The Multilingual Blogging Software Dilemma (and ways to solve it)

Session at WordCamp Paris (#wcparis) on WordPress Multisite for authored content in more than one language. Plugin candy: Multilingual Press (free and Pro).

Transcript

1. 
   

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3. in_array( $me, $french ); // very false
   

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4. Learned one word:
   

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5. (supposedly fits in almost every situation)
   https://twitter.com/wordpress_fr/status/421565255362150400

   https://twitter.com/patriciabt70/status/421670222903250944
   “Putain”
   

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6. 
   

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7. The Multilingual Blogging
   Software Dilemma
   …and ways to solve it.
   

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9. http://ma.tt/2003/01/the-blogging-software-dilemma/
   “The Blogging Software Dilemma”
   

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10. What to do?
    “[…] forward compatibility has lately been
    in my mind […] My logging software hasn’t
    been updated for months, and the main
    developer has disappeared […] could use
    the existing codebase to create a fork […]”
    

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11. Let’s do it.
    “If you’re serious about forking b2 I would
    be interested in contributing.”
    

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14. 21%, YAY!
    

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15. …in one language per site?
    

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16. WordPress* in your language
    • http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_in_Your_Language
    • http://codex.wordpress.org/Translating_WordPress
    • http://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/
    *WordPress: core, themes, plugins. Not: content.
    

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17. Language files
    /languages/de_CH.mo
    /languages/de_CH.po
    /languages/de_DE.mo
    /languages/de_DE.po
    /languages/fr_FR.mo
    /languages/fr_FR.po
    …etc.
    

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18. Message-level translation
    __( 'Putain ce que j’ai faim!', 'domain' );
    _e( 'Putain ce que j’ai faim!', 'domain' );
    !
    #: some-file.php:1
    msgid "Putain ce que j’ai faim!"
    msgstr "Gosh, I’m hungry!"
    

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19. Provide context
    _x( 'Putain ce que j’ai faim!', 'Paris', 'domain' );
    !
    #: some-file.php:1
    #, php-format
    msgctxt "Paris"
    msgid "Putain ce que j'ai faim!"
    msgstr "Champagne for all!"
    

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20. Authored content

    in multiple languages?
    

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21. the_post(); // duh.
    

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22. The Multilingual Blogging
    Software Dilemma
    

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23. The Multilingual Blogging
    Software Dilemma
    

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24. Def: dilemma
    function faire_A() {
    return 'putain';
    }
    !
    function faire_B() {
    return 'putain encore';
    }
    

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25. function multilingual_site() {
    return 'not use WordPress'; // putain
    }
    !
    function multilingual_wordpress_site() {
    return 'depend on a plugin'; // putain encore
    }
    

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26. What to do?
    “[…] forward compatibility has lately been
    in my mind […] My logging software hasn’t
    been updated for months, and the main
    developer has disappeared […] could use
    the existing codebase to create a fork […]”
    

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27. –random international user
    “Make it a core feature!!”
    

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28. –random core developer
    “Putain, no!”
    

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29. Multilingual WordPress
    • Not a core feature, because multilingual content is an edge case.
    • Can be achieved with a plugin.
    → Forward compatibility depends on plugin developers.
    → When plugin is disabled, content must still work.
    

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30. The Multilingual Core Feature
    #enquelquesorte
    

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31. WordPress Multisite
    /**
    * 1 installation
    * multiple sites = multiple languages
    */
    function multilingual_wordpress_site() {
    return 'use core with multisite'; // YAY, putain!
    }
    

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32. ✔ Clean, SEO-friendly URLs.
    ✔ Performance as good as WordPress gets, no extra rewrites.
    ✔ Varying plugins[, themes, users, custom post types] per language.
    ✔ Rock-solid, because it’s part of core.
    ✔ Future-proof, because it’s part of core and wordpress.com uses it.
    

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33. Setup Multisite
    • Create a network. http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network
    • Create a site for each language inside the network
    • That’s it, start blogging! ← Your site is multilingual here.
    • Core, theme, plugins: localized by language files (message based).
    • Authored content: localized by author(s).
    

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34. –you
    “What about media libraries?”
    

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35. –Multisite
    “Putain all the things!”
    

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36. Media @ Multisite
    • Shared media libraries don’t exist in WordPress.
    • WordPress does not allow for multiple post-to-post relationships.
    • Attachments and post images are unique and need to be physically
    present in the media library of the site their parent post belongs to.
    

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37. –you
    “Duplicated media libraries SUCK!!”
    

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38. Media libraries are key
    • Meta data (alt-text, title, description/caption) should be translatable.
    • Audio files can be recorded/overdubbed in multiple languages.
    • Videos can have subtitles or overdubs.
    → Unique* media libraries are key for multilingual content!
    *Physical assets could/should be assignable to multiple post objects.
    

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39. Plugin Candy
    Want some?
    

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40. • Connect translated posts[, pages, custom post types].
    • Display links for available languages on singular and archive pages.
    • Redirect based on browser’s language settings.
    • Create/edit translation in same edit screen as original post.
    • Automatically duplicate post-image to media libraries of translated posts.
    • Author biographic info in all languages.
    • Choose back-end language independently of front-end.
    • Duplicate an entire site into a new site/language.
    

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61. Wrap-up
    

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62. Multilingual WordPress Multisite
    ✔ Core feature.
    ✔ Easy setup.
    ✔ No extra plugin needed.
    ✔ Rock-solid performance.
    ✔ Hassle-free maintenance.
    ✔ Future-super-proof.
    ✔ Candy if you want some.
    

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63. What’s not to like?!
    

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64. Merci! <3
    

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65. Caspar Hübinger
    @glueckpress
    !
    glueckpress.com

    marketpress.com
    inpsyde.com
    

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66. Photo Credits
    • Matt Mullenweg: http://ma.tt/2011/05/balloon-ride/mcm_9050/ (as advised on http://ma.tt/about/)
    • Mike Little: http://mikelittle.org/
    • Caspar Hübinger: http://stil-etage.de
    

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