Why it’s usually better to install software in its original language

Every user with strong language skills—especially translators—faces a dilemma when installing software: install it in Spanish or in the original language? For casual use, it hardly matters; for a professional, the right choice can mean hours saved.

Advantage of installing the program in your native language
The benefit of reading in your native language is obvious. In principle, it’s easier to understand how the software works. This depends on the user’s language skills and the quality of the translation. Conversely, when using specialised software in a foreign language, you’ll likely run into unfamiliar terms. For example, a Spanish speaker using Skype might not immediately grasp the meaning of the option “IM.” The Spanish version—although it uses the Anglicism “chat”—is more intelligible (“IM” stands for instant message).

Advantages of installing the program in the original language (usually English)

The original interface is generally written by the developers, who are more likely to choose the exact term each time. If the company hasn’t hired the right person for the translation, the result may be inaccurate or hard to understand.
The main advantage is that there is usually far more documentation in the original language. Searching for tutorials, troubleshooting procedures, etc., is much easier in the original. A trivial example: while using Studio 2011, I once searched for information on a feature called “Download specific version” in Spanish (“Descargar versión específica”) and found nothing on Google; switching to the English name returned what I needed in seconds.

After countless searches over the years, I’m convinced that, as a general rule, translators are better off installing programs in English (or the original language) in which they were written.