Now where are my black jewelled battle shorts?
April 21, 2008 10:04 PM Subscribe
Poor localization causes a simple, if slightly inflammatory, text message to go awry.
Okay, localization is important, but if you're already willing to get together your closest family members and stab someone to death because of an SMS, I think you need more help than what a couple of "ı"s can give.
posted by blacklite at 10:17 PM on April 21, 2008 [5 favorites]
posted by blacklite at 10:17 PM on April 21, 2008 [5 favorites]
The "ı"s have it.
posted by The White Hat at 10:27 PM on April 21, 2008
posted by The White Hat at 10:27 PM on April 21, 2008
Violent murder cannot be attributed to a technological error. This is a dumb post.
posted by ikkyu2 at 10:36 PM on April 21, 2008
posted by ikkyu2 at 10:36 PM on April 21, 2008
Turkey is known to be a bit of a pain in the ass as far as localization goes.
posted by Artw at 10:38 PM on April 21, 2008
posted by Artw at 10:38 PM on April 21, 2008
Flagged as stupid.
posted by puke & cry at 10:42 PM on April 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by puke & cry at 10:42 PM on April 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
METAFILTER: YOUR SOURCE FOR QUIRKY NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE!
No, wait...
posted by Krrrlson at 11:08 PM on April 21, 2008
No, wait...
posted by Krrrlson at 11:08 PM on April 21, 2008
METAFILTER: YOUR SOURCE FOR QUIRKY QWERTY NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE!
posted by null terminated at 11:27 PM on April 21, 2008 [5 favorites]
posted by null terminated at 11:27 PM on April 21, 2008 [5 favorites]
Violent murder cannot be attributed to a technological error. This is a dumb post.
But a technological error could have started nuclear war.
posted by suedehead at 11:28 PM on April 21, 2008
But a technological error could have started nuclear war.
posted by suedehead at 11:28 PM on April 21, 2008
Sorry to be pedantic, but this isn't a localization problem, it's an internationalization problem. Localization (aka L10n) is to do with converting the content of the software itself, eg translating the menus and buttons and so on into the local language.
Internationalization (aka I18n) is making the software able to cope with user data in a particular set of languages.
The two tasks are quite separate. For example, it's possible to write software with Turkish menus and buttons that handles Turkish text input badly (as in this case), and it's possible to have software where all that stuff is only in English, but any Turkish text you type is handled perfectly.
posted by w0mbat at 11:59 PM on April 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
Internationalization (aka I18n) is making the software able to cope with user data in a particular set of languages.
The two tasks are quite separate. For example, it's possible to write software with Turkish menus and buttons that handles Turkish text input badly (as in this case), and it's possible to have software where all that stuff is only in English, but any Turkish text you type is handled perfectly.
posted by w0mbat at 11:59 PM on April 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
This sort of thing has cropped up before, and it has always been due to … human … error.
posted by hattifattener at 1:14 AM on April 22, 2008
posted by hattifattener at 1:14 AM on April 22, 2008
Once, a couple of christmasssesss ago, my cousin sent my aunt an sms saying he'd been bad all year and so the only gift he had received was coal.
Unfortunately, T9 predictive text changed his message, so he actually told his mother that the only gift he had received was "a sack of cock."
We all laughed, but I resisted posting the story to Metafilter.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 5:18 AM on April 22, 2008 [7 favorites]
Unfortunately, T9 predictive text changed his message, so he actually told his mother that the only gift he had received was "a sack of cock."
We all laughed, but I resisted posting the story to Metafilter.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 5:18 AM on April 22, 2008 [7 favorites]
I resisted posting the story to Metafilter.
...until now!
posted by grouse at 5:39 AM on April 22, 2008
...until now!
posted by grouse at 5:39 AM on April 22, 2008
What part of
Cep mesajında Türkçe karakter yokluğu, faciaya yol açtı. Bir koca, eşine, ’sıkışınca konuyu değiştiriyorsun’ mesajı çekti. Hassas kelimedeki ’ı’lar ’i’ olarak görülünce, ortalık birbirine girdi. Aile kocayı, koca karısını bıçakladı. Kadın öldü, koca cezaevinde intihar etti. Aileden üç kişi, cinayete teşebbüsten yargılanıyor.
don't you understand?
posted by lukemeister at 6:23 AM on April 22, 2008
Cep mesajında Türkçe karakter yokluğu, faciaya yol açtı. Bir koca, eşine, ’sıkışınca konuyu değiştiriyorsun’ mesajı çekti. Hassas kelimedeki ’ı’lar ’i’ olarak görülünce, ortalık birbirine girdi. Aile kocayı, koca karısını bıçakladı. Kadın öldü, koca cezaevinde intihar etti. Aileden üç kişi, cinayete teşebbüsten yargılanıyor.
don't you understand?
posted by lukemeister at 6:23 AM on April 22, 2008
I told you I was hårdcøre.
posted by LordSludge at 8:02 AM on April 22, 2008 [4 favorites]
posted by LordSludge at 8:02 AM on April 22, 2008 [4 favorites]
A couple of years ago, a colleague was coordinating a high school mock-trial team. All the kids had e-mail access (some through the school) so a lot of the communication was done via e-mail. At some point before a big competition, the colleague sent around a pep-talk e-mail to all the kids, telling them not to worry about the more well-heeled competitors in attendance and that the kids would "knock their cocks off."
Needless to say, she was beyond embarrassed. I'm sure the kids were just laughing their heads off, though. In any event, no family members showed up to cut her up with knives.
posted by brain_drain at 8:04 AM on April 22, 2008
Needless to say, she was beyond embarrassed. I'm sure the kids were just laughing their heads off, though. In any event, no family members showed up to cut her up with knives.
posted by brain_drain at 8:04 AM on April 22, 2008
There goes my plan to use a sockpuppet on IM conversations.
posted by lukemeister at 9:59 AM on April 22, 2008
posted by lukemeister at 9:59 AM on April 22, 2008
.
posted by Grod at 10:01 AM on April 22, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by Grod at 10:01 AM on April 22, 2008 [2 favorites]
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posted by Durn Bronzefist at 10:17 PM on April 21, 2008