language + other communication needs (Was: Default development language: AE <-> BE)

Tristan Wibberley maihem at maihem.org
Mon Apr 24 01:26:29 BST 2006


Sebastian Heinlein wrote:
> Which language should be used in documentation and UI: American English
> or British English?

For the documentation, I think American English should be used for the
same reason. Although documentation really ought be properly localised
too - man pages can be localised, HTTP supports language preferences,
etc. info and yelp ought to support it too.

For the UI, if the POSIX/C locale is used, it should just be the
developer's personal preference for each message (perhaps even not an
English dialect). If the en_US or en_GB locale is used then it should be
American or British respectively. The question is what to use for the
plain en locale. I think it should match the documentation - American
English. British people are very robust against dialect differences.

BTW, on a slightly related note - how do blind users install Ubuntu or
enable assistive technology? Should there be a printed "getting started"
guide with braille printed on it too - to explain how to install the
system and configure the screen reader?

If the ship it CDs go out in a cardboard booklet again, should that have
braille printed on it also?

-- 
Tristan Wibberley




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