Test program that finds problem Messages*.php files
<pre>
Here we have a interesting accessibility problem that just leaps out at
you if you
1. use a text browser or any non-CSS device -- and,
2. are a user of languages with a certain grammar mentioned below.
The problem
In English the familiar sidebar of any Special Page has
Views
• Special page
Toolbox
• Special pages
But imagine if it said instead
Views
• Special page
Toolbox
• Special page
You might say "Of course, one is in 'Views' and one in 'Toolbox'! I
don't see the problem." But try it out for a few years and you will see
it is a usability disaster, no matter how near or far they are to each
other there in the sidebar.
For many languages, using the same translation for 'specialpage' and
'specialpages' is quite logical, as in their grammar plurals are the
same as singulars -- in most situations, but not here, where extra
emphasis very much needs to made that 'specialpages' should be "All
special pages", "Special page groups"... however you might express it,
as long as it is different from the value of 'specialpage'.
The test program
Attached is a test program to find Messages*.php files with this
accessibility problem.
The output is batched into two groups, ranked by seriousness:
2. Bug Cdo... These are the language files that need to be corrected.
1. Ace Av ... These are also in danger, as they only have one of the
strings, and could contribute to an identical pair somewhere else.
Indeed, even the "Qqq" file defines 'specialpages', but not
'specialpage'. The two must carry reminders that they must be
different in _all_ languages.
To use this program, save this file to languages/messages/spfinder.txt
and run
$ perl spfinder.txt Messages*.php</pre>
Version: 1.16.x
Severity: normal
Attached:
