[bug #61249] Deprecate xgettext's -s/--sort-output

[Bruno Haible]

Follow-up Comment #9, bug #61249 (project gettext):

Ben wrote:
> I see that the option is only deprecated for xgettext, not for the other
tools, such as msgmerge.

Thanks for reporting this. 'msgmerge' is most often used to produce PO files
for translators; therefore it needs to have the option deprecated as well.
Just done that in
https://git.savannah.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=gettext.git;a=commitdiff;h=15a9b25f4ec6fa23191136da48553bbb9d966831

However, I won't deprecate the option in 'msgcat' and 'msgattrib', since these
are "swiss army knife" tools; even the dubious sorting needs to be available
there.

> Our application build process depends heavily on the output being sorted. We
are very aware of the disadvantage, but we even strip the file locations! We
use translator notes to add context. 

This is still unfortunate, because most translation tools present the messages
to the translator in the order from the POT file. Even if there is sufficient
context for each message, this arbitrary ordering will cause constant context
switches to the translators.

> That sounds patronizing.

The GNU gettext tools must make compromises between the wishes/needs of the
developers and the wishes/needs of the translators. Of course, members of one
of these groups can view the compromises as "patronizing".



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