[babel-dev] translatable string freeze date for all Eclipse projects

[Kit Lo <kitlo@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Globalization is always a low priority for
development teams. It's always challenging to ask project teams to complete
the externalization of translatable strings into a stable set, so translators
can perform the translation.

The timing to freeze the translatable strings is also very important. If
the developers freeze the translatable strings too early, we may not capture
all of the strings as some functions are still under development. If they
freeze the translatable strings too late, translators will not have enough
time to turn around the translations in time for good verification for
a quality release at GA.

Babel needs to ensure that we get the translatable strings in time for
GA, so Babel should work with the Eclipse Planning Council to recommend
dates for the Eclipse projects to complete the externalization of translatable
strings into a stable set, allowing the Babel project to get the translation
completed and verified for GA.

M6 is Eclipse's API freeze date. As APIs are locked down, no major function
changes should be added. Would this be a reasonable time to request that
each project to complete the externalization of translatable strings? Maybe
we could recommend to the Eclipse Planning Council that "M6+2"
be the translatable string freeze date for all Eclipse projects. (Note:
+2 offset is needed to pick up the Eclipse +2 projects.)

Kit Lo
IBM Eclipse SDK Globalization Technical Lead