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I am not sure if this should be here or in General Discussion, but here goes.
One thing I would like to configure is British English as the default interface language, including the European date system (day/month/year). If it is possilbe to do it, it is not easy to figure out for Linux novices. I think giving English users a choice between American and British English in the System/Preferences menu would be good idea. It would require a little work, but it would be worth it.
An idea for future development?
Last edited by Randicus on 2011-07-20 03:43, edited 1 time in total.
Until now, the only place I found such a language setting is in Office. However, changing the locale sets the default language for documents, but the interface language only has American. The only other location I was aware of was setting the time zone, which of course, I do not not want to change.
I used dpkg-reconfigure locales. It worked perfectly! My system is using real English and the time zone did not change. Thanks a whole lot vbrummond for the information.
But I still think this feature should be added to the preferences menu.
You choose the default language during installation (you probably missed it and left American English).
Now that you reset it to en_GB you may want to install the British dictionaries (like wbritish, aspell and ispell), if you haven't already.
secipolla wrote:You choose the default language during installation (you probably missed it and left American English).
The first choice is for installation language. I have only seen one English in the list. It is not specified, but it is American. The second choice is keyboard layout. The third is time zone location.
If their is a choice of English versions during installation, I must be going blind in my old age. Are you sure? Because it was something I looked for the first time I installed Debian. Since I did not find it, I have not bothered to look again during re-installs.
One of the few good things remaining about Ubuntu is the ability to change the interface language during log-in. If I remember correctly, it is also possible with Mandriva. That would be realy nice to have with Debian. I only tried it once, but there was no such option during booting. It is more convenient than using a configuration tool. I hope people who are not multi-lingual will understand why those of us who are have such a desire.
You have the ability to change languages from the GDM screen if you have more than one language enabled (you choose which languages to enable and which one is the default with 'dpkg-reconfigure locales' - or at installation time).
I always use the 'expert install' mode. Maybe it's different in this respect (?)
secipolla wrote:I always use the 'expert install' mode. Maybe it's different in this respect (?)
I think you may be correct. I have only used the basic install (Or begginner. I forget what it is called.). As I mentioned earlier; I used 'dpkg-reconfigure locales' to set up my system the way I want it. It works perfectly.
I still like the option of choosing the interface language during log-in. It is a small thing that the lack of would never be a reason to switch distributions, but it would be convenient. As the the proverbs says; It is the little things that make a big difference.
And thank you for the remark about expert install. If I ever need to re-install my system, I shall give expert a try.
Yes. When I turned my computer on just now, I checked the language option. Now that British English is one of my locales, it is available during log-in. I seems my original suggestion was not wrong, but based on ignorance of how language set-up is different with Debian than the other distibutions I have tried. Debian is a little more difficult to figure out. But I do not mind, because Debian works better than all the other O.S.s I have tried.
That is one of the nice things about Linux. One is always learning.
And thanks for your input. Here and in other posts. It is helpful. I am no longer Linux useless. Only pathetic.
There is one feature that would make the Debian installer even better than it already is. So far, I have only seen this feature with Mandriva, but it is really useful. That is the ability to set up multiple languages during installation. Using dpkg-reconfigure locales is a very easy procedure, after one acquires the esoteric knowledge. Most people would expect to use System/Aministration. Adding the ability to set up multiple languages during installation would make things much easier for new-comers to Debian. I realise it would require some work, but in my opinion it would be worth the effort. Just a thought.
And why is there no option for an analogue clock on the Gnome tool bar?
