Russification of Belarus …from Microsoft
I sent an e-mail to Microsoft about it several years ago, but since then nothing has changed. If in your browser settings you chose Belarusian as the first language (variable HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE or Tools | Internet Options | Languages in Internet Explorer), then all the materials on support.microsoft.com would always appear to you in Russian. Even if you explicitly append “/be” to the article’s URL, it will still display all articles in Russian.
This is quite bothersome, and it seems there’s no way to switch it off (at least I couldn’t figure it out). Every time I visit support.microsoft.com I have to manually add “/en” to the URL in order to read the original article in English. Unfortunately, even after appending “/en” to the URL I still can not get rid of Russian in the menus, header and footer.
Thanks to Syarzhuk for reminding me about that problem. Here’s what I’ve sent to M$ (a slightly changed version of Syarzhuk’s e-mail):
“In MSIE, my language preferences box contains two languages: Belarusian [be] as the main preference, and English (United States) [en-us] as the second choice. When I open the page http://support.microsoft.com/kb/196628/ or almost any other KB page , your website returns the page in Russian which is not among the preferred languages. Moreover, if I explicitly indicate the preferred language in the URL: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/196628/be , the page is still returned in Russian. Belarusian and Russian are similar (just as, say, Dutch and German are similar, or Serbian and Bulgarian), but are clearly different languages. It would not be smart to provide a page in German to Dutch-speaking readers when there is no Dutch translation available. So why are you providing a Russian page when there is no Belarusian translation available?”
I suppose the more internet users complain about it, the higher are the chances that they’ll do something about it. There’s a feedback form at the bottom of each page on support.microsoft.com which you can use to tell Microsoft editors your opinion about their Russification policies.
February 20th, 2006 at 7:52 am
may be i don’t understand russian enough… i can’t find any feedback form on http://support.microsoft.com/
February 20th, 2006 at 1:20 pm
On any KB page, there’s a comment box on the bottom. But I didn’t find a general comment box…
February 21st, 2006 at 7:53 pm
I tend to stay away completely from any microsoft site… too many “genuine” windows checks (mine’s pirated of course… like hell I’m paying $2.500 a year for a blank OS) plus 99% of the information stored there is well-known… In any case… are you sure microsoft isnt IP mapping you (it did on me)? Did you try Ethereal to see what IE is sending?
In general, I dont like ANY site that’s IP mapping and forcing you to read a language you don’t want to see, and not even give you the option to change it. One time I wanted to read an article on some site.. and it switched to the local language (which was very poorly translated I might add)… ended up having to bounce through an American proxy to read the original English version.
February 28th, 2006 at 12:07 am
They do give you an option to switch the language - there’s a selection box. However, the policy of displaying Russian content instead of Belarusian is annoying
March 3rd, 2006 at 4:27 pm
The solution :
in IE :
tools - internet options - langages
put them there in the order you want them (english US first, then your own langage)
March 3rd, 2006 at 4:30 pm
olivier D: Are you sure you read my entry? That’s exactly the problem I’m talking about.
March 30th, 2006 at 8:25 pm
Can anybody help me! Are there any English/Belarusian dictionaries or phrase books available. I cannot find seem to find any! Last year a young girl from Mogilev stayed with my wife and I in England and we would like to write to her in her native language even if our efforts are rubbish! You can but try!
July 20th, 2008 at 5:06 am
Learn how to speak chinese
Learn how to speak chinese
October 13th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
Excellent information, thanks for sharing. Nothing more from Microsoft?
http://instantanxietycures.com
November 17th, 2010 at 11:55 am
What a nice blog I liked it very much thanks for your creative work done by you. @ http://www.bellspharmacy.com/
February 17th, 2011 at 7:19 am
http://sylvester16berr.livejournal.com/628.html Thanks for that awesome posting. It saved MUCH time :-)
February 24th, 2011 at 12:10 pm
Really great post, Thank you for sharing This knowledge.Thank you very much for sharing this knowledge.this graph really conveyed the part which i was looking for.
