I have discovered the answer: Spreading German

Aha! I knew there would be a simple answer to the German problem. At least, I was hoping there would be, because eventually I'm going to need to have my system messages converted into English again.

Turns out that, when you use the Regional Language settings to add the keyboard sets for other languages, you have to remember to reset the language settings to English in that particular menu. If you don't, it assumes you want the default language settings for the computer to be in whatever you last selected.

IE and Firefox don't seem to care about what the computer's language preferences are set to, but Chrome pays closer attention. And, while Microsoft Office programs don't change their menus to match the system settings, they do change their automated content such as dates and number configurations.

This is why I noticed Chrome going all-out German before I picked up on the fact that it was more of a system-wide thing.

I have now fixed the computer at the reference desk, but I'm going to leave my own computer in German for the time being. I'm coping reasonably well at present, and it's always good to spend some quality time in the language environment of your target language.

Maybe I'll switch it into Estonian for next week...

Here's a picture of a marmoset:



No reason.