Celena Live CD – English only

In Bianca we were trying to support as many languages as we could translate isolinux in. In Cassandra we decided on a set number and prioritized the CD space for new applications. With only 3 languages left the Cassandra live CD supported English, Spanish and French.

In Celena and future versions of Linux Mint, the live CD will support only one language: English. This of course doesn’t prevent the installation of other languages and the compatibility of the distribution with them, it just means that by default only English will be installed and by default the liveCD will run in English.

All French and Spanish speaking users will have to do the same as people using other languages: Open the “Control Center” and add support for their language using the “Language Support” option.

It is indeed a tough decision, particularly at this stage now that the Spanish Mint Community is becoming so vibrant not to be able to give them Spanish “out of the box”.

16 comments

  1. Yes! That’s great idea. I think that English is the way to go. Even though I’m not a native English speaker, I believe that everyone on Earth should speak it.

  2. Spanish and French take approximately 30MB. I might be able to add Spanish in the end, but the goal is to make the best possible desktop and to focus as much as we can. The same way we don’t invest time in other things like alternate CD, non i386 architectures, we can’t afford to invest in translations and support many languages. We decided to fit on a CD and this goes against that. The language selection has been very abirtrary with Italian and German removed in previous version, it’s time we stop selecting and face the evidence: The control panel makes it easy to add a lot of languages we should use the space adequately.

    This is one of these tough decisions that have to be unpopular but will also make it easier for us to progress in the future.

    If volunteers want to derive releases in French, in Spanish or any other language to make a liveCD ISO of Mint in their own language I can assist them. It is in fact really easy.

    Clem

  3. I think that one of the TOP priorities of a Linux distribution is to get the user online AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. Once connected to the Internet, you can choose how you want to modify your distribution by downloading packages that you want (other languages, for example).
    If English is the only language, but you are connected, what’s the problem. Right? Download your language and you’re good.

  4. To Clem

    I am absolutely agree whit your decision. Dont worry for spanish people, because Spanish community will release our own Celena Spanish edition in the 3 editions

    Gnome, Kde , XFCE

    Soon Linux Mint will be releasing Linux Mint KDE Kids Spanish community edition and Fluxbox multilingual community edition.

    I am going to support this new initiative from Clem

    I am agree because I trust in my people.

    Clem can you send me some instructions to my email please or by PM?

    Cheers

  5. To Linuxeando:

    Do you really have to do that? I mean if the only difference between these editions is language, is it really worth it? Wouldn’t it just be easier to install your language on top of the standard English version.

    Just a thought, correct me if I’m wrong.

    Regards, Nick Tsyukalo (that’s Ukrainian 🙂

  6. Just post a screenshot guide of how to install additional languages for those who don’t know how to do it. I really don’t see any problems with this. I think it’s the right move if you need another 30 megs to cram in additional assorted goodies 🙂

  7. English eh?

    Well I’m glad to see that it will be Australian English rather than the usual assumption that everyone is American.

    Hang on, I could be wrong there.

    John H

  8. To sourwine:

    Dear friend, thanks for your comment, I will explain you what’s going on:

    Almost all the Spanish community don’t speak english, so for them will be impossible to install a live-cd in English languaje. I could make a screen shot guide but I think that it is very rudimentary nowadays.

    So, I would like to help in Linux Mint development for create our own Spanish live-cd, believe it or not, only english live-cd will impact Mint users.

    Thanks for you time.

    Cheers

    To Ciddan:
    Hi friend, I appreciate your idea, but I believe that it’s not the best way for help Spanish community and those people who don’t speak english.

    Thanks any way.

    You are very kind

    Cheers

  9. Linuxeando, Yo estoy de acuerdo con clem ya que estoy 100% seguro que la comunidad de habla hispana que usa linux mint debe saber algo de ingles, lo suficiente para hacer lo que dijo clem pero si tu quieres hacer eso tienes todo el derecho del mundo.

    Clem, im with you, my primary language is spanish but my pc languge is English cuz the windows they sell in Puerto Rico is the american edition and i got accustume, and changing languages in linux is alto easier thatn windows imo so ppl that arent dont klnow much english shouldn have much trouble.

  10. Why can’t all of this be included on a LiveDVD version? DVD-Rs are easier to find than CD-Rs and are cheaper in Canada, so I just end up burning onto a DVD-R and wasting all that space. I can see the XFCE Community Edition being a Live-CD, but DVD burners have been standard for years now.

  11. Why not have a complete language list when installing and if anything other then English is selected it downloads the selected languages? freeBSD does this I believe.

  12. Not everyone feels like doing a major download – of exactly the same stuff files repeated for each computer they own – before they can even use an OS. It certainly isn’t conductive to having a useable LiveCD/DVD.

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