October 9, 2011 at 00:48Intrusive localization
Since software manufacturers began to release localized versions of their products, users have an additional problem: how to return the interface to normal English?
Often, developers take the initiative and determine the localization language automatically without the possibility of changing it manually. And often this applies not only to the GUI, but even to console utilities, for example, the Flex compiler for some time now tries to display error messages in Russian.
This creates huge problems for users:
- prof. terminology often does not have a well-established translation, for example, SQL View can translate both “View” and “View”
- localized error messages cannot be "google" since most forums, blogs and books use English-language quotes, but not Russian at all
- the translation is almost always incomplete (see screenshot where some inscriptions remained in Russian)
- prof. users (e.g. testers) can change the system locale depending on the tasks
The definition of the language and other locale parameters in any software should be advisory in nature. The user should always have access (for example from the menu) to quickly return the interface to a usable look.
Often, developers take the initiative and determine the localization language automatically without the possibility of changing it manually. And often this applies not only to the GUI, but even to console utilities, for example, the Flex compiler for some time now tries to display error messages in Russian.
This creates huge problems for users:
- prof. terminology often does not have a well-established translation, for example, SQL View can translate both “View” and “View”
- localized error messages cannot be "google" since most forums, blogs and books use English-language quotes, but not Russian at all
- the translation is almost always incomplete (see screenshot where some inscriptions remained in Russian)
- prof. users (e.g. testers) can change the system locale depending on the tasks
Conclusion
The definition of the language and other locale parameters in any software should be advisory in nature. The user should always have access (for example from the menu) to quickly return the interface to a usable look.