Multi-Language PC - Is it possible

Hagar

Is it possible to set up a PC to boot into different languages?
I realise the keyboards would have to be switched to match the chosen language but that only a matter of having a variety of keyboards to hand.

I am considering a set-up in an internet cafe where customers would be French / Irish / English / German etc.
If it can be done it would be a winner from a customer service point of view.

Could systems be booted from a cd/dvd perhaps to achieve this?

Hobart

Hagar wrote:

Is it possible to set up a PC to boot into different languages?
I realise the keyboards would have to be switched to match the chosen language but that only a matter of having a variety of keyboards to hand.

I am considering a set-up in an internet cafe where customers would be French / Irish / English / German etc.
If it can be done it would be a winner from a customer service point of view.

Could systems be booted from a cd/dvd perhaps to achieve this?

I don't really know about the CD/DVD option, but I'm sure it is possible. XP allows you to have multiple logins, with different regional settings/Language options for each user. So yes it is definately possible. If you run XP yourself, setup some dummy user profiles and mess around with the Language options, you can delete the profiles later.

Hagar

Thanks Hobart. I'll have a go a that.

WexCan

Could become a bit of a pain... But yeah, try Hobart's suggestion and play around with your own sys. Wouldn't you have to look at different language OSs and apps though?

Hagar

For cafe use the only apps available will be explorer / firefox and I think they are easy enough to regionalize.

WexCan

Suppose you're right. What about Windows itself?

Hagar

Following on Hobart's post I checked on help / user language and it seems there is a Windows Multilingual User Interface Pack available. I think this puts the Windows menus and help into the various languages.

/Edit MUI is only available at through MS Volume Licencing Option ie huge cost

Any other suggestions?

SouperComputer

Are you talking about regional settings (ie keyboard) or the entire operating system? IE error mesages and dialogs are in the chose language?

IIRC there is no "irish" version of XP, I could be wrong though.

You can of course get french, german, spanish polish etc etc versions of XP. This however means that you need a valid licence and a partition for each.

It also means you have to maintain more operating systems.

Its can be done though, handy enough.

You can also try regional apps, so install polish firefox, french firefox etc etc and create the shortcuts under each user profile as appropiate. Could be messy though.

WexCan

Think MS released an Irish version of XP recently.

Asok

You could also virtualise the affair using virtual pc or vmware and use different images for each language

WexCan

Asok wrote:

You could also virtualise the affair using virtual pc or vmware and use different images for each language

Messy though.

Then again, whole idea is great on paper - nothing more frustrating than being in a French/Spanish/Italian net café and trying to use the keyboard or working out what means what.

SouperComputer

WexCan wrote:

Think MS released an Irish version of XP recently.

I sit corrected so!

VMware could work, although bochs could be a more pocket-friendly option.

Hagar

I suppose it might help if the OS was not limited to MS products ?

WexCan

Ah well then... Still looking at the same type of setup but without worrying about licences etc if you go the linux route.

Hagar

Double post sorry. Things are running very slowly today.

savemejebus

WexCan wrote:

Think MS released an Irish version of XP recently.

not exactly an 'Irish' version, the LIP (language interface pack) they released is kinda like a shallow localisation of xp, doesn't cover everything. If you have a legit xp licence you can download and install it for free afaik

Capt'n Midnight

No you can't. - search threads about the peole who have bought German laptops.

Because M$ only sell the multi language interface to corporate / volume customers.

You can get a free CHANGE to Irish as the default langague but you have to uninstall it to get english back again. It's a thing they do for when they only have 80-90% of the UI changed over and can't yet justify selling as a different version, once it hits 100% UI then you will have to buy a second copy.

Similar for office - you have to buy ALL dictioneries €180 or something instead of one or two. only real exception is that in the US lots of spanish and french spoken so those languages are free. UI you more or less have to buy a second version cheaper on eBay than the dictionary pack ..

Capt'n Midnight

You would have to create multiple versions of windows in different folders.

Install windows in windows this will make program files folder too

Install italian windows in windows.IT - you now get program files in programmi - german also uses a different spelling , not sure about french - I think it's in the setup.inf files for an unattended install where you can setup the folder options.

Licensing is horrible you may need to buy one copy per language per PC or a volume license and then the multi interface pack, might be cheaper to buy a few old copies of windows 2000 terminal server in the languages 'cos windows 2000/XP clients get free license and have different languages on it and foreigh clients select the language that way.

or a KVM switch and a few spare machines

then again you could easily setup multiple copies of FireFox .opera in each langague since mostly they will be on the net.

Fenster

You could always try Linux if you want to be cheap about it. Most distros come with localised files included and its fairly painless to swap through them.

themole

for an internet cafe,

i don't think there is any need to have different languages.

sure it might be a nice gimmic but most people would be able to get by using english, especially the french/spanish/german 's a lot of whome would speak english and most of which would at least be able to figure out windows and firefox.

office, well that may be worth while.

the way i have seen this done in internet cafe's in the rest of europe is that they have dedicated "English" PC's.

you could have a PC dedicated to french, another for german and another for spanish.

they don't have to be fast for browsing and this will be hella easier than having the option on all the machines.

i managed to surf the net on PC's in polish and russian, and its not that bad. even burnt CD's on the polish one

is_that_so

Used to do this once upon a time by using a boot manager on a testing machine. Otherwise I wouldn't bother , certainly not for an internet cafe. As other have posted - there is a hefty licence cost. For more exotic languages I don't believe you would get enough customers. Most users know where to go to find sites in their own language.

Capt'n Midnight

Hang on, you could use www.realVNC.com instead of a KVM switch. And have a couple of them under the desk or in a rack. Choose full screen for the view.

They won't have access to the local drive and you'd have to change the passwords often though.

Hagar

You're probably right its a lot of hassle for little or no payback.
The best option seems to be dedicated PCs in English and German and the rest in French. After all they are the ones who will frequent the place when all the tourists have gone home. I hope.

Thanks to everyone for the input, it was very helpful.

**Timbuk2**

I would recommend going to Linux for that kind of thing, where it is easier to have different languages and you will not have to worry about licencing. For just going on the internet with Firefox or Opera (which are both available for Linux) you would not need WinXP, as Knoppix would do the job (or any Linux for that matter).