Comment 35 for bug 553162

Hi again, Martin!

On 2010-10-08 13:08, Martin Pitt wrote:
> Gunnar Hjalmarsson [2010-10-07 22:34 -0000]:
>> Keeping the limited purpose of GDM's locale selector in mind, i.e.
>> allowing users to start a session in a different language, I believe
>> that _now_ the best way to serve that purpose is to update $LANGUAGE and
>> set $LC_MESSAGES, while leaving $LANG to language-selector.
>
> If gdm's UI becomes a pure language selector, I agree. This requires
> some more intrusive code changes, though, and some thought about
> handling country specific languages like Portugese from Portugal vs.
> Brazil, or simplified/traditional Chinese.

I thought that GDM was already prepared for handling region specific languages (see below).

> Your gdm patch just changes how the result from the locale selector is
> handled, but it doesn't change the locale selector to become a
> language selector. So if I'm choosing "German (Switzerland)" on an
> en_US-by-default box, I'd get German strings, but time/currency/etc
> format would still be US. This would be by design with your idea

So far I'm with you (I think...).

> (set LANGUAGE=de and keep LANG=en_US),

Not true as regards LANGUAGE. If you would choose "German (Switzerland)", my patch would make de_CH, i.e. including the country code, become the first language/country combination in the LANGUAGE list. (It would also set LC_MESSAGES to "de_CH.utf8".)

Please note that the LANGUAGE list, that is currently maintained from language-selector only, includes country codes when available. Consequently the code I patched does so too.

> but gdm shouldn't offer me three different country options for Germany,

Why not? Ok, it should offer you six different country options, because that's the available number. ;-)

> since they won't make a difference.

They will (se above). As regards translated strings, that is. Not as regards other locale aspects.

While I agree that GDM's UI should be reconsidered if a change along these lines is implemented, I'm not convinced, at least not yet, that there is actually a need to change it.

>> * While now seeing English in menus and messages, I also see those
>> ambigous American date formats etc., which I don't want.
>
> Right, I understand (see above). That's exactly my point above, gdm
> shouldn't offer a country selection if it stops being able to set
> country specific settings.

Well, with my patch it _would_ be able to set a country/region specific language. Personally I think that the GDM UI explains it: The label is "Language", and the list includes region specific options.

Or do you mean that users are currently led to believe that GDM changes _all_ locale settings? Personally I don't think they are, possibly with the exception of experienced Ubuntu users, who may remember how it used to work...

> Oh, please don't misunderstand me. I don't think your idea is wrong,
> it just changes some use cases. However, if we want to implement it,
> it should be done properly, not just halfway (and thus become even
> more inconsistent).

Absolutely.

Let me say that I like the direction this conversation now has taken, and I'd be happy to keep participating in the process. As a newbie in the Ubuntu community I'd appreciate a hint or two about the proper way to help, though. ;-)

/ Gunnar