[OT]Scandinavian characters Was: Taking a US computer to Europe

[Lisbeth Zachs]

onsdagen den 28 maj 2003 kl 14.49 skrev Tarik Bilgin:

> Scandinavia is rather well supported at the moment I think. Finnish 
> has been  there for a while now.
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Since it is common in the tourist information directed towards US to 
put Scandinavia = Nordic countries I do understand your connection 
above, but Scandinavia is really only Denmark, Sweden and Norway. These 
three have as David R remarked languages with bothersome characters, 
which aren't even similar between the countries. (Sounds are similar 
but form and place in alphabet differs)

When you add Iceland and Finland to Scandinavia you get the Nordic 
countries. Finland is a lot easier to localize computervise since they 
don't use the three complicated characters in the Finnish alphabet. 
Hence Finlands early apperance in any language localization.

To end the geografical and culture lesson: Some Finn also speak Swedish 
and the true three Scandinavian countries will with some effort 
understand each other and to some extend the Icelanders, but the 
Finnish language is totally different and has a much closer 
relationship with at least two of the Baltic countries. (=Estonia, 
Latvia and Lithuania)

Still you have a point in that Scandinavia is much better supported OS 
X-wise than e g Greek. :-)

Thank you for reading this much about my part of the world. :-)

Lisbeth in Gothenburg
<http://homepage.mac.com/holisticum> updat gardens 030418
<http://www.got-a-mac.org> medlemssida för Got-a-Mac (Mug in Gothenburg)