Cortana是微软(Microsoft)近年来开发的最好的服务之一。好用，好玩，个性好，但也有一个很大的缺陷：只在少数国家和地区开放，让很多喜欢用的人无法使用。我认为缓慢发布Cortana本地化版本的策略在很多方面都伤害了微软(Microsoft)，他们应该发布Cortana的(Cortana)国际英文版(International English version)，这样世界上任何掌握良好英语(English)的人都可以使用它。以下是我认为微软(Microsoft)应该这样做的五个原因：
Cortana 在哪里可用？
在撰写本文时，Cortana仅适用于 11 个国家/地区：澳大利亚(Australia)、加拿大(Canada)、中国(China)、法国(France)、德国(Germany)、印度(India)、意大利(Italy)、日本(Japan)、西班牙(Spain)、英国和美国(United Kingdom and United States)。
如果您居住在另一个国家/地区，为了使用Cortana，您必须经历很多麻烦，例如将您的区域和显示语言更改为获得(region and display language)Microsoft官方支持以启用和使用Cortana的组合。本指南详细介绍了所涉及的步骤：如何让Cortana在任何国家(Country)工作，即使没有官方支持(Support)。
原因 1(Reason 1)。微软(Microsoft)应该奖励在移动领域表现良好的市场的用户
如果你看看微软(Microsoft)在移动领域的市场份额，在(market share) 美国(USA)（1.6%）、中国(China)（1.2%）或日本(Japan)（0%）等重要市场，它是如此之小，以至于它并不重要。不幸的是，Cortana最初是在微软(Microsoft)在移动领域微不足道的几个国家推出的。
微软(Microsoft)似乎在其他市场上使用Windows Phone 和 Windows(Windows Phone and Windows) 10 Mobile做得很好，例如：意大利(Italy)、德国(Germany)、波兰(Poland)、罗马尼亚(Romania)、巴西(Brazil)、希腊(Greece)、墨西哥或乌克兰(Mexico or Ukraine)。
不幸的是，微软在(Microsoft)Windows Phone 和 Windows(Windows Phone and Windows) 10 Mobile方面表现良好的许多市场都没有可用的Cortana。如果这些国家/地区的人们通过购买装有Windows的移动设备表现出对(Windows)Microsoft设备和服务的兴趣，那么Microsoft为什么不通过提供对公司必须提供的所有有趣功能（例如Cortana ）的访问权来奖励他们呢？如果某些市场比其他市场更愿意购买您的移动平台，那么您为什么不通过提供他们应得的支持来奖励他们呢？
原因 2(Reason 2)。增加Windows Phone和Windows(Windows Phone and Windows) 10 Mobile的价值(Mobile)
通过使Cortana仅适用于少数地区和语言，您将在全球范围内降低Windows Phone 和 Windows(Windows Phone and Windows) 10移动版(Mobile)的价值。如果Cortana不能被很多国家的人使用，那么它是一个很棒的个人助理也没关系。如果移动平台最有趣的功能之一仅适用于少数市场，您如何成功销售您的移动平台？您必须做一些事情来增加您的移动平台的价值。一种方法是在所有市场中提供所有突出的功能，例如Cortana，而不仅仅是少数。
原因 3(Reason 3)。许多人都懂英语并且可以与Cortana互动，即使他们不是以英语为母语的人
我不能说这对所有国家都有效，但在我的国家，罗马尼亚(Romania)，大多数拥有大学学位(University degree)的人都非常懂英语，他们可以使用(English)Cortana，如果国际版(International version)有英文(English)版本的话。就个人(Personally)而言，我在所有计算机和小工具上都使用英语作为主要(English)显示语言(display language)。罗马尼亚科技界(Romania)的许多人也这样(tech scene)做。而且我们人口众多。
拥有Cortana肯定会提高我们的工作效率。就个人(Personally)而言，我不喜欢在设置我的小工具时对我所在的地区撒谎，以便我可以使用Cortana。而说到这个...
