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ZacOS 9 contributors edited this page Nov 5, 2026 · 1 revision

Languages and translations

ZacOS 9 uses gettext catalogs and translated help books. Untranslated strings fall back to English one string at a time, so a partial language is still usable.

Current languages

Language Interface Help book Notes
English source language English Canadian and UK English are selectable locales
Italian complete complete native review welcome
Russian complete complete native review welcome
Spanish complete complete native review welcome
Brazilian Portuguese complete complete installed as pt
French (Canada) complete complete separate fr_CA catalog
French (France) complete complete separate fr_FR catalog
Arabic complete complete shaped, right-to-left text; windows are not mirrored
Japanese display pilot not yet input method support is not finished

Changing language

  • During installation: choose the language on the Installer's first screen.
  • After installation: open Control Panels ▸ Text, choose a language, then log out and back in. Programs opened after the next login use it.
  • The login window follows the system-wide locale in /etc/default/locale, not the per-user choice.

Arabic text is shaped with HarfBuzz and ordered with FriBidi. Lists, panel labels and alerts right-align Arabic text; the rest of the Platinum window layout is not mirrored yet.

Help translate

The catalogs are ordinary .po files under po/. The rules, glossary and length guidance are in docs/i18n.md.

To start a language:

  1. Add its code to po/LINGUAS.
  2. Create po/<lang>.po from po/zacos9.pot.
  3. Translate, keeping %1, %s, newlines and product names intact.
  4. Run msgfmt --check --statistics -o /dev/null po/<lang>.po.
  5. Translate the 20 help pages under share/zacos9/help/<lang>/.

The installer's Language screen also points here. A native speaker should review a catalog before it is advertised as complete.

Report a language problem

Use the Language or translation problem issue template. Include the language, the window or help page, the English text, the current translation and the ZacOS version. Screenshots help with clipping, right-to-left layout and glyphs that the bitmap fonts do not cover.

Never post Apple ROMs, Mac OS installers or Apple artwork.

ZacOS 9 is free software under the GPL-3.0. It ships no Apple code, fonts, icons, sounds or system software. Never upload Apple ROMs, Mac OS installers or Apple artwork.

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