Variable names and comments in French?
Can anybody with a company registered in France share their experience delivering source code to their French clients in the public sector?
Under Loi Toubon, is it illegal for comments and variable names to be English only? Or is it sufficient when user manual and user interface is delivered in French?
In other words, do comments in source code represent documentation as understood by the Loi Toubon and thus need to be delivered in French?
Is the law in this regard applied differently when dealing with the private sector?
The resources I could find in English do not mention any requirements when it comes to source code. I’m also questioning the practicality of delivering a software project that includes open source packages that in addition to having a suitable license will need to have their readme files translated let alone their comments.
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[ 5.2 ms ] story [ 47.0 ms ] threadhave a script to search any comment/identifier and then make use of google (any online) translator then put it back replace to original and save as different new file
Article 2: In the designation, offer, presentation, instructions for use or use, description of the scope and warranty conditions of a good, product or service, as well as in invoices and receipts, the use of the French language is compulsory. The same provisions apply to all written, spoken or audiovisual advertising.
Article 3: Any inscription or advertisement affixed or made on the public highway, in a place open to the public or in a means of public transport and intended for the information of the public must be formulated in French.
Article 5: ...contracts to which a legal person governed by public law or a private person performing a public service mission are parties are drawn up in French. They may not contain any foreign expression or term when there is a French expression or term with the same meaning approved under the conditions provided for by the regulatory provisions relating to the enrichment of the French language. ... The contracts referred to in this article concluded with one or more foreign co-contractors may include, in addition to being written in French, one or more versions in a foreign language which may also be authentic.
Article 6: Anyone participating in an event, a conference or a congress organized in France by natural or legal persons of French nationality has the right to speak French. Documents distributed to participants before and during the meeting to present the program must be written in French and may include translations into one or more foreign languages.
When an event, a colloquium or a congress gives rise to the distribution to the participants of preparatory documents or working documents, or to the publication of proceedings or reports of proceedings, the texts or interventions presented in a foreign language must be accompanied by at least a summary in French. ... When a legal person governed by public law or a legal person governed by private law entrusted with a public service mission initiates the events referred to in this article, a translation system must be set up.
Article 7: The publications, reviews and communications disseminated in France and which emanate from a legal person governed by public law, a private person exercising a public service mission or a private person benefiting from a public subsidy must, when they are written in a foreign language, include at least a summary in French.
Article 14: I. The use of a trademark, trade or service made up of a foreign expression or term is prohibited for legal persons governed by public law when there is a French expression or term of the same. meaning approved under the conditions provided for by the regulatory provisions relating to the enrichment of the French language.
This prohibition applies to legal persons governed by private law entrusted with a public service mission, in the execution of that mission.
II. The provisions of this article do not apply to trademarks used for the first time before the entry into force of this law.
(Usual provisions apply - IANAL, don't believe anything you read on the internet, etc.)
Communication, invoices, and all things related to the tender and the offer (technical and commercial), contract, NDA, etc. were in French, but the code/comments was in English. The interface's text was in French for convenience.
From what I understand (perfunctory reading), it's mostly the legal documents and media/ads/copywriting/billboards/warranties/receipts/etc. that fall under this, and there's leeway for industrial activities (Article 5).
Not that I had heard of this law before today, but we mostly did what was helpful and useful for the clients.