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Subject:Re: UK/US English - What to do? From:AlQuin <cbon -at- WXS -dot- NL> Date:Fri, 7 May 1999 23:56:19 +0200
On 07-05-1999 23:38 Scott Browne wrote:
>THE BACKGROUND:
>We have made a deal with a French software company to absorb/merge one of
>their products into ours and do all the selling, marketing, and future
>development for them. (They were tired of doing it themselves).
>
>The software package, although developed in France, is designed in English
>(menus, dialog boxes, etc.)
>
>THE DILEMMA:
>British English spellings were used in the interface. No documentation
>currently exists for this application.
>
>THE QUESTION:
>Because this product will be marketed to an American audience, should the
>docs use US English spellings, or should it use the same UK English
>spellings which the user will actually see on the interface?
Why this discussion? Since when can't Americans read and understand the
King's English? My advice should be: stick to the original dialogues and
keep both texts parallel... If this does not constrain the usability by
your target group so far.
My two eurocents..
Kees de Bondt
AlQuin Total Quality
* the Management of Quality will show the Quality of Management
