New
#11
MS has some silly localization/regional policies for sure. I speak only American English Kari and it's a good accomplishment for you to speak four.
Microsoft Windows 9 Team: Please understand some of us live abroad!
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New #12
The main principle in Microsoft's localization policy is OK: to offer MS services in user's language. It's the realization of this policy that has failed, as it is so clearly based on one simple thing, falsely considered as a fact: MS wrongly assumes that the user's language always is the language of the country the IP is physically located.Britton30, post: 613, member: 46 said:
One really good example of this is the Windows Store. As I told in my original post, my location in all my rigs is set to UK instead of the real physical location Germany, to assure that as many services as possible use English instead of German.
In my personal billing data connected to my Microsoft Account I wanted to register and use two different credit cards, a German one and another issued by my Finnish bank. Setting up Windows 8 and Windows Store when location is set to UK, the billing details page lets me use only UK address and phone number and as these do not match with credit card information, it does not work.
In order to set up an "ex-pat" Windows Store, I need first change the regional settings on Windows 8, set location as Germany and set up my German card. Of course, this page is only available in German. Next I change the regional settings giving location as Finland and do the same for my Finnish card. The page is available only in Finnish. Now, both cards set up, I change my location back to UK.
Later I want to buy something from Windows Store. After deciding which card I would like to use, German or Finnish, I temporarily change the regional settings accordingly, do my purchase, return to regional settings and set location back to UK.
All this only because I want to use one certain language on my Windows and that language is not the language of my country of residence.
This really is a big thing for me and certainly to a lot of other ex-pats around the world. In todays ever expanding and integrating world Microsoft should not assume that the user's own language is that of the country of his / her residence.
Kari
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New #13
This really is too much! Screenshots below from my Facebook news feed today. Everything Microsoft related comes in German. What is important to notice here is that I have never "liked" or "followed" a German website or page of Microsoft / Windows / Windows Phone / Office. When landing in a German page while browsing, I always first continue browsing until I find the same page in English before clicking Like or Follow buttons. Also if I click Share on an English Microsoft webpage to tell my FB friends about an interesting article or page, the shared article comes in German in my FB post, linking to a German article or page.
This same happens with Twitter and G+ when you start following or like a topic or page of Microsoft.
Microsoft: Can't you really understand that having a German IP address does not automatically mean I prefer German language?
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New #14
Hi there
Another one from W7 / W8 !!!!
I have similar issues -- however I'm very disappointed that while even in W8 I could get the LIP (Language Interface pack) for Icelandic there aren't any issued for W8.1 yet. Having the LIP is fine with base install in English - Ms needs to understand there are many people who work in more than one language - and of course while English is universally understood in most of the Nordic countries there's nothing wrong in wanting a local Interface -- it was done in W8 and preceeding editions of Windows.
I often work in Belgium too using Flemish / Dutch so being able to add that language too is fine from time to time -- we shouldn't need to have separate versions of Windows. (One can add Dutch without a problem actually).
I also agree that the search language shouldn't depend on your IP address but should be user configurable.
Here's a screenshot of an XP VM with both XP itself and the Office 2007 LIP Icelandic language installed
Cheers
jimbo
(glad some old faces on this Forum too !!!).
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New #15
It is also mails from MS. I get mine in French but would rather English. I tried asking in the microsoft support forums 6 months ago but unsurprisingly got no response.
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...9-546188c35a8d
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New #16
In my 35 years of Operating System development, national language support has always been a pain in the neck. You need the local company organizations to do it and they are often ill equipped to do the job. In many cases they had assigned people that were useless in other departments - and the results were accordingly.
I had made it a habit since day one to use the English versions and literature because for all IT, English is the base. During the few years I worked in the German branch of my company I had the hardest time because I was completely unfamiliar with the German terminology.
Still today, the few times I peeked into the German forums, I was completely lost. The only thing I learned is that Properties = Eigenschaften. LOL.
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New #17
The subject has been raised a couple of times on the Windows 8 forum.
I am, and have always been, in earlier OSs, a sufferer.
My situation is worst. For family reasons, I live in Denmark. I am English and like any good, lazy, Englishman, am unable to learn to speak any respectable Danish. But, it is an absolute requirement, living here, that I have had to use certain Danish principles in my customisation.
I too, am tired of being directed to sites in Danish, when I have only typed in an English sentence in the search box.
I even, on installation of several third party programs, get the initial popup windows in Danish.
I have queried this on forums, even those directly under the supervision of Microsoft. Many suggestions have been made over the years, none have worked.
It irritates, but I have had to learn to live with it.
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New #18
Yeah right. I have the same problem when I Google something in Germany. I get all kinds of German sites, but the familiar English sites are hidden on page 5 - if any.
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New #19
Still waiting on a bottle of your famous German Wine hidden in your cellar.:)whs, post: 3527, member: 58 said:
DW
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New #20
Come to Germany and we'll drink it together - although my stock is dwindling fast.The Howling Wolves, post: 3530, member: 16 said:
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