April 5th, 2011 at 11:33 am
Great information, you have a wonderful blog and an excellent article!
April 9th, 2011 at 1:30 pm
Wow, nice post,there are many person searching about that now they will find enough resources by your post
April 25th, 2011 at 10:32 am
This is my very first time i visit right here. I found so numerous interesting stuff in your weblog particularly its discussion. From the tons of comments on your articles, I guess I am not the only one having all the enjoyment right here! keep up the good function.
May 7th, 2011 at 1:06 am
I’m sure Microsoft was quick to get back to you and fix the issue - we all know how famous they are for caring about our concerns.
June 21st, 2011 at 12:26 pm
I have wanted to learn more about particular topics, but not many websites would help me out in informing me the way I expected. This left me with many question, but after reading your article, I got an answer to all my questions. You are too cool dude!!!
June 22nd, 2011 at 11:26 am
Wow, nice post,
there are many person searching about that now they will find enough resources by your post
June 22nd, 2011 at 11:26 am
Be Nice to visiting your blog again, it HAS been months for me. Well this article that I’ve been waited for long with. I need this article we complete this assignment in the college, and it Has Sam topic with your article. Thanks, great share.
June 30th, 2011 at 11:47 am
I consider myself very fond of reading,
August 5th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Thanks for posting..loved reading..it..keep up the good work..
August 11th, 2011 at 7:17 am
Really great post, Thank you for sharing This knowledge.
August 22nd, 2011 at 8:05 am
Louis Vuitton hand-made leather goods
August 26th, 2011 at 7:53 am
Great, simply just outstanding! Excellent to see testimonies which make you feel well. To bad this time we don’t find greater number of these. That made the heart delighted…
October 3rd, 2011 at 6:57 pm
Atricle was very interesting and informative. Keep sharing such informative atricles.
October 19th, 2011 at 3:04 am
First, the Monster Beats headphones offers a stylish and comfortable design, as well as an especially crisp and balanced audio response.
October 29th, 2011 at 3:50 am
I’ve truly approved this china nhl jerseys drape involving my own far east eye-port the following on top of laptop, as well as WHEN I relax at this point in the holy theater ahead of any sky-blue nhl jerseys point. A little bit impair above the the next door neighbors trees resembles Jimmy Durante’s nhl jerseys smell for some time, after that will become amorphous precisely as it slips and slides on north. Additional confuses adhere to, major as well as bit of and minor in the 03 in the direction of whereness. Wisps of these cause or perhaps droop nhl jerseys since generally there should end up being primary and drooping.
November 6th, 2011 at 4:44 pm
You make an excellent point in this post. Thanks for that point of view.
November 6th, 2011 at 8:24 pm
Lots of useful information on this site.
I will bookmark and check back often.
Thanks for taking the time to share.
December 2nd, 2011 at 9:12 am
I only stopped to go back to work on Monday, and to do the blogging week for Romantic Inks.
December 9th, 2011 at 2:20 am
I feel delighted to read such a good post, I would like to thank the Author for this marvelous efforts.this post is good in regards of both knowledge as well as information. Thanks for the post.
December 9th, 2011 at 2:25 am
In the Place Turenne and Place du Rivage, Delaherche succeeded with the greatest difficulty in working his way through the press. As he passed the Hotel of the Golden Cross a sorrowful vision greeted his eyes
January 7th, 2012 at 6:56 am
The ugg women boots can be found if you are willing to look for http://www.uggbootssales-au.org ,. Because the look and feel of ugg boots sale are fashionable. http://www.winterboot-sales.net/ ，waiting for these Ugg boots uk to UK online. http://www.winterboot-sales.org/ .
January 10th, 2012 at 9:51 am
I Juicy Couture Jewelry don’t want to go back; and if I tell, may beyou’ll let ‘em juicy couture diaper bag know where I be,” said Ben, much distressedbetween his lon uggs ging to confide in his newfriend an karen millen d his fear of his old enemies.