原因 4(Reason 4)。你会激起用户的怨恨
微软，你有没有看过(Microsoft)可以使用 Google Now(countries where you can use Google Now)的国家名单有多大？在撰写本文时，它包括 79 个国家/地区。那么Siri呢？Apple已在 30 个国家/地区为 Siri提供支持。(support for Siri)您仅在 11 个国家/地区提供Cortana 。
为什么Cortana仅限于少数国家和语言？为什么你们在微软(Microsoft)在移动领域几乎不存在的国家推出了它，而在你拥有良好市场份额(market share)的国家却没有？
你可能没有意识到这一点，但你正在激起那些作为你最大支持者的用户的怨恨。居住在波兰(Poland)、罗马尼亚(Romania)、巴西(Brazil)、希腊(Greece)、墨西哥或乌克兰(Mexico or Ukraine)等国家的人。
原因 5(Reason 5)。微软(Microsoft)将更容易开发Cortana的本地化版本
让我们假设微软(Microsoft)确实发布了可供世界上任何人使用的国际英文版(International English version)Cortana 。然后，微软(Microsoft)希望开发未来本地化版本但尚未开始的国家/地区将采用Cortana 。在开发过程中，他们已经收集了大量有关Cortana在这些国家/地区如何使用的数据，从而更容易开发本地化版本。您将了解所有国家/地区的用户如何使用Cortana。您接下来要做(All)的就是按照自己的节奏提供对本地语言的支持。听起来比你目前的策略更好，不是吗？
你怎么看？
你用过Cortana吗？你喜欢使用它吗？你如何看待微软(Microsoft)关于Cortana的战略？当我说微软(Microsoft)应该发布Cortana的(Cortana)国际英文版(International English version)时，你同意我的看法吗？我真的很想听听您的意见，并就这个问题与您进行建设性的对话。
5 Reasons why Microsoft should release an International English version of Cortana
Cortana is оne of the best services Microsoft has developed in recent years. It'ѕ useful, it's funny, it has a grеat personality but it also has one major flaw: it is аvailable only for a small number of countries and regions, making it υnavailable to a very large number of people who would love to use it. I believe that the strategy of slowly releasing locаlized vеrsions of Cortana is hurting Microsoft in many ways and that they should releaѕe an International English version of Cortana, so that it can be used by anyone in the world who has a decent command of Englіsh. Herе are five reasons why I believe that Microsoft shoυld do that:
Where is Cortana available?
At the time of writing this article, Cortana is available only for 11 countries: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom and United States.
If you live in another country, in order to use Cortana, you have to go through many hoops , like changing your region and display language to a combination that has official support from Microsoft for enabling and using Cortana. The steps involved are detailed in this guide: How To Get Cortana To Work In Any Country, Even If There's No Official Support.
Reason 1. Microsoft should reward users from markets where it is doing well in the mobile space
If you look at the market share Microsoft has in the mobile space, in important markets like the USA (1.6%), China (1.2%) or Japan (0%), it's so small that it doesn't truly matter. Unfortunately, Cortana was first made available in several countries where Microsoft is insignificant in the mobile space.
It appears that Microsoft is doing well with Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile in other markets, like: Italy, Germany, Poland, Romania, Brazil, Greece, Mexico or Ukraine.
Unfortunately, many of the markets where Microsoft is doing well with Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile, don't have Cortana available. If people in these countries have demonstrated their interest in Microsoft devices and services, by purchasing mobile devices with Windows, why doesn't Microsoft reward them by offering access to all the interesting features that the company has to offer, like Cortana? If certain markets are buying your mobile platform more than others, why don't you reward them by providing the support they deserve?
Reason 2. Increase the value of Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile
By keeping Cortana available only to a small number of regions and languages, you are decreasing the value for Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile on a global level. It doesn't matter that Cortana is a great personal assistant, if it can't be used by people in a large number of countries. How can you be successful in selling your mobile platform if one of its most interesting features is available only to a small number of markets? You must do something to increase the value of your mobile platform. One way to do so is to offer all your stand-out features, like Cortana, in all markets, not just a few.
Reason 3. Many people know English and can interact with Cortana even if they are not native English speakers
I can't say this is valid for all countries but in my country, Romania, most people with a University degree know English quite well and they can use Cortana, if an International version would be made available in English. Personally, I use English on all of my computers and gadgets as the main display language. Many people in the Romanian tech scene do the same. And we are quite a large population.
Having Cortana available would definitely increase our productivity. Personally, I do not enjoy having to lie about my region when setting up my gadgets, just so that I can use Cortana. And speaking of this...
Reason 4. You foster resentment in your users
Microsoft, have you looked at how large is the list of countries where you can use Google Now ? It includes 79 countries a t the time this article is being written . And what about Siri? Apple has provided support for Siri in 30 countries. You offer Cortana only in 11 countries.
Why is Cortana limited to such a small number of countries and languages? Why have you made it available in countries where Microsoft barely exists in the mobile space and you haven't in countries where you have a good market share?
You may not realize this but you are fostering resentment exactly in those users who are your biggest supporters. People that live in countries like Poland, Romania, Brazil, Greece, Mexico or Ukraine.
Reason 5. It will be easier for Microsoft to develop localized versions of Cortana
Let's assume that Microsoft does release an International English version of Cortana that can be used by anyone in the world. Cortana will then be adopted in countries where Microsoft wants to develop future localized versions but they haven't started yet. While development is ongoing, they will already have gathered lots of data about how Cortana is used in those countries, making it easier to develop localized versions. You will know how users in all the countries use Cortana. All you will have to do next is offer support for local languages at your own pace. Sounds better than your current strategy, doesn't it?
What do you think?
Have you used Cortana? Do you enjoy using it? What do you think about Microsoft's strategy regarding Cortana? Do you agree with me when I say that Microsoft should release an International English version of Cortana? I really want to get your opinion and have a constructive conversation with you on this subject.
