Writing Software for Worldwide Distribution Proves Difficult

lupa1420 writes "Insensitive computer programmers with little knowledge of geography have cost the giant Microsoft company hundreds of millions of dollars in lost business and led hapless company employees to be arrested by offended governments."

Comments

Specific Ocean?

[American AC in Paris]

From TFA:

The annual National Geographic Survey had thrown up the sad fact that only 23 out of 56 young Americans knew the whereabouts of the Pacific Ocean

Oh, cry me a river--like the Pacific Ocean is some big, important thing. I mean, you need to drive all the way to Sweden just to see it!

Re:Specific Ocean?

[Nos.]

As a Canadian, I've talked to many folks from the states over the Internet and trying to describe to them where I live is sometimes very difficult. One of the ones that I thought would work was saying I live about 80 miles north of the border between North Dakota and Montana. However, a lot of people still had no idea where I was talking about, and these are people who live in the USA!

Re:Specific Ocean?

[vida]

A worldwide survey was conducted by the UN. The only question asked was:"Would you please give your honest opinion about solutions to the food shortage in the rest of the world?"

The survey was a huge failure...

In Africa they didn't know what "food" meant

In Eastern Europe they didn't know what "honest" meant.

In Western Europe they didn't know what "shortage" meant

In China they didn't know what "opinion" meant.

In the Middle East they didn't know what "solution" meant.

In South America they didn't know what "please" meant.

And in the USA they didn't know what "the rest of the world" meant

ob simpsons

[Anonymous Coward]

"Marge, anyone could miss Canada. All tucked away down there."

Other items which caused offence

[dwalsh]

Pacific islanders objected to the label "Here be Dragons!".

Several Arab countries resented being called either "Oil" or "Just terrorists".

Several former Soviet Bloc and Warsaw Pact countries objected to the name of their countries being followed by "(or whatever they are calling themselves this week)."

Re:not exclusive

[slackerboy]

It's not like MS specifically hires programmers who have no clue where the Pacific Ocean is.

I hope not. Especially since Seattle is essentially on the Pacific Ocean.!

Re:Insular US

[Anonymous Coward]

There are over 30,000,000 functional illiterates here in the United States. 29,302,757 represents 10% of our population, rendering that a staggering figure.

Yes and one of them is your President!

Re:Insular US

[Scoria]

Yes and one of them is your President!

"To the C students, I say, 'You too can be president of the United States.'" - George W. Bush, 2001

Oh that's great!

[Pandion]

A game called Age of Empires 2 offended the Saudi Arabian authorities because it showed victorious Muslim armies turning churches into mosques. The game was withdrawn from sale in the kingdom

*cough*hagia sophia*cough*

And what about slashdot?

[hsoft]

Here in Canada, we consider this color as "puke yellow", not "IT color". What a geographical mistake!

I will not stop until the color changes!

Re:Of course not!

[Anonymous Coward]

Or how about the Toyota MR2. The french read that as Emm Er deux, which sounds a bit like merde, which is french for a word that probably won't get past slashdot's naughty words filter.

Holy shit, when did slashdot add a fucking naughty word filter?

Re:The whole idea is crazy

[ChrisGuest]

A few years ago I met a seemingly worldly American in Australia (while the country was engaged in constitutional debate over getting rid of a foreign monarchy). He eanestly asked me, "Do you think Democracy would work here?"