roy@phri.UUCP (Roy Smith) (02/03/86)
Becoming more and more popular are Automatic Teller Machines (ATM). These clever gizmos allow you to stick a credit-card into a slot and get cash 24 hours a day. You walk through a few menus, enter an authentication code and the machine spits money at you and debits your bank account. Of course, you can do other types of transactions as well. Here in New York, the first question the Citibank ATM's ask you is "What language should we speak?" In my neighborhood, the alternatives are English and Espanol. I would imagine other branches might have other choices. Two observations. First is the anthromorphism of a machine saying "we speak". Second is that it does just fine without national character sets. The "Espanol" version doesn't have any accents (or a tilde) and this doesn't seem to cause any confusion. I have no idea what the ATM's in chinatown do. Granted, Spanish and English use character sets which are 95% the same. I would guess, however, that most European languages would do OK without an extended character set. I'm not saying it wouldn't be ugly, or that it wouldn't look funny, or that this would be acceptable for business letters. I'm just saying that the meaning would be clear. For an ATM, that's probably good enough. -- Roy Smith <allegra!phri!roy> System Administrator, Public Health Research Institute 455 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016
ray@othervax.UUCP (Raymond D. Dunn) (02/05/86)
In article <2178@phri.UUCP> roy@phri.UUCP (Roy Smith) writes: > > Here in New York, the first question the Citibank ATM's ask you is >"What language should we speak?" In my neighborhood, the alternatives are >English and Espanol. I would imagine other branches might have other >choices. > Here in Montreal, the Bank of Commerce ATM's automatically select your preferred language (English or French) when the credit card is inserted. I was quite impressed when I discovered this, not having given the English only prompts much thought in this illegal-in-English-only province, until I happened to see someone in front of me getting their prompts in French. Other banks ATM's I have noticed have bi-lingual prompts (no, not Franglais, but a multi-line led display with simultaneous French and English). The banks, as do other institutions and businesses, have your preferred language on file, because unless you specifically request otherwise, they must communicate with you in French. Ray Dunn. ..philabs!micomvax!othervax!ray
steven@boring.uucp (Steven Pemberton) (02/07/86)
> phrom roje@phrj.VVCP Mon pheb 3 18:17:37 1986 > Artjcle 208 oph net.jnternat: > > Becomjng more and more popvlar are Avtomatjc Teller Machjnes (ATM). These > clever gjzmos allovv jeov to stjcc a credjt-card jnto a slot and get cash 24 > hovrs a daje. JEov vvalc throvgh a phevv menvs, enter an avthentjcatjon > code and the machjne spjts moneje at jeov and debjts jeovr banc accovnt. > Oph covrse, jeov can do other tjepes oph transactjons as vvell. > > Here jn Nevv JEorc, the phjrst qvestjon the Cjtjbanc ATM's asc jeov js > "VVhat langvage shovld vve speac?" Jn mje nejghborhood, the alternatjves > are Engljsh and Espanol. J vvovld jmagjne other branches mjght have other > chojces. > > Tvvo observatjons. phjrst js the anthromorphjsm oph a machjne sajejng "vve > speac". Second js that jt does jvst phjne vvjthovt natjonal character sets. > The "Espanol" versjon doesn't have anje accents (or a tjlde) and thjs > doesn't seem to cavse anje conphvsjon. J have no jdea vvhat the ATM's jn > chjnatovvn do. > > Granted, Spanjsh and Engljsh vse character sets vvhjch are 95% the same. J > vvovld gvess, hovvever, that most Evropean langvages vvovld do Oc vvjthovt > an extended character set. J'm not sajejng jt vvovldn't be vglje, or that > jt vvovldn't looc phvnnje, or that thjs vvovld be acceptable phor bvsjness > letters. J'm jvst sajejng that the meanjng vvovld be clear. phor an ATM, > that's probablje good enovgh. > > -- > Roje Smjth <allegra!phrj!roje> > Sjestem Admjnjstrator, Pvbljc Health Research Jnstjtvte > 455 phjrst Avenve, Nevv JEorc, NJE 10016