Re: D-I Arabic and Debian Installation

[Christian Perrier <bubulle at debian dot org>]

Quoting Kenshi Muto (kmuto at debian dot org):

> > About the broken display in console mode, Kenshi, what is your advice
> > as you're concerned with Japanese, too?
> 
> Yes, Linux console couldn't display Japanese characters also.
> 
> People who wants display Japanese on console uses jfbterm (framebuffer
> m17n terminal, d-i 2nd stage uses) or kon (VGA Japanese
> terminal). This is 'common sense' or 'FAQ' for Japanese users, but of
> course it's just 'runaround' :-)
> 
> I received some complaints about applying LANG=ja_JP.EUC-JP for
> console, but I think it is 'trade off'. Users can avoid bothersome language
> configuration for X Window System desktop or remote login. I don't
> want to take 'drop LANG from default setting'.

I understand as this would be a very bad trade off.

Unless we can drop LANG for root only (who, in these modern days, is
the most likely user to do useful stuff at the console).

For Arabic, though, we have, as I mentioned, the problem of a broken X
display because of missing fonts...which raises the need for an
"arabic" task (#282493).

> 
> It is best to give ability of handle/display m17n to Linux, but maybe
> it's 'non-sense'.


Indeed, I'm dreaming of a localized Linux kernel. After all, other OS
really display their boot messages in the local language, so why not
Linux?

And of course, a Linux console being able to display non Latin
languages, at least in framebuffered environments.