Cannot Change locale

[XargonWan]

Your system information

• Steam client version: 1656536422
• SteamOS version: SteamOS 3.2
• Opted into Steam client beta?: [No]
• Opted into SteamOS beta?: [No]
• Have you checked for updates in Settings > System?: [Yes]

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

Whenever I try to autocomplete a command on the terminal I got: bash: warning: setlocale: LC_CTYPE: cannot change locale (it_IT.UTF-8)

Steps for reproducing this issue:

1. Set Italian language
2. Open terminal
3. Try to autocomplete some commands with TAB key like flatpak install[TAB]

[kisak-valve]

Hello @XargonWan, some of the discussion on #794 is relevant here. In particular, Whether the OS should support running the desktop with any arbitrary locale and language. Here there are more considerations, one of them (not the only one) is that we would need all translation files for all packages, in my computer that's more than half a GB worth of files in the root filesystem. from https://github.com/ValveSoftware/SteamOS/issues/794#issuecomment-1152552277.

[XargonWan]

Hello @XargonWan, some of the discussion on #794 is relevant here. In particular, Whether the OS should support running the desktop with any arbitrary locale and language. Here there are more considerations, one of them (not the only one) is that we would need all translation files for all packages, in my computer that's more than half a GB worth of files in the root filesystem. from #794 (comment).

Well imho only english is good, but this is my idea. However that message it's annoying and maybe every locale should fall back to english then?

[syberphunk]

@kisak-valve "Whether the OS should support running the desktop with any arbitrary locale and language. Here there are more considerations, one of them (not the only one) is that we would need all translation files for all packages, in my computer that's more than half a GB worth of files in the root filesystem."

I'd be willing to make that sacrifice. Especially to be able to have en_GB and have my symbols in the correct location in relation to my keyboard. It should at least be an option. For most this is a matter of accessibility, not simply convenience.

[NightHammer1000]

Hello @XargonWan, some of the discussion on #794 is relevant here. In particular, Whether the OS should support running the desktop with any arbitrary locale and language. Here there are more considerations, one of them (not the only one) is that we would need all translation files for all packages, in my computer that's more than half a GB worth of files in the root filesystem. from #794 (comment).

If i want to spend those 500 MB with language files to use a not so arbitrary part of my Device should be up to me and not to the Company making the Device. Especially if these Files already exist and its only a question of Downloading and Building them.

[mercuriete]

I think that even though 500MiB of files is a huge amount, if you go to steam survey if you add chinese and spanish, there are more people than english speakers. Why not chinese or spanish as default? As a bilingual spaniard I don't really care, just pointing out if you sum all other languages is 70% of steam user base.

Thanks for your nice effort. I really like the Deck and the community, keep going :)

[germanicianus]

@kisak-valve, I completely agree with @syberphunk, @NightHammer1000 and @mercuriete.

In fact the decision to support not only English but all available desktop/system languages must be left to Valve's product management and sales department - not engineering trying to save storage space. The reason is that Valve reduces their revenue because they effectively cut off all non-English children below the age of about 12 and people not speaking English from using the Desktop Mode. Supporting the required languages of these children/people is mandatory to make the Steam Deck the main device/computer of them. Think of the Steam Deck to be a portable gaming AND learning/school device. Keep also in mind that many people can't afford multiple devices, so they will choose the device which brings the most value for them - and gaming is last for people who must earn a living.

I've hooked up my Steam Deck to a 75 inch 4K tv set to 1920x1080 and use it with a 2,4 GHz wireless keyboard/mouse combo sitting on my sofa - all text in Desktop Mode perfectly legible in a few meters distance.

[bertogg]

I understand that this is a duplicate of https://github.com/ValveSoftware/SteamOS/issues/794 and can be closed.

See here for the current status: https://github.com/ValveSoftware/SteamOS/issues/794#issuecomment-1572493540

[kisak-valve]

Closing per the last comment.