Society of Robots - Robot Forum

General Misc => Misc => Topic started by: Admin on January 06, 2008, 10:06:32 AM

Title: SoR International pages?
Post by: Admin on January 06, 2008, 10:06:32 AM
I am thinking of making some international pages for SoR.

They will include things such as:
websites/store info that sell to that country
   - (its hard for some people to find parts shipped to their country)
translations of a few of the tutorials
   - Ive been collecting translations of SoR that I've never posted

I'll link it like:
romania.societyofrobots.com
thailand.societyofrobots.com

etc.

Anyone like this idea, or have additional ideas? Anyone willing to spend about 15 minutes translating it to their country/language or offer website lists?
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Mega on January 06, 2008, 10:20:10 AM
Excellent idea.
I don't mind doing some dutch translations for the Netherlands.
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: vidam on January 06, 2008, 11:47:42 AM
hmmm... japan.societyofrobots.com ?
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: HDL_CinC_Dragon on January 06, 2008, 12:05:49 PM
germany.societyofrobots.com(deutschlande.societyofrobots.com?)
unfortunately my german is not very good at all lol otherwise I would more than love to help with that :-\ however, I can translate it to English! I are good at English!

Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: vidam on January 06, 2008, 01:04:28 PM
Quote
germany.societyofrobots.com(deutschlande.societyofrobots.com?)
unfortunately my german is not very good at all lol otherwise I would more than love to help with that Undecided however, I can translate it to English! I are good at English!"

Take a look at Babel Fish Translation: http://babelfish.altavista.com/
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: HDL_CinC_Dragon on January 06, 2008, 02:26:12 PM
OMG Vidam I love you


I just told BabelFish to translate SoR.com and it even translates it as you surf the entire site. thats amazing. That is an awesome tool! Im gunna go test it out on some German pages and translate them to English with it :P


I just translated some German Wikipedia pages and could actually understand for the most part what it was all trying to say =D
Cant believe I never found that translator before lol Thanks Vidam :)
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Admin on January 06, 2008, 03:06:21 PM
babelfish is like a decade old now :P

Anyway, I personally think the babelfish translations are really bad, just bordering on comprehendable. Although I use it for chinese/japanese often . . .

Anyway, I got good translations of a few pages. I don't have the capacity to translate all ~100 tutorials on SoR to 30+ languages, nor is that my goal for the international pages. I mostly just want country specific useful information - links to clubs, universities that have robotics, places to get parts, etc.


Anyway, anyone have experience using SSI files shared among multiple domain names? Can't seem to get it to work . . . This is what I have at the top of my shtml file:
Code: [Select]
<!--#include virtual="/var/www/vhosts/societyofrobots.com/header.html" -->but all I get is:
Quote
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
when running a page . . .
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: dunk on January 06, 2008, 04:05:22 PM
Quote
Anyway, anyone have experience using SSI files shared among multiple domain names? Can't seem to get it to work . . . This is what I have at the top of my shtml file:
Code:
<!--#include virtual="/var/www/vhosts/societyofrobots.com/header.html" -->
ew. ASP. not my strong point .
i think ASP does something weird here. i think it will be trying to find "/var/www/vhosts/societyofrobots.com/var/www/vhosts/societyofrobots.com/header.html"

try this instead:
Code: [Select]
<!--#include virtual="http://www.societyofrobots.com/header.html" -->or is it
Code: [Select]
<!--#include file="http://www.societyofrobots.com/header.html" -->
alternatively try:
Code: [Select]
<!--#include virtual="/header.html" -->or is it
Code: [Select]
<!--#include file="/header.html" -->
one of those should work.

dunk.
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Admin on January 06, 2008, 05:59:57 PM
I just tried:
Code: [Select]
<!--#include virtual="/var/www/vhosts/societyofrobots.com/header.html" -->
<!--#include virtual="http://www.societyofrobots.com/header.html" -->
<!--#include file="http://www.societyofrobots.com/header.html" -->
<!--#include virtual="/var/www/vhosts/societyofrobots.com/header.html" -->
<!--#include file="/var/www/vhosts/societyofrobots.com/header.html" -->
<!--#include virtual="/header.html" -->
<!--#include file="/header.html" -->

and none of them worked . . .
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: ed1380 on January 06, 2008, 09:10:54 PM
sounds like a great idea. i'd be happy to help w/ translation into russian
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Admin on January 06, 2008, 10:05:41 PM
So here is my plan for the pages (example below). Let me know if you guys want to add on ideas. I want to have both the local language and english on each page - useful for people who live in the country but don't speak the local language. After I finalize it, I'll ask you guys to do the list in your language (and suggest links).

