complete language support when installing off-line

[Lorenzo Della Sciucca]

At the end of installation process, Ubuntu downloads directly from internet the packages needed to install complete support for selected language (i know that complete language support for 20 languages doesn't fit in a CD!).
That's a good think.
In case there isn't any internet connection available, it can't, and the user after the reboot, finds a system part in english and part in his own language.
The user who is new to linux&ubuntu doesn't know that he has to install complete language support "by hand" from the appropiate utility, and doesn't know that, in that utility, "-" means "basic support" and "v" means "complete support".
So he simply uses the system as it is and thinks "mmm... strange!"

I think that something should be done about it, expecially for the "ubuntu priomise":
Ubuntu includes the very best translations and accessibility infrastructure that the free software community has to offer

If we all agree that complete language support is important, and that the system should provide it out-of-the-box, than the system should take care of it also in this case (that it is not uncommon!)! Always or never!

There are a lot of ways to do that, i will suggest a solution, a simple example to explain better what i mean.
In case during installation no internet connection is available, the installer could warn the user that at the moment the language support is not "complete" and then the complete language support could be automatically be added to a "to install list" managed by the update manager.

[Andrea Corbellini (andrea.corbellini)]

Thanks for your bug report!
Fortunately, some CDs can be downloaded with a pre-installed language package. Visit http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/derivatives and take a look of "Localized" ;)
Feel free to report any other bug you find!

[Lorenzo Della Sciucca (lorenzo-ds)]

I think that these "Localized" CD don't solve the problem: the vast majority of the users download and use the standard CD, Ubuntu ships (for free) standard CD and "localized" CD covers only few languages.

[Andrea Corbellini (andrea.corbellini)]

Yes, but you said "i know that complete language support for 20 languages doesn't fit in a CD!" too.
An another method is to download the language pack in a separated CD and install it after the installation of Ubuntu.

[Lorenzo Della Sciucca (lorenzo-ds)]

A "language pack CD" could be a good solution for "forever off-line" users!

The solution i suggested before was thinked for users that install the system off-line, but then, after that, access to the internet.
An other possibility is to "remind" the user to install complete support with libnotify, with a link that open the language utility.

[Andrea Corbellini (andrea.corbellini)]

I confirm a popup or a message window showed after the installation should be a nice solution.

[YannUbuntu (yannubuntu)]

Hardy (beta) is now a little better than Gutsy because the choice of language is the first step when booting with the liveCD.
BUT
Despite this, there are still many English elements remaining:
- WUBI
- F1 help
- Shortcut menu
- "Examples" folder and its files
- Firefox 3 beta

That's why I started a project to create a French localised LiveCD, that will be proposed by the French LoCo Team. (like the other pre-installed language package LiveCD.: http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/derivatives )

I think the localised LiveCD is the best solution for the moment, and I invite all LoCo Teams to do its own, in order to improve Ubuntu accessibility over the world.