Frields's suggestion

[Ruediger Landmann]

Noriko Mizumoto wrote:
> Instead, how about having the language list first and each language is 
> linked to the translators list? So that, for example, clicking 
> 'Spanish' will take the user to the list of Spanish translators with 
> year by skipping all other long listed language translators lists.
That would certainly work (and would spare translators from having to 
translate the "(translator - language)" string again every time a new 
translator contributed to the project. On the other hand, it would make 
the list much longer (because of the extra headings that it would 
require; in the case of the Installation Guide, it would add 35 
subheadings, many with only one name in them).

>
> If "H.1. Contributors" section can be separate xml file and write 
> access to this file is allowed,
Section H ("Contributors and production methods") is a separate XML file 
in the original source, but H.1 could certainly be separated from the 
rest of the appendix.

Even easier, if we were to use the separate subheadings approach, each 
language subheading could be a separate XML file. However, whether it's 
one XML file, or many separate XML files, translators would need to be 
able to commit changes directly to the repo, which I don't think they 
can do right now? Otherwise, they will need to send the updated XML file 
to someone who does have commit access; but in that case, it would be 
easier to just ask that person to make the change themselves.

> then it can be maintained by translators without annoying the author.  

This is the real crux of the matter. I can't speak for anyone else, but 
for me, updating the list of credits for people who've volunteered their 
time and effort to do work on the book is not in any way "annoying" -- 
it's an honour.

Making sure that people get the credit that they've earned is one of the 
few ways that those of us maintaining these books can say "thank you" to 
the translators for their time and effort.

I've also seen a suggestion that the list of translators should be cut 
down to only show the translators who worked on one particular 
translation of the book. For example, the version of the book in, say, 
Latin would only credit the people who translated it into Latin and none 
of the other translators would get any credit at all in that version. I 
would hate to see that happen, for the same reason I've just given. 
Whether or not a translator has contributed to *your* particular 
language, that person has still made an extremely valuable contribution 
to the project, and should be acknowledged. That's what it means to be 
part of a community, right?

Just my personal opinion, of course.

Cheers
Ruediger