Changing the Language on Microsoft Products

[Ciapolin]

As our pc is on it's last legs and about to die any day now, we need to get a new one. Unfortunately because of copywrite rules (aparently) we can't have a UK one delivered to Italy.

This means buying a pc here, which of course means all the software will be in Italian. For ease of use, we would rather have it in English - does anyone know if it is possible to change the language on windows, office etc?

[Linda Freese]

I live in Spain and had to replace my pc recently. I didn´t have a problem with the language as my new pc had the software installed in English. Have you checked in the shop to see if they do this? Otherwise, I´m sure you can just buy the software directly from the company online and select your language accordingly.

Good luck!

[Alan Knighting]

Carole-Anne,

I think you will find that the software normally supplied in Italy will be the Italian language version. The "choose your language" option in many of the Microsoft programs is of very limited value. You may find that the menus and dialogs can be changed to English but the dictionaries, the thesaurus, etc. will remain in Italian.

You can always buy and install English language versions of the software but you will have to pay full price. The problem is not one of copyright, it is the extremely low price that Microsoft charges OEMs who buy in bulk. Much better to seek out a supplier in Italy who will supply a PC with English language versions of the software already installed. Take care they are certified original legal versions not pirate copies and insist you get the distribution CD's.

In my area of France I have a number of specialist IT suppliers who will, and do, supply software in whatever language the customer requests, providing it exists in the first place.

Failing all else, buy your new PC in the UK and take it to Italy yourself. This applies to all the add-ins for communications (e.g. modems, wireless routers, etc.) You might have to change the plugs, you might have to add a filter, but they all work to the same international standards.

Regards

Alan

Regards

Alan

[Alan Knighting]

Carole-Anne,

I think you will find that the software normally supplied in Italy will be the Italian language version. The "choose your language" option in many of the Microsoft programs is of very limited value. You may find that the menus and dialogs can be changed to English but the dictionaries, the thesaurus, etc. will remain in Italian.

You can always buy and install English language versions of the software but you will have to pay full price. The problem is not one of copyright, it is the extremely low price that Microsoft charges OEMs who buy in bulk. Much better to seek out a supplier in Italy who will supply a PC with English language versions of the software already installed. Take care they are certified original legal versions not pirate copies and insist you get the distribution CD's.

In my area of France I have a number of specialist IT suppliers who will, and do, supply software in whatever language the customer requests, providing it exists in the first place.

Failing all else, buy your new PC in the UK and take it to Italy yourself. This applies to all the add-ins for communications (e.g. modems, wireless routers, etc.) You might have to change the plugs, you might have to add a filter but they all work to the same international standards.

Regards

Alan

[centime]

Living in Lisbon, Portugal and on my 4th computer from the local big computer store here close to our building I have always had the software installed in English, Carole-Anne. I agree with Linda you should be able to have it done for you in Italy, so shop around. I did have an experience with buying a laptop in the UK, as it seems the deals, especially on the included software, are much better that on the continent, God what a bitch when it went wrong, my husband had to cart it over to London when it needed a new operating system because of the failure of the DVD player – it is now on its 2nd one but I still would not use it with confidence, so I would stick with trying to get that operating system in English, you can always buy another and install it over the existing one if all else fails but it is usually the company who sell you the hardware initially who will be responsible if Window goes wrong, not Microsoft! Bill Gates has you every way unfortunately – pay pay pay!

[Ciapolin]

Thanks everyone. Large pc outlets don't seem to have reached our part of Italy yet, so I think my only option will be to buy in the UK and ship it back.