Netbeans automatically uses the Windows system default language as the default user interface language. I believe that it means to be a nice feature for localization. But I personally find it uncomfortable because I have been used with English interface.
After I did some Google search, I learned a few tips to set the Netbeans UI language.
1. Temporary Solution
Add “–locale en:US” at the end of Netbeans startup command.
“C:\Program Files\NetBeans 6.0.1\bin\netbeans.exe” –locale en:US
2. Permanent Solution
Go to Netbeans installation directory, for example,
C:\Program Files\NetBeans 6.0.1\etc
Open “netbeans.conf” and find netbeans default option line
netbeans_default_options=”-J-client -J-Xss2m -J-Xms32m -J-XX:PermSize=32m -J-XX:MaxPermSize=200m -J-Xverify:none -J-Dapple.laf.useScreenMenuBar=true”
Add “-J-Duser.language=en -J-Duser.region=US” to the end of this line
netbeans_default_options=”-J-client -J-Xss2m -J-Xms32m -J-XX:PermSize=32m -J-XX:MaxPermSize=200m -J-Xverify:none -J-Dapple.laf.useScreenMenuBar=true -J-Duser.language=en -J-Duser.region=US”
It would be nice that there is an option to allow me choose the user interface language in the next Netbeans release.