Right now, many open source code systems are supporting multi-langauges, such as oscommerce etc.
For some small web applications (shoping cart, gallery, real estate sites etc.), I have designed both one language version and multi-language version.
Now it comes to the questions, should I just concentrate on developing products in multi-langauge versions only? For the one language version, we can still use the the multi-language version just turn one language on. Such as oscommerce, it is supporting multi-lanagues, but many sites may just use it for one language.
In that case, the developer saves time by offer only one version system (multi-language versions), the user of the one language may have to ignore some features in the system that is for set up multi-language which he doesn't need.
Or should I spend time to develop two versions system, one support multi-language, another one is simple, only support 1 language? In this case, developer spends some more time, but the user for one langauge get a simple system without these unnecesary features.
But it comes to the 3rd question, how about the one language system user wants to update to multi-language later on?
In simple words, in the case of I can foresee that there is a need for the multi-lanague system requests or I already have the multi-lanaugae system on hands, should I just develop multi-language version system and offer that to the one language request user anyway? He ask for 1 language, I offer the multi-langauge anyway. He doesn't have to use the multi-lanague features if he doesn't need it. But he gets more than he asks. He can update it later on.
I know it depends on certain situations, but in general speaking, what is your approach?
