achieved in this area. FreeBSD is currently in the
> process of implementing an AIX-like error system for their
> kernel which uses message catalogues and unique error
> numbers. Here is a point to start with:

It doesn't really address the concerns Andi raised though. I personally
don't see the great advantage in internationalizing error messages.
IMO, we can add a unique identifier to the error message handler, and keep
the error text in English. This will allow us:
(a) To still understand bug reports or problems without having to look
errors up in some cross reference (note that it doesn't concern just us,
but posts on php-general as well - people often help each other there with
problems)
(b) To describe error messages more thoroughly in external documentation
(i.e., give possible causes for this error, what exactly it means, things
that don't usually fit in the one line description built-into the error).
(c) If (b) happens, it can be translated to whatever language the
documentation teams support.

Zeev

Zeev 

--
Zeev Suraski <zeev <email protected>>
CTO &  co-founder, Zend Technologies Ltd. http://www.zend.com/

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