> Nicolas Williams wrote:
> > On Wed, Oct 01, 2008 at 02:00:31PM -0700, W. Wayne
> Liauh wrote:
> >> This is a wild thought but perhaps we should put
> on the table the
> >> option of scratching most of the language-specific
> localization stuff.
> > 
> > Or having per-locale install CDs, each with a
> single locale.  One nice
> > side-effect: no longer would users be asked at
> install time to pick a
> > language for the installer to use.  Users would be
> asked that at CD
> > image download time instead.
> 
> Having an OS support more than one-language on a
> single medium is fairly 
> common, and the cost of maintaining per-language
> media is likely to be 
> prohibitive.  That's probably why most vendors have
> adopted a "Language 
> Pack" approach from what I've seen.
> 
> As such, I think a per-language media approach is not
> an optimal one.
> 
> -- 
> Shawn Walker

As an example, we include zh_CN and zn_TW locales in the os0805 LiveCD.  Has 
that helped us gain any new users?  I don't think so.

But my more serious concern is that the principal OpenSolaris LiveCD managers, 
as expected, don't seem to have any idea about each individual locale.  This 
can be a very dangerous thing.

The language packs idea seems the popular way to go.  IIRC neither Ubuntu nor 
any of SuSE LiveCDs includes localization.  I was one of the initial supporters 
of Fedora Core (Fedora was born in Hawaii, just in case anyeone forgot about 
that :-)  ), but I have not used Fedora for many years.  I don't know how the 
Fedora LiveCD is handling the localization issue.

We may want to consider the option of removing the localization stuffs from the 
LiveCD, but also making sure to leave enough empty space so that local 
developers/entrepreneurs can easily IPS language specific stuff and create 
their ISO's without having to remove any of the existing stuff.

Doing so has the advantage of, from my own experience, encouraging local 
developers to feel that they actually own a piece of the action.  It will be 
our dreams come true if some of those local developers can be shown enough 
incentives (keep in mind that Sun's portfolio of both software and hardware 
products is something no one else can even come close--this is one of our main 
advantages), and decide to go into OpenSolaris-related business.  I am sure we 
all know that our goal is not to produce a consummate LiveCD, but to grow 
OpenSolaris-related businesses globally (which can be both for- and 
not-for-profit, or simply as a hobby).  We also need local entrepreneurs to 
help installing OpenSolaris into fixed media.
--
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