Change.org Anyway to Get In English?

[EBlair48]

I'm always frustrated when international sites that you know are available in English, come in Thai only, any way to stop it?

Thanks

[Pib]

It varies by site, but for the Change.org site just go to the bottom right of the home page and change to the language/area you want.

[KhunBENQ]

Yep, easy!

The default is likely derived from your operating systems regional settings (Windows?).

There is a couple of parameters that might cause the "problem".

(for me the site comes up in German [OK] while being in Thailand)

Would make sense to check that, to avoid future "surprises".

Edited July 19, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[RichCor]

(for me the site comes up in German [OK] while being in Thailand)

KhunBENQ,

I'm wondering if the site selected a language based on your browser metrics, or possibly by IP block address geo-location (and it selected German due to the use of a proxy?)

OP,

When I visit sites that return foreign languages, I try to find a language setting then look to see if it added anything to the url, if so then I bookmark that link. In this instance, 'change.org' came back as https://www.change.org/?lang=en-US and referencing that will force the language to be set to US English.

[Pib]

Not uncommon for many websites to automatically select a language based on your IP address, especially those websites geared towards multiple languages versus just English. Thailand IP address the website pulls up in Thai....U.S. IP address the website pulls up in English...etc.

[Chicog]

Or use Zenmate and select the UK or US flag.

[KhunBENQ]

change.org does NOT determine the language from the IP adress.

I am now on a French IP adress via a VPN and the site comes up in German.

In everyday usage I have a ToT IP adress, totally Thai.

So I am quite sure that this site determines the language from your Windows (OS) regional settings.

Although I tried a few and can not find the cause

Edited July 20, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[Pib]

change.org does NOT determine the language from the IP adress.

I am now on a French IP adress via a VPN and the site comes up in German.

In everyday usage I have a ToT IP adress, totally Thai.

So I am quite sure that this site determines the language from your Windows (OS) regional settings.

From playing with change.org t I think it controls the language displayed on your computer by setting a cookie it sets on you computer during your first logon to the site. I looked in my browser cookie settings to see if there was a change.org cookie set in my Chrome browser and there was.

My first logon was via a Thailand IP address, it came up in Thai, I went to the lower right hand corner and changed the language to U.S. English and it remembered it for my next logon from Thailand. I then set it back to Thai and then logged on via my U.S. IP address and it came up in Thai. I changed the language to U.S. English, logged back on via my Thailand IP address and it came up in English. My Windows settings are for English U.S. For this particular site I think it just relying on its cookie settings which remembers your logon selections which initially would be via IP address and then by whatever language setting you may make.

Change your Windows regional settings to whatever you want...I think you will find it will make little if any difference on many sites.

[KhunBENQ]

Maybe its even simpler?

What browser are you using?

In Firefox (and probably other browsers) there are settings for prefered website language.

Mine is German by default.

And by fiddling around with the settings (remove everything except US english ("en-us") the site comes up in ....

Thai !!!!

absurd...

Edited July 20, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[Pib]

Anything is possible, but my browser, Chrome is set to English (US) and the change.org still comes up in Thai if I set it's language selection to Thai, whether I logon via Thai or U.S. IP address. I think for this site, it's just its cookie setting...it first uses whatever IP address language you are logging on from and then if you change the language it then remembers that unless maybe you have your browser or firewall set to block cookies.

I have also found that if using Google Translate that Google Translate will sometimes automatically force a switch to a site's English page if the site has one assuming you have Google Translate set to automatically translate anguage XYZ to English.

[KhunBENQ]

Thats the picture (browser UI language is German, I will not change that for testing).

There is really something wrong at their website.

I tried multiple settings and never got the English version by default (only German or Thai).

Edited July 20, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[Pib]

Yeap, change.org seems to key in on IP address and/or its cookie settings versus any Windows or browser language settings.

[RichCor]

It's probably using a combination of data elements received with the request then pushes the cookie to bake it in.

http://browserspy.dk/

headers.php

geolocation.php

language.php

etc...

[EBlair48]

Wow thanks for these responses , though I only understood about 1/20 of it all. As far as resetting stuff,... um... best not to fool with that you do not know

Ok as Pib states ( and thanks ) there is pull down box on right bottom of page that is also in Thai but will give you a menu for other languages.

Wonder how many people have not signed petitions because of this.

[RichCor]

Wow thanks for these responses , though I only understood about 1/20 of it all. As far as resetting stuff,... um... best not to fool with that you do not know

As some websites are geared to an international audience they may have multi-language editions, though it can be a turn-off to users if they don't get quick content on the first page. In order to do this, webservers applications look at tell-tale indicators that came with your page request to guestimate your requirements.

Unfortunately, you're not where you're supposed to be. Your IP address is assigned to a Thai ISP (Geolocation: Thailand), your Web Browser request included an timeclock that indicates you're in Asia/Indochina, and your OS says you like English. So, Thai it is.

The OS belongs to you. You can preset them. Example Windows: Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound -> Location and Other Sensors -> Default Location [Enter a default location]

As for the IP address... that belongs to the ISP. But, when the need arises, you can chose to use WebBrowser Utilities such as Zenmate or Hola! that invoke Proxy Servers in another country that presents your WebBrowser request from an IP address as if you were in that country.

Then, too, there's always looking for a 'language' button/selection on the site.