Make Plugin Authors automatically Translation Editors for their own plugins for native languages

[daveshine]

As a plugin author on WordPress.org (user profile "daveshine") I am currently listed/imported with 2 of my plugins into the translation system for language packs (as of early October 2015).

However, the issue is this: I am not automatically the translation editor/validator for my own plugins. Currently, I have to apply for this manually.

This should be changed to an improved process, mostly automated, including opt-in and/or opt-out possibilities.

Therefore, I suggest the following enhancements for Plugin authors on .org (could be adopted for Theme authors as well):

1) Make a language and/or locale setting on plugin pages for authors, in the "Admin" area (green button on plugin pages)

• Plugin author sets his native language (including language variants) or locale (including variants)
• Plugin author sets up to three more languages/ locales he/she wishes to have Editor rights/ maintenance access for languages

2) The "system" automatically gives the plugin author for these author + language/locale combinations the proper rights and access for translate.wordpress.org

• Plugin author can verify/reject other users translations
• this way Plugin author can control new releases of language packs for his own plugin for his native language(s)

Examples:
One of my plugins is "Cleaner Plugin Installer" ​https://wordpress.org/plugins/cleaner-plugin-installer/
I would need these languages/ locales (including variants) and would make the setting under this admin page:
​https://wordpress.org/plugins/cleaner-plugin-installer/admin/

de_DE
de_DE formal
de_CH (Swiss German)
de_CH formal (Swiss German)
en_US [default lang in strings anyways]

As a result, system would grand me Editor/Validator rights by default.

If I need more languages, there should be an "opt-in" process via a form from the plugin admin page where I request this and would give proper reasons etc. why I need more langs etc.

Additional enhancement for the above suggestions:
Allow plugin authors add other users as editors/validators for other languages.
Reason: a lot of plugins have small dev/translator communities and this way could handle their stuff more effectively. This would also take weight off from the Polyglot team.

Consequences:
If a plugin author does not make any setting like mentioned above, all would stay as it is now: the community can handle all stuff. So this would be more than fair for all involved. Any plugin author therefore could control to "opt-in" or "opt-out" of the Editor/Validator role (and work tied to it!).

Why is all this important for plugin authors?
Authors knows their plugins best and developed also the interface with strings in their native language and should therefore have the right to control what strings/translations are used in their native language.

Also for making tutorials, screenshots etc. it really makes sense to have those control for English, plus native languages, including language variants.

It is also in the best interest of the WordPress project to not take anything of "native" control away from plugin authors but rather strengthen their work and authorship.

[ocean90]

#1404 was marked as a duplicate.

[samuelsidler]

We've discussed this quite a bit, both the meta team and the polyglots team, and it's not something we're going to do at this time. That said, the polyglots team is ​planning a trial for a new role that resolves some of the issues brought up in this ticket.

[ocean90]

#3790 was marked as a duplicate.