Localisation Camp/2 Pune 20,21 March 2010/Press Release0

DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE YET.

Introduction

The Software industry started in US, and traditionally software that allows only English input and output has been forced upon global users. This is based on this question from developers: "Why can't they all speak English?". However if a user is given two software products that offer same features, most people would choose one in their native language. Now a days software development centers are concentrated in countries like India, Australia, Mexico and Israel. As software is developed in different parts of world, successful companies believe that it is critical that their software products interact with their users in their native language and local conventions. Monolingual and mono cultural software products are not competitive.

Around the world local conventions exist for number formatting, currency, dates, times, names, addresses, measurement, calendar. Besides local conventions software developer must consider cultural diversity issues related to numbers and colors. In Asian countries white denotes death in general but in western countries it is black. In Latin America death is denoted by purple. In US 13 is considered unlucky, 69 has sexual connotations, and 666 is the sign of the devil. In Hong Kong the number 7 is unlucky, while in India some people consider 7 as lucky number.

The Importance of Localisation

Currently, people who want to use computers must first learn English. In a country with low literacy rates, this blocks access to information and communications technologies (ICTs), especially for the rural poor and women who do not have equal access to education. Even after having learnt English, users must pay hundreds of dollars to license foreign software, or resort to widespread illegal copying of software, in order to gain access to ICTs. In short, access to information technology is one of the keys to development, and localised Free Software applications remain a crucial missing link in communications infrastructure.

Current status of Localisation

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Localisation Camp

A Localisation camp is a place for introducing new people to localisation tools, processes and communities. It is also a place for inviting feedback from wide spectrum of people to improve existing translations. And a place to meet up and interact with other members of the community.

This camp is organised by Swathanthra Malayalam Computing, Uncode (Lokayat Free Software Initiative) and CoEP's Free Software Users Group. Venue provided by Red Hat. We are limiting attendance to 25 persons on a first come first serve basis. Lunch and tea will be provided at the venue.

For more details and registration, visit http://wiki.smc.org.in/Localisation_Camp/Pune or contact Praveen Arimbrathodiyil +91 9561745712

About Swathanthra Malayalam Computing

Swathanthra Malayalam Computing is a developers collective working on enabling computer users to use computers in Malayalam with a motto of "My language for my computer". Many of the work done is common across various Indian Languages.

About Uncode

Lokayat is a social group in Pune working on various issues of the society, including women's issues, traffic problem, environment and many others. We also work on “free software” for Indian students and computer user through Lokayat Free Software Initiative called “UNCODE". They believe that knowledge has always been free and universal and because of that human race progressed so much. That is why the importance of “free” software is very high in today's society where we see all tendencies towards monopolisation of knowledge.

About Free Software

Free software is a matter of the users' freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software. More precisely, it means that the program's users have the four essential freedoms:

   * The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
   * The freedom to study how the program works, and change it to make it do what you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
   * The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).
   * The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others (freedom 3). By doing this you can give the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.