Operating systems

Windows

Windows is, at least at the moment, the most commonly used operating system on computers. And since Windows 8 (and 8.1) came out, it is now also available in Gaelic. It’s fortunately really easy to install and if you already have Windows 8, it won’t cost anything extra.

So, how to? Go to Options » Control Panel » Add Language » Scottish Gaelic » Download and install language pack:

Windows

Follow the instructions on screen. We certainly can’t say that about everything Microsoft does but this is, for a change, as easy as falling off a bike.

This will give you the following in Gaelic:

  • most of Windows
  • Bing Apps (Weather, Finance, Sports, Maps, Travel and so on)
  • Internet Explorer
  • Paint
  • and a few other little things

This just works in Windows 8, not any of the older systems. Oh, one more thing. Even though the pack comes with a “special” Gaelic keyboard layout, it’s seriously unwieldy so after installing the pack, we recommend you set it up with the English United Kingdom Extended keyboard layout.

Windows versions before Windows 8

There was at one point something called a CLIP (Captions Language Interface Pack) for Office and Windows 7/Vista that would show you the Gaelic for interface strings in little bubbles over the English (i.e. as tooltip text). As if that wasn’t bad enough, philosophically, there were also problems with typos and terminology consistency so we really wouldn’t recommend it.

Windows CLIP

But if you really want to try it, you can get it here. In fairness it needs to be pointed out that Microsoft first does a CLIP for any language these days, not just Gaelic. It’s kind of the first step to a proper language pack but clearly aimed at markets where people are not fluent in English to begin with.

2 thoughts on “Windows

  • Chuir mi am paca chànain air a’ chomputair agam as deaghaidh dhomh Windows 10 fhaighinn is nach eagallach fhéin math a bha e (ged nach eil e a’ cleachdach litrigreadh traidiseanta :P)
    ach nuair a fhuair mi an t-ùrachadh as ùire (seachdan no dhà ‘s a chaidh) thill a h-uile rud gu Beurla a-rithist! An do thachair seo dha dhuine sam bith eile? Am b’ urrainn dhuibh mo chuideachadh?

    Reply
    • A Dhòmhnaill chòir,
      An e àrdachadh o Windows 8 a rinn thu? Ma rinn, bidh agad ris a’ phacaid chànain a stàladh às ùr, tha mi duilich – ach ‘s ann mar sin a tha e dhan a h-uile cànan an-diugh.
      Toilichte a chluinntinn gu bheil e a’ còrdadh riut! Duilich mun litreachadh, b’ fhearr leam mur an robh sin a’ leantainn GOC cho dlùth ach thòisich buidheann eile air an eadar-theangachadh an toiseach agus nuair a b’ fheudar dhomh a chur ceart, bha uiread dhe cearr ‘s nach b’ urrainn dhomh *gach* rud atharrachadh ann. Air a’ char as lugha, chan eil sgeul air na faclan fuadain ud, dod/ded/bhod/etc agus cuid a mhearachdan eile ann an GOC!

      Reply

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