Language Packs Should Be Optional

[hardwarehank]

So, I was installing Ubuntu tonight, version 10.10 x86_64, and realized it was spending a considerable amount of time downloading "Language Packs." Now, I don't know about you all, but we only speak one language in our house: American.

So, would it be possible, at some point in the installation, to add a little checkbox that says "Install Language Packs for Non-Americans?" Then, me and my buddies could uncheck the box, fire our shotguns in the air, open a case of PBRs, watch Sean Hannity, then hit the "Forward" button to continue the installation. I don't care if the default is to install all this stuff, which is great stuff for many people, don't get me wrong. Hey - you could even add a checkbox that says "Don't install anything American" for all I care, and default it whichever way you want!

I'm pretty sure no one will ever encounter my computer and say "Oh no! It's in English! I never expected that! Mind if I switch it to Afrikaans for a while?" Won't happen - seriously. I don't ever want to see the updates again, or waste time and precious bandwidth on them when I could be using it on some Glen Beck YouTube videos.

Yours truly,
American-Man.

[wojox]

Just download localepurge.

[Michel66]

Expand your horizon a bit; it is very good for the mind. Ubuntu folks are open minded, you should do the same.
But yes it should not install all those languages unless you ask for.

[coffee412]

So, I was installing Ubuntu tonight, version 10.10 x86_64, and realized it was spending a considerable amount of time downloading "Language Packs." Now, I don't know about you all, but we only speak one language in our house: American.

So, would it be possible, at some point in the installation, to add a little checkbox that says "Install Language Packs for Non-Americans?" Then, me and my buddies could uncheck the box, fire our shotguns in the air, open a case of PBRs, watch Sean Hannity, then hit the "Forward" button to continue the installation. I don't care if the default is to install all this stuff, which is great stuff for many people, don't get me wrong. Hey - you could even add a checkbox that says "Don't install anything American" for all I care, and default it whichever way you want!

I'm pretty sure no one will ever encounter my computer and say "Oh no! It's in English! I never expected that! Mind if I switch it to Afrikaans for a while?" Won't happen - seriously. I don't ever want to see the updates again, or waste time and precious bandwidth on them when I could be using it on some Glen Beck YouTube videos.

Yours truly,
American-Man.

Im downloading a LP right now - German. I have a client that teaches German. So, She wants a german. But I kinda agree with you. The download does take awhile.

When you install you select a language as I remember. Therefore the other languages are options. Well, options can be installed later as they do take alot of time to download. I would rather have a system up and running then waiting on a bunch of languages to download that I will never use.

just my .02c here.

[nlsthzn]

Nothing wrong with a bit of Afrikaans "as jy my vra" " :p

[hardwarehank]

Just download localepurge.

So, wait 5 minutes to install all the language packs then use a tool to remove them? That's not a very good solution, but thanks for the tip! It will prevent update-based time wasting.

[hardwarehank]

Nothing wrong with a bit of Afrikaans "as jy my vra" " :p

Hahah - no offense intended from the first post - Afrikaans is as good as anything.

[nlsthzn]

Hahah - no offense intended from the first post - Afrikaans is as good as anything.

No offence taken, I like the fact that you know there is such a thing like Afrikaans :)

[jknecht]

+1 The language packs are, for me, nothing but a time waster. Let me pick the language(s) I want from the installer and leave everything else off my new OS.

[jbuczek]

This is not a convenience issue for many. Seems this, like all too many "features" showing up, is conceived by developers who have gigabit internet and think everyone does. One comment in this thread said (more or less) "take 5 minutes to download the language packs and then remove them". It took me 20 hours which I was afraid to interrupt because I didn't know what it would do to my install.

I live in a third world country where 256Kbps is called "broadband" AND the ISP imposes a limit on the megabyte throughput per hour, per day, per week and per month. If you exceed that limit they throttle you down 80% until you are statistically "back in the zone".

So that unexpected and unexplained and unauthorized "language pack" download added in 10.04 and 10.10 cripples ALL my internet access for days. For what? What percentage of Ubuntu desktop users EVER use more than one language. 1%, not likely. 0.001% is probably more like it ..... and this is a default?

What are they trying to do? Beat Microsoft as the king of "bloatware".

About 95% of the software used in the country I'm in is pirated. I try to be a proponent of Ubuntu in order to get people "into the light" of legal computing. Then a joker like this hits us. S**T!

Please help us out:

1. Languages other than the specified install language MUST be options no matter how proud the hard working translators are of their work.

Give us even more help by EITHER:

2. Make ALL Ubuntu options and updates available via torrents BECAUSE torrent clients allow us to self-throttle throughput in order to remain within limits imposed on us. It also allows us to use peers INSIDE the country to cut the load on the expensive "backbones" that connect us to the rest of the world and require "hard currency" to finance.

OR

3. Modify the Ubuntu communication program used for all updates and optional installs so that the user CAN self throttle if necessary.

I don't think any of this would break anything or slow up the next release.

Respectfully submitted

P.S. To anticipate one possible comment.... ordering the install DVD costs $98 postage (unless I'm willing to wait up to 3 months for it) and exposes me to customs which is the most corrupt agency in the worlds 10th most corrupt nation. I have had them try to impose $100 in duty on a commercial software CD.