(http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/International/International_images/Thailand_Flag.jpg)SoR International - Thailand
SoR ของโลก - ประเทศไทย

ชมรมหุ่นยนต์ในประเทศไทย/Local Robotics Clubs
[club links here]

ร้านขายอุปกรณ์หุ่นยนต์/Robotics Stores
[local store links here]

ร้านค้าออนไลน์/Online Retailers
[online retailer links that sell to this country]

มหาวิทยาลัยที่สอนการสร้างหุ่นยนต์/Universities that teach Robotics
[links to robot groups at the local universities]

บทแปลการสอนสาธิตเกี่ยวกับการสร้างหุ่นยนต์/Translated Robot Tutorials
[one or two translated tutorials here]

ล่ามอาสาสมัคร/Volunteer Translator
[translators name, or forum user name]
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: fr4ncium on January 06, 2008, 10:47:22 PM
I can help with Spanish translation.  If my Japanese was better, I'd volunteer to help with it, but it is awful  :) 
I'd have to say that Japanese <-> English is probably the worst translation you'll get on babelfish on account of the fact that he/she is barely present in the Japanese language at all.  As a result, Babelfish screws up anything written in third person (it can't distinguish between an object and a pronoun).  Not to mention all the formality conjugations that can't be expressed in written English.
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Ro-Bot-X on January 07, 2008, 12:36:52 AM
I'll be happy to help with Romanian translations. Let me know what pages you want to translate and I'll do it. I will also look into retailers here in Romania, but there are almost no stores robotics specific. But there are universities, even a national contest selection for Eurobot.
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Fredrik Andersson on January 07, 2008, 12:43:49 AM
I would gladly translate some articles to Swedish.
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: TrickyNekro on January 07, 2008, 10:17:47 AM
I'll do the greek translations if there is any interest...
But anything assign to me will be done after the summertime...
First there are exams to pass >:(  :'(but I need also to rest a little... :P :D 8) ::) :-*
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Mega on January 07, 2008, 11:27:39 AM
Quote
ชมรมหุ่นยนต์ในประเทศไทย/Local Robotics Clubs
[club links here]

ร้านขายอุปกรณ์หุ่นยนต์/Robotics Stores
[local store links here]

ร้านค้าออนไลน์/Online Retailers
[online retailer links that sell to this country]

มหาวิทยาลัยที่สอนการสร้างหุ่นยนต์/Universities that teach Robotics
[links to robot groups at the local universities]

บทแปลการสอนสาธิตเกี่ยวกับการสร้างหุ่นยนต์/Translated Robot Tutorials
[one or two translated tutorials here]

ล่ามอาสาสมัคร/Volunteer Translator
[translators name, or forum user name]

Good proposal. I've got a few remarks:
1. I would not mix english and the native language on one page, this could lead to a cluttered/difficult to follow page. Instead I would make two pages: one english and one translated into the native language. The user can swith between these two pages/languages by e.g. clicking the native or english flag.
2. I would remove the online retailers section. Since this page is aimed at giving information about local robotics I would not add a list of (online) foreign robotics shops, these can be found in the main SoR site (or in the other country pages).
3. I would add an 'Other robotics sites' item to list local robotics sites about e.g. specific robots, local robotics new, etc.

Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Ro-Bot-X on January 07, 2008, 11:38:36 AM
Good proposal. I've got a few remarks:
1. I would not mix english and the native language on one page, this could lead to a cluttered/difficult to follow page. Instead I would make two pages: one english and one translated into the native language. The user can swith between these two pages/languages by e.g. clicking the native or english flag.
2. I would remove the online retailers section. Since this page is aimed at giving information about local robotics I would not add a list of (online) foreign robotics shops, these can be found in the main SoR site (or in the other country pages).
3. I would add an 'Other robotics sites' item to list local robotics sites about e.g. specific robots, local robotics new, etc.

