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From: ranson@crcge1.UUCP (D. Ranson CNET)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: International applications
Message-ID: <2771@crcge1.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Aug-87 03:48:24 EDT
Article-I.D.: crcge1.2771
Posted: Wed Aug  5 03:48:24 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 8-Aug-87 04:22:48 EDT
Lines: 26
Keywords: Localization


 Apple Computer has issued a list of guidelines that allow applications to
be easily adapted to foreign countries. Living in France and having used
French Mac keyboards for 3 years now, I would like to add a few items to this
list:

- Don't use anything but uppercase letter for keyboard menu-equivalents.
Most other combinations can cause problems. Command-number cannot be used,
because on some keyboards, numbers are shifted (thus triggering FKEYs).
Even the universal Command-. will not work in most versions of the French
System file.

- Don't use "accent" keys (`, ^, ~, etc) for anything but typing words in.
On French keyboards, they are DEAD keys. For instance, to switch the display
under MacsBug, I must press ` twice.

- Don't use the option key for anything but its standard use. On French
keyboards, it is needed to send characters such as {}[].

- One special remark for communications software developpers: US ASCII is
not universal. You should check MacTerminal to see how they allow to switch
character sets (it is rumored that RedRyder10.0 will do that).

  'hope that helps you sell more software here in Europe.

   Daniel Ranson.