English-only? [was Re: option de compilation pour GNAT sous linux]

[Philip Anderson <phil.anderson@gecm.com>]

Robert Dewar wrote:
> 
<snip>
> For future reference this is an english only newsgroup. If
> you want to post in French, you will find the French Ada
> newsgroup to be more useful.
<smap>

I haven't seen a charter for this group, but it would seem a surprising
restriction to impose.  There is the practical disadvantage that a post
in another language might not reach all those who would be interested,
but if someone prefers to use their native language or does not have the
confidence to write in a second language, they should not inhibited from
asking a question.

Of course it is quite reasonable to reply in English, since most people
can read English better than they can write it, but it is still good
practice to avoid English or American idioms.


A surprising number of people seem to take exception to postings in
languages other than English - though nothing like the flames that can
come to someone using English in a language-specific newsgroup or
mailing list!  Since the Internet and Usenet are multinational, with
readers and contributors from all over the world, I don't see why more
locations should not be multilingual (except language-specific locations
of course).


-- 
hwyl/cheers,
Philip Anderson
Alenia Marconi Systems
Cwmbr�n, Cymru/Wales