Last modified: 2013-06-18 16:40:58 UTC
1/ Media in formats such as doc.openoffice, pdf, calc, etc, should have a "View as HTML" link on their File: page for easy viewing. At present they can only be viewed as a thumbnail/snapshot of part of the document, or by downloading and external application. 2/ Media that is in the form of a document (whether English or any other) should have a field where the uploader can specify the main language and a "translate" option, to allow browser viewing in the viewer's language of choice. At present non-English speakers do not have ready access to translated viewing of hosted files and documents (eg *.wikisource.org or File:), and English speakers cannot readily view non-English texts. Both of these are features anyone will recognize from Google's search of course, but the options would be helpful on all File: pages. Arguable translation should be a "toolbox" link on all wiki pages.
There may be some decent free pdf-to-html converter out there for #1. #2 is WONTFIX for me, the most that could be provided is an extension providing links to third party translation tools.
There are surely free pdf-to-html and doc-to-html converters. There are also very likely to be free/open source translation programs out there, for a range of popular languages anyhow. Try Google: free "open source" translation software But even if proprietary, it would be enough of a benefit to use. After all the end product (translated text) is what users obtain and that is free; if the software isn't then... well, neither is the hardware the servers run on, the buildings they are in, and much else. the resulting output will be free translations and will help spread knowledge. Consider it. But agreed, try to find FOSS first..... because it's right :)
Text transcriptions and translations are done on Wikisource. Javascript gadgets can provide automated functionality via online services such as http://www.pdfdownload.org/free-pdf-to-html.aspx
