Language Immersion and Computing: Part 2
In my previous post, I noted some of the various ways that one can experience multilingual computing for free. In this post, I will continue that discussion while focusing on two slightly different aspects of the issue: (1) ways to upgrade a computer's operating system (OS) for free so that it has multilingual capabilities and (2) ways to upgrade a computer's OS that, depending on your situation, may or may not be free.
First, let us consider the situation where we would like to upgrade a computer's OS for free so that it has multilingual capabilities. Of course, the easy solution is to switch to a Mac, which has native multilingual support (as I noted in my previous post). But, for most of us, for whom staying with Windows is the only palatable option, Microsoft's Language Interface Packs (LIPs) are a possible solution. As the website for Microsoft's Local Language Program explains, LIPs are primarily intended to make technology more accessible to those who do not speak a major world language as their first language, as well as helping to continue the usage of these minority languages. LIPs provide translated text for menus and other features of Windows; depending on the language, LIPs are available for Windows XP, MS Office 2003, Windows Vista, and / or MS Office 2007. They, unfortunately (but understandably), are not all-inclusive and only provide translations for the most widely used parts of Windows: Microsoft estimates that only about 80% of Windows will be rendered in the target (minority) language, while the other 20% will instead be shown in the language originally installed on the computer.
LIPs have two principal drawbacks. First, because they are intended for use by those who speak a minority language as their mother tongue, LIPs are not generally available for the more common languages, such as German and French. (Interestingly, there is actually an LIP available for Spanish.) Secondly, because LIPs do not provide complete translations of the Windows OS, the LIPs require a certain, specific parent language to be installed on the computer beforehand---which may or may not be English. For example, the Galician LIP can only be installed if Windows is already installed in either Spanish or French; the Galician LIP cannot be installed on an English-language version of Windows. LIPs, as I noted above, are intended for use by local minority communities, not foreigners trying to learn languages. Nevertheless, for those who are trying to learn a minority language such as Afrikaans or Croatian and who are running the prerequisite version of Windows, LIPs ought to be quite an exciting add-on for Windows.
This brings us to the ways to upgrade a computer's OS that, depending on your situation, may or may not be free. These upgrades may be effected by downloading what Microsoft calls Multilingual User Interface Packs (MUIs). Downloadable through Windows Update, MUIs are free for those who already have Windows Vista Ultimate; they, on the other hand, are completely unavailable to other Windows Vista users, with the exception of companies who use Windows Vista Enterprise. (MUIs are apparently also available to users of Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003, although I profess no special knowledge of that.) These MUIs have several advantages. First, since Windows Vista Ultimate allows language switching, someone could have his computer set to Spanish today, German tomorrow, and French the next day---without any real inconvenience and at no additional cost. Secondly, as that example just hinted, MUIs are available for all of the major world languages. Third, MUIs allow the various Windows components to be displayed in the target language---read "Internet Explorer." This also includes other programs such as Notepad, Paint, and Windows Media Player, although unfortunately not MS Office. Nevertheless, for those who already have Windows Vista Ultimate or for those who, God forbid, are actually willing to spend money to improve their language skills, installing a MUI or two seems to be an excellent option.
First, let us consider the situation where we would like to upgrade a computer's OS for free so that it has multilingual capabilities. Of course, the easy solution is to switch to a Mac, which has native multilingual support (as I noted in my previous post). But, for most of us, for whom staying with Windows is the only palatable option, Microsoft's Language Interface Packs (LIPs) are a possible solution. As the website for Microsoft's Local Language Program explains, LIPs are primarily intended to make technology more accessible to those who do not speak a major world language as their first language, as well as helping to continue the usage of these minority languages. LIPs provide translated text for menus and other features of Windows; depending on the language, LIPs are available for Windows XP, MS Office 2003, Windows Vista, and / or MS Office 2007. They, unfortunately (but understandably), are not all-inclusive and only provide translations for the most widely used parts of Windows: Microsoft estimates that only about 80% of Windows will be rendered in the target (minority) language, while the other 20% will instead be shown in the language originally installed on the computer.
LIPs have two principal drawbacks. First, because they are intended for use by those who speak a minority language as their mother tongue, LIPs are not generally available for the more common languages, such as German and French. (Interestingly, there is actually an LIP available for Spanish.) Secondly, because LIPs do not provide complete translations of the Windows OS, the LIPs require a certain, specific parent language to be installed on the computer beforehand---which may or may not be English. For example, the Galician LIP can only be installed if Windows is already installed in either Spanish or French; the Galician LIP cannot be installed on an English-language version of Windows. LIPs, as I noted above, are intended for use by local minority communities, not foreigners trying to learn languages. Nevertheless, for those who are trying to learn a minority language such as Afrikaans or Croatian and who are running the prerequisite version of Windows, LIPs ought to be quite an exciting add-on for Windows.
This brings us to the ways to upgrade a computer's OS that, depending on your situation, may or may not be free. These upgrades may be effected by downloading what Microsoft calls Multilingual User Interface Packs (MUIs). Downloadable through Windows Update, MUIs are free for those who already have Windows Vista Ultimate; they, on the other hand, are completely unavailable to other Windows Vista users, with the exception of companies who use Windows Vista Enterprise. (MUIs are apparently also available to users of Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003, although I profess no special knowledge of that.) These MUIs have several advantages. First, since Windows Vista Ultimate allows language switching, someone could have his computer set to Spanish today, German tomorrow, and French the next day---without any real inconvenience and at no additional cost. Secondly, as that example just hinted, MUIs are available for all of the major world languages. Third, MUIs allow the various Windows components to be displayed in the target language---read "Internet Explorer." This also includes other programs such as Notepad, Paint, and Windows Media Player, although unfortunately not MS Office. Nevertheless, for those who already have Windows Vista Ultimate or for those who, God forbid, are actually willing to spend money to improve their language skills, installing a MUI or two seems to be an excellent option.