Verry good for number one.
Not so good on number two. I think it is good for local people to know which of the international retailers are selling to this particular country, eventually add shipping rates and specification if import taxes will be imposed. If there are local retailers, then yes, this is not required.
Verry good for number three.
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Mega on January 07, 2008, 11:49:31 AM
Quote
Not so good on number two. I think it is good for local people to know which of the international retailers are selling to this particular country

Ok, I see your point. This depends on the country. I don't think there will be many international retailers that do not sell to the Netherlands.
 
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Admin on January 07, 2008, 11:55:24 AM
Quote
1. I would not mix english and the native language on one page, this could lead to a cluttered/difficult to follow page. Instead I would make two pages: one english and one translated into the native language. The user can swith between these two pages/languages by e.g. clicking the native or english flag.
The issue I have with this is that it doubles my work, to update twice as many pages. I don't think its that cluttered - in fact, if you count, there will only be 18 english words on an entire page.

Quote
I would remove the online retailers section. Since this page is aimed at giving information about local robotics I would not add a list of (online) foreign robotics shops, these can be found in the main SoR site (or in the other country pages).
There are some things you can't get locally and have to ship. There are quite a few posts of people saying 'no one ships to my country but I need X part!! help!' . . . so to have a list of a few distributors that do ship to them would be important. Perhaps not for a western country, but if you lived in say I dunno . . . Burma? Would be hard to get a servo there locally, or find someone willing to ship there cheap . . .

Quote
I would add an 'Other robotics sites' item to list local robotics sites about e.g. specific robots, local robotics new, etc.
Okie will do. Perhaps call it a Misc section? Competitions, robot news in local language, etc?
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Mega on January 07, 2008, 01:22:26 PM
Quote
The issue I have with this is that it doubles my work, to update twice as many pages. I don't think its that cluttered - in fact, if you count, there will only be 18 english words on an entire page.
Hmm, I think the power of the local pages is that people can get robotics info in their own language and not be bothered with the english translations. It is quite common to have a translation option on a web page/site to switch between multiple languages.
I can't judge the amount of extra work, but I would expect that this can be batched/automated?

Quote
There are some things you can't get locally and have to ship. There are quite a few posts of people saying 'no one ships to my country but I need X part!! help!' . . . so to have a list of a few distributors that do ship to them would be important. Perhaps not for a western country, but if you lived in say I dunno . . . Burma? Would be hard to get a servo there locally, or find someone willing to ship there cheap . . .
I get your point.

Quote
Okie will do. Perhaps call it a Misc section? Competitions, robot news in local language, etc?
Perfect, a Misc section sounds good.




Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Admin on January 07, 2008, 01:39:00 PM
Quote
Hmm, I think the power of the local pages is that people can get robotics info in their own language and not be bothered with the english translations. It is quite common to have a translation option on a web page/site to switch between multiple languages.
What if you moved to say Mongolia and wanted to still build robots . . . you would be hopeless if the Mongolia page wasn't in english . . . This is my motivation to keep english on it too, for traveling engineers. I plan to do a lot of traveling throughout asia in ~6 months, so its my motivation to get my multi-country resources available . . .
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Rebelgium on January 07, 2008, 04:18:01 PM
I don't want to be the negative nagger, but this is just my two cents:  :)

It's the internet here...and the internet just is 95% english.
Just learn english! it's the easiest language I know of... If you're willing to learn about the electronics/programming/mechaniscs of robots , you might as well learn english to.
In this world, you'll have to learn it some time.

On the shops however, I fully agree. Having a page with a bunch of countries ordered by alphabet, with a few links of robotics shops for every country would be very usefull for many members. Including me  :D


I just don't think it's -by far- worth all the translating, pages making,... -work.
( the robot photo gallery for example would be a far more usefull project I think)


Again, just my two cents :)
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: airman00 on January 07, 2008, 04:52:54 PM
i totally agree with rebelgium
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Admin on January 07, 2008, 05:14:30 PM
I agree with Rebelgium too . . . and it's one of the many reasons I don't want to translate the tutorials.

But the reality is there are still many engineers that don't speak english (I've met many). Consider this bait to overcome the language barrier . . . google will map SoR for those languages, too.


