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Google searches returned in German - why?

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kes

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Aug 28, 2008, 4:41:08 AM8/28/08
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Whenever I do a Google search (using the default FF 3.0.1 search box)
the results come back in German.

I live in Luxembourg, so 'google.lu' must be some default. However
everything on my PC is set to English, including the reset of the
language on the Google search page to Englisch (sic) over and over again.

Google (or Firefox) never appears to remember that I do not wish to have
search results returned in German. My cookies are enabled ('retain
till expiration date') but resetting this appears not to have any
lasting effect.

Any pointers?

Danke ('thanks' in .de)

Yeebok Shu'in

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Aug 28, 2008, 6:07:11 AM8/28/08
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My google home page is :
http://www.google.com.au/firefox?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official

Perhaps my GB is a DE or similar on yours.

It looks like there's an option in the preferences on that page, or
perhaps it's governed by the URL.

Message has been deleted

Ron K.

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Aug 28, 2008, 8:31:28 AM8/28/08
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kes keyboarded, On 8/28/2008 4:41 AM :

Use about:config and filter on "locale" to get a short list including this:
general.useragent.locale
Right click to select modify and input en-en for generic english or en-us
if you prefer American.

Also review the Options > Advanced > General Tab Languages settings. If you
do not have en-en listed, add it. If it is not the top item in the list,
move it up. If I understand correctly, these selections are used by the
browser to signal servers which languages the visitor can read and understand.

--
Ron K.
Who is General Failure, and why is he searching my HDD?
Kernel Restore reported Major Error used BSOD to msg the enemy!

kes

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Aug 28, 2008, 9:58:36 AM8/28/08
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Ron K. wrote:
> kes keyboarded, On 8/28/2008 4:41 AM :
>> Whenever I do a Google search (using the default FF 3.0.1 search box)
>> the results come back in German.
>>
>> I live in Luxembourg, so 'google.lu' must be some default. However
>> everything on my PC is set to English, including the reset of the
>> language on the Google search page to Englisch (sic) over and over
>> again.
>>
>> Google (or Firefox) never appears to remember that I do not wish to
>> have search results returned in German. My cookies are enabled
>> ('retain till expiration date') but resetting this appears not to have
>> any lasting effect.
>>
>> Any pointers?
>>
>> Danke ('thanks' in .de)
>
> Use about:config and filter on "locale" to get a short list including this:
> general.useragent.locale
> Right click to select modify and input en-en for generic english or
> en-us if you prefer American.

This was already en-en (left unchanged)

>
> Also review the Options > Advanced > General Tab Languages settings.

Err, I do not have 'Languages' under Options > Advanced > General in FF
3.0.1

thanks

kes

unread,
Aug 28, 2008, 10:00:49 AM8/28/08
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squaredancer wrote:
> On 28.08.2008 10:41, CET - what odd quirk of fate caused kes to
> generate the following:? :
> in the URL field, type about:config hit enter
> type browser.search.defaulturl
>
> DOUBLE CLICK the entry - you will get a little box pop up
>
> copy and paste this into the entry field (to replace what is there)
> http://www.google.com/search?lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=
>
> close the window
>
> that should get you to the english version of Google.
>

Thanks reg, but the value of browser.search.defaulturl is already

http://www.google.com/search?lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q= (left unchanged)

Fox on the run

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Aug 28, 2008, 10:25:55 AM8/28/08
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Are you going through a proxy server or using an anonymizing service?
Google looks at your IP to determine your likely geographical origins
and then serves up the page in that language. So if you were going
through a proxy in Germany, or using an anonymizer that uses servers
in Germany then you will appear to come from Germany.

Navigate to http://www.ipligence.com/geolocation/ and see what
location it detects you as coming from.

JB

Gus Richter

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Aug 28, 2008, 10:28:07 AM8/28/08
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Windows XP:
Control Panel/Internet Options/General Tab/Languages

--
Gus
Bitte ('welcome' in .de)

kes

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Aug 28, 2008, 10:49:26 AM8/28/08
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Hi Fox-o-t-run
The site correctly detects that I am coming from Luxembourg. By the way,
the default language for Lux is German (not French). No, I am not using
a proxy or any anonymiser.

kes

unread,
Aug 28, 2008, 10:52:07 AM8/28/08
to

en-GB (left unchanged)

kes

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Aug 28, 2008, 10:54:45 AM8/28/08
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-----


Gus
Bitte ('welcome' in .de)

-----

:-)

Fox on the run

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Aug 28, 2008, 10:58:49 AM8/28/08
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Right idea, wrong option (yours is for IE I believe). Rather from
within Firefox to go Tools, Options. Then select the Content tab and
at the bottom for Language click on Choose. Make sure you don't have
German listed there. Any site using Unicode I would think would yield
a web page in the language you have selected in that option. When I
tested it, it did indeed serve up Google.com in the language I had
selected in that option (never knew that before - always learning).
But I was unsuccessful in finding other sites that did the same (only
tried a few in the meantime).

JB

Gus Richter

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Aug 28, 2008, 12:39:44 PM8/28/08
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Fox on the run wrote:

You're absolutely right. Both popups look about the same. My bad.

--
Gus

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