=== modified file 'xl/common.py'
--- xl/common.py	2009-07-28 14:50:56 +0000
+++ xl/common.py	2009-07-29 20:06:59 +0000
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 # along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 # Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
 
-import locale, logging, os, random, re, string, threading, time, traceback, \
+import unicodedata, locale, logging, os, random, re, string, threading, time, traceback, \
     urllib, urlparse
 from functools import wraps
 from xl.nls import gettext as _
@@ -323,6 +323,18 @@
         ret = the_cutter(ret)
     return ret
 
+def normalize(field):
+    """
+        Normalizes a utf8 string into a fully developed form
+    """
+    return unicodedata.normalize('NFD', field)
+
+def strip_marks(field):
+    """
+        Removes non spacing marks from a string (that is accents, mainly)
+    """
+    return ''.join((c for c in normalize(field) if unicodedata.category(c) != 'Mn'))
+
 class VersionError(Exception):
     """
        Represents version discrepancies

=== modified file 'xl/trackdb.py'
--- xl/trackdb.py	2009-07-28 15:04:53 +0000
+++ xl/trackdb.py	2009-07-29 20:06:21 +0000
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 from xl.nls import gettext as _
 from xl import common, track, event, xdg
+import locale
 
 try:
     import cPickle as pickle
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@
     """
     def lower(x):
         if type(x) == type(""):
-            return x.lower()
+            return locale.strxfrm(x)
         return x
     items = []
     if not type(fields) in (list, tuple):
@@ -283,12 +284,10 @@
             is primarily useful for the collection panel
         """
         def the_cmp(x, y):
-            if isinstance(x, basestring):
-                x = x.lower()
+            if isinstance(x, basestring) and isinstance(y, basestring):
                 x = common.the_cutter(x)
-            if isinstance(y, basestring):
-                y = y.lower()
                 y = common.the_cutter(y)
+                return locale.strcoll(x,y)
             return cmp(x, y)
 
         if sort_by == []:

=== modified file 'xlgui/panel/collection.py'
--- xlgui/panel/collection.py	2009-07-28 23:12:03 +0000
+++ xlgui/panel/collection.py	2009-07-29 20:04:57 +0000
@@ -543,10 +543,8 @@
                     v = _("Unknown")
     
             if depth == 0 and draw_seps:
-                check_val = v
-                if check_val.lower().startswith('the '):
-                    check_val = check_val[4:]
-                char = check_val.lower()[0]
+                check_val = common.the_cutter(v)
+                char = common.strip_marks(check_val.lower()[0])
                 
                 if char.isdigit(): 
                     char = '0'