This is a minor bug about choosing charset option to save a shapefile.
Save a shapefile with Save dataset as...
Now check the option charset in the dataset tab of the option toolbox
Save your dataset as shapefile again :
the option does not display until you change the chosen format then
choose shapefile again
Finally fix it, in SaveDatasetAsPlugIn (r4099)
The previous fix has introduced a severe regression (no more possible possible to save a shapefile to another encoding).
I'll undo the fix, a better solution has to be found to fix the initial bug.
Mike, wasn't that fixed a long time ago? ..ede
Cannot reproduce, may have been solved a long time ago.