KM: How is support for a new language added?

This varies from one language to another, indeed. Sometimes we get a new translator contacting us, sometimes one comes after I made some lobbying here and there.

One key point is also getting a locale for that language in Debian (and/or in glibc). We more and more meet really "new" languages for which no locale exists. So we first have to build one. As this is a quite special work where potential translators usually have no clue about, I'm mostly doing the work...which is quite long to do.

For instance, I'm currently working on a kab_DZ locale, for the Kabyle language from Algeria (the kabyle/berbère culture is very active in France and Algeria and I've had some contacts with potential translators/

After that, the translator is often guided in the early stages and experience has proven that, most of the time, free software then gains a new contributor..:-)

KM: And all those languages that are supported, is there any testing done, apart from the translators themselves?

I'm doing automated tests on my side. For instance, I ran the
installer in all languages, with a standard desktop install. This triggered the discovery of a few nasty bugs, of course.

Of course, when doing so, I mostly focus on usability. I cannot review any of the 41 languages, except English and French.

This is another issue which can be enhanced, especially for languages where the translator mostly works alone (this includes Greek, I'm afraid).

KM: Wow, must be a difficult task. Do you have helpers?

All experienced translators are helpers (and several of them I would call friends now). In the specific Debian Installer translation task, Dennis Stampfer from Germany acts as coordinator along with me and helps out in several issues. The installation manual work is also coordinated by someone else (Frans Pop, from Netherlands).

A few people I mentioned above and a lot others I forgot to mention are also helpers. Localisation in Debian is really a team work.

KM: Did you ever encounter any major problem with a particular language?

The right-to-left languages (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian) have brought very specific issues for rendering, which took long time for being solved. Indeed, the Debian Installer had a good Arabic translation during 6 months, but it was written the wrong way all these weeks.

Gettin a highly skilled developer work on the support for
right-to-left languages and hooking the needed library was a long time job which taught me patience..

Obviously, all non Latin languages brought more specific and
complicated problems. As the installer runs in text mode, we have several rendering issues (fonts, input...) which need more skills and deep knowledge of some internals.

KM: What are your (and Debian's) plans for the future with regards to i18n/l10n?

Certainly get more people involved in general management :
coordination of web site translation, translation status tools
improved, more locales supported.

The translation teams will build themselves progressively : I have no real concerns about that. I'm more concerned by the needed work on general coordination.

KM: Is there anything you would like to add?

Probably that this work has been one of the richest experiences I've had in my whole life. I've (virtually) met an incredible number of people which I never would have met otherwise. Some of them, I have really met, of course, which made the experience even richer.

KM: Ok. Thanks for your time Christian and for your great contribution to Debian! I hope to seeing you again!

Thanks for forcing me to write down all these ideas I have floating around in my mind and never take time for putting on (virtual) paper.

And, as well, hope to see you again of course and thanks for the job made on Greek localisation in Debian.

If this interview brings only one new Greek translator to Debian, I will undoubtfully have reached my goal....:)