I wrote:
> Ah, but the correct solution is for the browser to send a language
> preference variable and for the web site to honor it. No need to change
> from a foreign language by finding the non-obvious place to do that.
Benjamin Krueger responded:
>A better solution than a universal simple symbol is to establish
>a system whereby all website developers must support all written
>languages and all browsers must behave consistently before we can
>get things right? I mean this with all due respect, but that's an
>exceptionally naive solution. The common wisdom "Perfect is the enemy
>of good" comes to mind. Worst than impossibly naive, this "correct"
>solution is prohibitively expensive, needlessly complex, hostile
>to developers, and puts the burden on users when it breaks. In other
>words, this correct solution is in fact not.
But you misunderstand. Honoring a language preference need not imply
support for every possible language. If the specified preference is
available, use it. If it isn't, use the default. (An error message might
be optional.) That's how most other things work.
The "simple symbol" is anything but. There is no standard for
resolution, color, position, aspect ratio, perspective, alternate text
(for the visually impaired), or other characteristics. Thus there is
no reliable way to identify the symbol on a page. Selecting it then
selecting another language requires that the page be loaded again
(twice in total). If the site includes additional pages (don't most?),
then a cookie is probably required to retain the selection. The solution
I suggest is much more efficient and transparent.
--
Dave Close, Compata, Irvine CA +1 714 434 7359
[email protected] [email protected]
Ralph Waldo Emerson:
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,
adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.
With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do."
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