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Change "Howdy, Stranger!" to something more professional (i.e. more boring).

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Answers

  • vrijvlindervrijvlinder Papillon-Sauvage MVP

    To me it inspires mental images of cowpokes and farmers. It really is short for How do you do. Or How ye do. howdy
    1837, earlier how de (1828), first recorded in Southern U.S. dialect, contraction of how do you do (1630s), phrase inquiring after someone's health; earlier how do ye (1560s).

  • @apbarratt said:
    Perhaps we should work to add to the next version, an option to have two types of vanilla, Classic Vanilla and Vanilla Professional. Which simply comes up as an option during setup and on the dashboard and just chooses the messages that apear accross the site.

    For some localizations, this is the norm. For example, German (Formal) and German (Informal) for different ways of communicating with the user.

    Resolving these sorts of differences within one single locale is not possible, as proponents and opponents of causal and formal style will never agree.

    So I guess it is time to move forward by releasing an English (Professional) locale.

  • @Anonymoose said:I thought the developers are from Canada? Maybe it is used there too.

    It's certainly not used in Swansea, South Wales. Changed mine straight away... the option to customise it from the dashboard would be great.

  • vrijvlindervrijvlinder Papillon-Sauvage MVP

    Or maybe for some people, they might want it to say "Yo mofo, register yo ass!"
    or "God wants your registration for salvation"
    It would be nice to have that as a dashboard option, but once you figure how to change it manually it would become redundant .

    some of this can be affected by theme, I guess everyone has a different setup. I know one thing ,I would be lost without this support community...

  • There is a CustomizeText plugin in GitHub repository. Install it and change any system message you want.

  • It's professional in Texas.

  • @PolishKaragiozis said:
    There is a CustomizeText plugin in GitHub repository. Install it and change any system message you want.

    I thought that was what locales were for?

  • KasperKasper Scholar of the Bits Copenhagen Vanilla Staff

    I guess a lot of people just prefer a GUI :-)

    Kasper Kronborg Isager (kasperisager) | Freelance Developer @Vanilla | Hit me up: Google Mail or Vanilla Mail | Find me on GitHub

  • LincLinc Detroit Admin
    edited November 2012

    @Anonymoose said:

    Given that even the developers admit that this is one of the most common questions asked, wouldn't it be reasonable to make a change to using more neutral language in the default locale?

    It would be reasonable, but then it wouldn't be Vanilla. If you don't like the tone of "Howdy, Stranger!" and "Bonk!" you're just gonna get driven nuts by the default first discussion I added for 2.1. Vanilla has a voice and I practice it in my head before writing content for it. :) I will, however, be adding some tools to change a few phrases easier.

  • LincLinc Detroit Admin
    edited November 2012

    We actually did make a concession by removing the old error text that read "Something funky happened ..." on the bonk page because that page is more difficult to change. For my sites, I actually extended that error message to say "un-freakin' believable!" and more. :D

  • AnonymooseAnonymoose ✭✭
    edited November 2012

    There's something to be said for having non-programmers write the interface language in plain language in consideration of internationalization efforts.

    • Avoiding slang, idiomatic expressions, clichés and colloquialisms is good practice for any project that is going to be translated.

    I understand the intent to be hip and all, but unfortunately, I've already seen some really questionable translations in a few localizations for Vanilla that came about because of this approach.

  • Howdy Strangers,

    "Howdy Stranger!" is the branding that the developers decided upon. It's easy enough to change definitions. Seems like alot of talk spent on something so easy for the forum owner to change.

    I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

  • LincLinc Detroit Admin

    @Anonymoose said:
    I've already seen some really questionable translations in a few localizations for Vanilla that came about because of this approach.

    The translations are available on Transifex for improvement.

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