Dear Michelle,
> -----Original Message-----
> on my side I have sitting a friend {SNIP}
> was realy amazing about the possibility to run on ONE computer dozen of
> Languages for OpenOffice.org and
> each user can choose which language to use.
> He has an English Windows XP which can be localized for any user using an
> Windows Add-on for $$$ Package and need OOo in EN, FR and ES.
> Can this be done under Windows too?
> Michelle Konzack
With XP and Vista, it is certainly possible to create documents, spreadsheets,
databases etc containing text in many different languages and combinations of
languages.
OO is somewhat cleverer than MS software, and can then import and export those
files in a variety of formats, including the MS formats.
It is not impossible, or even particularly difficult, to provide multilingual
spell-checking and to arrange for the menus, dialogue-boxes and error-messages
to appear in different languages for different users, but it is more tricky and
involves a little more planning. Each user must decide for him/herself whether
it is worth the effort.
If you can live without the multilingual menus, you can achieve almost
everything else easily, quickly and at no extra cost, just by setting the right
options in XP and OO.
My university teaches over 30 languages and supports many more, so it would not
be practical for us to provide menus etc in every language that we need.
Therefore, we compromise by having all the menus in the local language
(English), but enabling users to create text in any language(s), using a
variety of national keyboard layouts, plus an all-purpose freeware one that I
made myself. That approach limits the number of different options that we need
to set, so the whole thing is easier to manage.
If a similar approach would meet your needs, I would be happy to advise, off
list.
Best wishes,
Alec McAllister, University of Leeds, UK.
