Re: localization of keyboard shortcuts

["Michael T. Babcock" <mbabcock fibrespeed net>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Christian Rose" <menthos@menthos.com>


> I agree that more configurability is better, but I don't agree about
> changing the default keyboard shortcuts for different locales.

Are you multi-lingual?  I can touch-type on three different keyboard
layouts.  My keyboard shortcuts are unfortunately the same, and I don't want
them to be.  (English, Canadian French, Dvorak)

> Changing defaults for different locales makes a lot of sense in some
> cases - that is, when the locale has declared preference for things
> behaving in one way or another as the default.

Have you ever seen keyboards with say, arabic character sets on them?  Would
you recommend those use the "same" key bindings even though that key may
have no equivalent?  My proposal works across the board.

> Take for example that you have an icon showing a hand pointing with the
> index finger, and you know that in most locales that's ok, but you also
> know that in locale foo that is considered a terribly offensive gesture.
> If you know that, I think that going ahead and choosing that icon
> anyway, even if you know this, is a bad design decision since it needs a
> nasty hack for a particular locale later on.

No, its not a nasty hack.  A smile in Canada means some variation of 'hello'
and in Japan can mean 'I want sex'.  Lots of things are localised and we
shouldn't try to internationalise by neutralising all of our symbols, but
rather by allowing different locales to have their own symbols.  A big red
octagon makes a good stop sign here.  In France (elsewhere in Europe?), they
don't use them -- should we change "stop" to something different?  No.  We
can make internationalised icons, etc.  Its not that hard -- and it means
we're doing it right the first time.

> I say "nasty hack" because it isn't beautiful. By "beautiful" I mean
> that a decision should be made that would work in all locales.

You obviously don't understand the true diversity on this planet.