gettext: System Installation
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1 2.1 Operating System Installation
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1 The default language is often already specified during operating
1 system installation. When the operating system is installed, the
1 installer typically asks for the language used for the installation
1 process and, separately, for the language to use in the installed
1 system. Some OS installers only ask for the language once.
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1 This determines the system-wide default language for all users. But
1 the installers often give the possibility to install extra localizations
1 for additional languages. For example, the localizations of KDE (the K
1 Desktop Environment) and OpenOffice.org are often bundled separately, as
1 one installable package per language.
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1 At this point it is good to consider the intended use of the machine:
1 If it is a machine designated for personal use, additional localizations
1 are probably not necessary. If, however, the machine is in use in an
1 organization or company that has international relationships, one can
1 consider the needs of guest users. If you have a guest from abroad, for
1 a week, what could be his preferred locales? It may be worth installing
1 these additional localizations ahead of time, since they cost only a bit
1 of disk space at this point.
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1 The system-wide default language is the locale configuration that is
1 used when a new user account is created. But the user can have his own
1 locale configuration that is different from the one of the other users
1 of the same machine. He can specify it, typically after the first
1 login, as described in the next section.
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