The Icelandic language is ferociously popular and a point of national pride. Apple Computer has had an Icelandic version of its competing operating system for several years now, to the joy of the public. Apple's marketing campaign expressed the popular theme of protecting the Icelandic language, and even attacked Windows for the lack of benefits that their English language version of Windows offers the average Icelandic citizen.

The Icelandic Language Institute has been at war with Microsoft for several years over Redmond's perceived lack of sensitivity to the Icelandic language. Microsoft symbolizes, in a sense, the new technology; Iceland's young are enamoured with that technology. Therein lies the problem: Microsoft will not translate Windows into Icelandic for such a small market, even though the youth there are highly enthusiastic and impressionable. Redmond's snub strikes at the heart of Icelandic culture -- their language.

On language, Björn Bjarnason, Iceland's Minister of Education, Science and Culture said in 2000: "To my mind, the electronic environment only serves to create new cultural and educational opportunities that are there for the taking. In my view, the most important issue is the way this medium is organized and whether people can use their own language. Then they don't

have to depend on other languages and can maintain the cultural independence; that provides the best condition for abundant growth This is one reason why the government of Iceland has placed such great emphasis on language engineering, that is, to preserve the position of the Icelandic language in the computer environment."