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Idea #18581: Install complete localizations on first update

Written by orvils the 12 Mar 09 at 19:18. Related project: Update manager. Status: New
Rationale
When you install Ubuntu with some localization only basic translation set is installed as all of the localizations take up too much space on CD. The easiest way to get all localizations is to go to System -> Administration -> Language support. This application informs user that the language support is incomplete and installs missing packages.

If user never checks Language support, he never gets complete localizations and can not experience Ubuntu as fully in his language.

Full set of translations should be downloaded during install of with first update.

Here is package set for Latvian (lv):
language-pack-lv
language-pack-gnome-lv
language-pack-gnome-lv-base
language-support-writing-lv
language-support-translations-lv
language-pack-lv
language-pack-gnome-lv
Tags: l10n

110
votes
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Solution #1: Include updatable l10n meta-package in default installation
Written by orvils the 12 Mar 09 at 19:18.
Include l10n meta-package (v1.0) into the default installation set / CD of Ubuntu and make a updated version (v1.1) of this package available in repos so that when user checks for updates he gets all localizations as dependencies.
-18
votes
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Solution #2: Make localized CDs for regions.
Written by andrew.p the 19 Mar 09 at 20:51.
Make localized CDs for regions (Asia/Europe/etc.)
Many countries don't have cheap internet to download DVD/localization and Canonical doesn't ship free DVDs so there is a reason.
I know Mandriva does it with One.
-7 and no comments. I should not mention Mandriva?)
7
votes
up equal down
Solution #3: Run Language support tool on first boot
Written by orvils the 2 Apr 09 at 07:21.
Running this tool similarly to "Restricted drivers manager" on first boot would give users full set of localizations.

To make it less disturbing for english users who do not need to improve their localizations you could
a) Run language supprot tool's "check for availible localizations" in background and if additional packages are required show a dialog to the use.
b) run this tool only for users with non-english locale

Propose your solution

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Comments
andrew.p wrote on the 24 Mar 09 at 19:03
I got -7 and no comments on my solution. Can somebody just explain why it is a bad idea? "Ubuntu aims to be usable by as many people as possible, which is why we include the very best localisation..." What's the point of including the best localization while many people aren't able to use it?

Grant wrote on the 26 Mar 09 at 00:12
Thank you, orvils, for mentioning this.

As I'm one of those "home users" or "casual users" (I don't program) I didn't even know that my localization (language support) was *not* complete upon installation. (After reading the heading for this I went to System -> Administration -> Language support and updated it.)

Grant wrote on the 26 Mar 09 at 00:21
andrew.p. are these people in countries that don't have cheap internet to download DVD/localization still get updates sent to them? If so, then Solution #1 would take care of these localization/language support issues wouldn't it?

robertjlee wrote on the 29 Mar 09 at 19:14
I would think that making separately localized CDs would increase the cost of CD production, and mean that there would be many, many different CDs available, some of which would rarely ship. This could increase Canonical's costs significantly.

I can see the argument for creating a localized CD for a particular language or country if there is a high demand for CDs in that country and there is good localization support for that locale.

And it would be far better to increase the amount of localization on the CD; I'm sure this will get easier as future improvements are made to compression algorithms and program efficiency.

orvils wrote on the 31 Mar 09 at 11:10
There is some progress with this. Latest Jaunty beta seems to have all localizations when installed from CD that has been booted into localized version.

Will test it some more, but so far it seems good :)

orvils wrote on the 2 Apr 09 at 07:16
If you are installing Ubuntu with working internet connection full localization set is downloaded during the install. Installing in offline leaves you without complete localization set. :(


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