Ubuntu is brought to users in their own language by a large community of dedicated volunteer translators, who tirelessly work on localizing every part of the Operating System release after release.
In this series of interviews we’ll get to know who they are, about their language and how they work.
This week we’re introducing you to André Gondim, the Brazilian Portuguese translation team coordinator.
André Gondim on Ubuntu Brazilian Portuguese translations
Could you tell us a bit about you and the language you help translate Ubuntu into?
My name is André Gondim, I am 28 years old. My language is derived from Portugal‘s Portuguese, but of course we have our peculiarities. In Brazil we’re around 190 million people, from which roughly 12% can understand English.
How and when did you become an Ubuntu translator?
I started with Ubuntu in about 2005. I met Og Maciel and he told me how I could help with Ubuntu even if I wasn’t a programmer: localization was a good way to start. Since then I help with translations, but started regularly in about 2007. That time I started working hard in translations and entered in the top translations’ contributors. In 2009 I became a translator coordinator in Brazil.
What other projects do you help with inside the community?
When I have time, I try to translate some packages directly in GNOME.
Do you belong to an Ubuntu LoCo team? If so, which one?
I am a member of the Brazilian Council and I belong to a sub-LoCo, the Rio Grande do Sul state in Brazil, whenever I can, I try to organize events here and motivate our other Sub-LoCo teams to organize release parties, Software Freedom Days, FLISOLs, and other events like install-fests.
How can people who want to help with translating Ubuntu and all the various pieces and parts into your language get started?
Well, If someone wants to help may read the wiki, or visit the Launchpad Brazilian Translators‘ team in Launchpad.
What’s the desktop experience for Ubuntu users in your language? Is Ubuntu in your language popular among native speakers?
We’re always very careful to review all translations to pt_BR, so the error rate is very low. This, I believe, contributes greatly to have an Ubuntu very well translated to our mother tongue. As the Hungarian translators’ coordinator mentioned Hungarian users said, I guess we could say here too: “Ubuntu speaks Brazilian Portuguese very well.”. If I am not wrong, Ubuntu is the most used linux distribution in Brazil and I daresay that a huge part of these users are using it in our language. The users I see aren’t using it in pt_BR are developers and such.
Where does your team need help?
Help is always welcome, in every field. We are always inviting people to help, because there are plenty of strings to be translated and reviewed, every release. If one wants to help, Documentation and Translation itself are two good ways to do that.
Do you know of any projects or organizations where Ubuntu is used in your language?
I know Ubuntu is used in some colleges, also in some “tele-centros” (places where you can use the computer for free to surf on the Internet, to write documents and other stuff).
What do you feel is the most rewarding part of translating Ubuntu?
When someone tells me “if Ubuntu was available only in English, I wouldn’t be able to use it.”. I feel really rewarded.
Is there anything else about your team or translation efforts that I haven’t asked you about that you would like to talk about?
I would like to thank all the translations’ team for all work done ever, specially this cycle. This cycle we’ll release Ubuntu with less than 10% remaining strings to translate. Our goal is to reach 0%, of course, but every cycle we’re getting better and better at doing this. That’s why I am so proud of my team.
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December 17th, 2010 at 00:09:28 GMT+0000
Keep up the good stuff!
Tchau
December 17th, 2010 at 12:14:16 GMT+0000
Andre does a great work in the brazilian community! Cool!