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John Summerfield wrote:
We have, I think, a problem with the definition of locale. Surely, I'm not alone in thinking that when I have set my timezone (to Australia/Perth) I've configured my locale.
Not at all. Timezone and locale may be related, but one does not imply the other. My timezone is CET - what does that tell you about my locale? You probably don't speak any variety of Chinese, Urdu, Japanese or Hindi:-) Just that statement rules out languages spoken by over 1/3 of
Per Jessen wrote: the people on planet Earth today. Probably, you have a fair skin not dark, English isn't your first language, are (culturally) Christian not Shinto, use Euros not Pesos or Dongs and don't normally eat grubs or snakes. Your choice of language (for installation) and keyboard would go far to informing one better about you.
When I started up Yast just now, I saw separate choices for "Time and Date" and "Language." Both of those are elements of 'locale,"
No, they are not. Type in "locale" on your computer to see your locale settings, and you'll notice that the time-format, but not the timezone is part of the locale.
/Per Jessen, Zürich
If you want your users to understand you, best use language they already understand. I didn't say the time zone fully defines the locale (and descriped in the dictionary fromwhich I quoted): indeed I made the point it doesn't always, but for may places it does, and a tool that combines all elements of locale use users are likely to understand the word makes good sense. And you have to be brave to dispute with the professional lexcographers who think time, date, alphabet etc are all part of locale: they don't define the language, they catalogue how it's used.