Would it be better if I just make a single page called something like 'International_Robotics.shtml', and just put all the country listings on one single page? This would be the easiest for me to do . . . and I could always grow it out later . . .
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Rebelgium on January 07, 2008, 05:24:19 PM
Would it be better if I just make a single page called something like 'International_Robotics.shtml', and just put all the country listings on one single page? This would be the easiest for me to do . . . and I could always grow it out later . . .

What do you mean exactly by "listings"?
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Admin on January 07, 2008, 05:31:18 PM
this:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=2780.msg19431#msg19431

Basically cram it all on one page. Now that I think about it . . . it doesn't sound like that good of an idea . . .
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: ed1380 on January 07, 2008, 05:34:25 PM
it'll still be good. just put links at teh top that take you to teh specified language part (scrolls down for you)
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Rebelgium on January 07, 2008, 05:38:34 PM
Putting all info of all countries on one page would be a bit crowded I think. Atleast after a while...
But on the other hand, If you don't translate tutorials and just stick to the links, I think it is a good idea to have all countries on one 'International_Robotics.shtml' page.

I think the clubs, stores, and online retailers links for each country are enough.
That would be very usefull. :)

Quote
it'll still be good. just put links at teh top that take you to teh specified language part (scrolls down for you)
exactly. Just order the laguages in alphabetic order.
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Admin on January 07, 2008, 05:42:08 PM
ok I'll do the cram idea for now, just to flesh things out.

It can always be upgraded later if it gets crowded and we get more ideas to improve it.
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Rebelgium on January 07, 2008, 05:50:32 PM
It can always be upgraded later if it gets crowded and we get more ideas to improve it.

Indeed. And this way it's just a lot less work to.  ;)
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: paulstreats on January 07, 2008, 07:48:18 PM
I'm sure that many international users who write members tutorials would write another version
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Rebelgium on January 08, 2008, 06:32:51 AM
I'm sure that many international users who write members tutorials would write another version
I don't doubt the willingness of people to help, I doubt the usefullness of it.
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: vidam on January 16, 2008, 04:25:25 PM
Google has a language translation site. It is an alternative to babelfish since people here don't like it very much. I is somewhat slow to translate. I notice it does Arabic to English too.

http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=EN

Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: vidam on September 24, 2008, 02:16:02 PM
I think that I figured out how to internationalize a website easily.

First, you need an HTML editor that can encode the website in 16 bit Universal Character Set known as  UTF-16.

The UTF-16 includes the Bi-modal multilanguage mode (BMP) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UTF-16)

Second,make sure your meta html tag has this:
Code: [Select]
    <html>
    <head>
    <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-16">

Third, read this article about web browser support for different languages: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicode_and_HTML


I haven't tested anything so this is all theory.

Also read this from http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/charset.html

Quote
Notes on specific encodings

When HTML text is transmitted in UTF-16 (charset=UTF-16), text data should be transmitted in network byte order ("big-endian", high-order byte first) in accordance with [ISO10646], Section 6.3 and [UNICODE], clause C3, page 3-1.

Furthermore, to maximize chances of proper interpretation, it is recommended that documents transmitted as UTF-16 always begin with a ZERO-WIDTH NON-BREAKING SPACE character (hexadecimal FEFF, also called Byte Order Mark (BOM)) which, when byte-reversed, becomes hexadecimal FFFE, a character guaranteed never to be assigned. Thus, a user-agent receiving a hexadecimal FFFE as the first bytes of a text would know that bytes have to be reversed for the remainder of the text.



Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Admin on November 13, 2008, 09:16:30 PM
Now that I'm living in a foreign country, I was motivated enough to flesh out a crude draft:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/international.shtml

Its now linked from the robot parts list page.

If anyone wants me to add any links, just send me a heads up.
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: HDL_CinC_Dragon on November 14, 2008, 02:51:42 PM
Thats a lot of question marks my computer was putting on your Thailand text lol. Guess I dont have that language pack installed :P

Are all the country sections going to look like the Thailand section? Or is the Thailand section just all BA and stuff cuz your staying there for a while? lol
Title: Re: SoR International pages?
Post by: Admin on November 20, 2008, 07:42:42 AM
Quote
Are all the country sections going to look like the Thailand section? Or is the Thailand section just all BA and stuff cuz your staying there for a while? lol
Well, I'm actively using the Thai section to look stuff up occasionally, so thats why I developed it. It basically shows what I'm looking to add for other countries.

If anyone has anything to add for their country, just let me know.