This whole thread has filled my mailbox with about 50 messages, and
considerably lowers the SNR of this mailing list. I decided to propose a
final verdict (which I decided on my own) here and I will reason it.
1. Some people cannot read Hebrew with their mailers or editors.
Unfortunately for us, computers were designed incrementally and did not
take all i18n considerations in mind. The state today is that writing in
English using ASCII is much more accessible on almost all (UNIX and
non-UNIX systems) than Hebrew.
2. Yes, people can configure all kind of options, hacks and tweaks to
accomodate for reading and writing Hebrew. But people are used to one way
of life, and if this way involves English writing, so be it. Retzono Shel
Adam, Kvoodo. (rough translation: "A person's wish is his honour").
3. It is possible that a non-neglible amount of Linux-IL readers and
contributers are non-Hebrew speakers. Moreover, some of them would find it
more natural to communicate in English, or have a different mother tongue
altogether. (Israeli-Arabs, etc.) We have on-line archives, which even
non-Israelis may find useful in many occasions. And the vast majority of
the world's population cannot read Hebrew.
Converting Linux-IL to Hebrew will harm all of them.
4. It is possible to open a separate mailing list for Linux communications
in Hebrew. Furthermore, there are forums of different formats around
(web-forums, etc) which accomodate for it. One should not take an
anti-proactive approach and claim that it would be non-desirable to open
up a new forum.
I personally will accomodate for the new mailing list (assuming it is
initiated by someone), in any way I can within my capabilities. However,
I will not join it, since I also find communicating in Hebrew inconvenient
and many time inaccessible.
5. Linux-IL will remain a mailing list where Hebrew communication is
frowned upon. Part of the reason is that Linux-IL is not intended for
newbies and it is assumed people of greater expertise tend to be capable
English speakers.
Is there anyone here who finds anything particularily unreasonable about
this decision? And please remember we are a discussion forum, and as such
should accomodate the needs of a large number of people.
Regards,
Shlomi Fish
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Shlomi Fish [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Home Page: http://t2.technion.ac.il/~shlomif/
Home E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
"Let's suppose you have a table with 2^n cups..."
"Wait a second - is n a natural number?"
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