[UgaBYTES] Mozilla in localized - Uganda

[Gavashkar Subramanium]

Hi, 

I thought I should share below news with regard to Mozilla Localization
in Sri Lanka :

ICTA supports to release first localize web browser, "Firefox 3"


18 July 2008


A major milestone in providing access to Sri Lankans to the World Wide
Web in local languages has been achieved through the launch of Fire Fox
3, the world latest, fastest and safest web browser.

Up to now Sri Lankans had to browse the web in English, which prevented
those who did not know the language unable to seek knowledge and
information that they required to better them selves. However IT
specialists point out, the launching of "Mozilla Firefox 3.0" web
browser would help to tackle that obstacle as it providers them access
in Sinhala. Other localization work which will surely follow will bridge
the gap overtime.

The "Mozilla Firefox 3.0" web browser that has been designed using free
and open source software has been empowered completely in Sinhala
language and includes local contents. Currently, more than 120 million
persons all over the world use this web browser to surf the internet.
Its latest edition was launched recently and even before 24 hours passed
away the web browser was downloaded by more than eight million
throughout the world setting up a new Guinness world record.

"The launching of the world's only web browser that provides maximum
safety, fast browsing and Sinhala language support is a great
achievement for Sri Lanka." said Reshan Dewapura, Chief Operating
Officer/ Director- Information and Communication Technology Agency of
Sri Lanka.

"Five years ago, we began a process to ensure that every person in this
country can make use of computers and the Internet in his or her own
language; Sinhala or Tamil,"

pointed out Prof. Gihan Dias, University of Moratuwa. "The release of
Firefox 3 marks a major step in this process, being a major application
released in both Sinhala and Tamil together with English and other
languages,: he added.

"The school of computing of the University of Colombo always garnts its
extensive support to localize the ICT field" said it's Director Dr.
Ruwan Weerasinghe. "The honour of introducing 'Firefox 3.0' web browser
in Sinhala language should go to the people who work commitedly to to
make this a reality" he stated.

The Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka under
the instructions of the President is providing financial and
technological assistance to further develop this web browser and to
launch it in Tamil language. Localization has been a strong focus area
for ICTA and some significant successes have already been achieved in
this regard.

To download the "Mozilla Firefox 3.0" web browser empowered with Sinhala
language you can the browse the web site http://www.mozilla.com

To install Unicode Sinhala fonts designed according to the international
standards in your computer browse the www.siyabas.lk website.


Best Regards,
 
S Gavashkar
Project Manager
Information Infrastructure
ICT Agency of Sri Lanka
*: 160/24, Kirimandala Mw., Col-5
(: +94-12369099, ext 43
:: http://www.icta.lk
 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org
[mailto:ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org] On Behalf Of Nicole
Leguerrier
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 7:15 PM
To: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
Subject: Re: [UgaBYTES] Mozilla in localized - Uganda

Further to your note Meddie, as a result of this team effort a Luganda
search engine was launched and announced this week.


The first ever Luganda search engine
Ugandans to search web content in local languages

Source: Ultimate Media

You know how to read and write in your local language, but you have been
unable to use or search for information on the web because all search
engine
tools are in English? Not anymore.

A team of scientists and linguists from Makerere University and Rhodes
University have developed the first ever Luganda search engine that will
enable people to search for information on the web in Luganda, Uganda's
mostly used language.

The Luganda search engine was launched at Makerere University's Faculty
of
Computing and Information Technology with a promise that other Ugandan
languages will soon have their own search engines.

Read the fulltext here: 
http://altsearchengines.com/2008/08/10/the-first-ever-luganda-search-eng
ine/

Nicole

-----Original Message-----
From: ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org
[mailto:ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org] On Behalf Of Meddie Mayanja
Sent: August 12, 2008 9:10 AM
To: ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org; bytesforall_readers at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [UgaBYTES] Mozilla in localized - Uganda

Thought this would interest you - from Nabende Joseph, National Software
Incubation Center, Faculty of Computing and IT, Makerere University
"nabjoe at yahoo.com" 

....
 
Software Localisation is definitely the way to go.On the 7th and 8th of
August.A group of  300 makerere students in collaboration with Rhodes
University in South Africa  and  a company called translate at thon.org.za
were
involved in a successful translation of the Mozilla User
interface(wordings)
into Luganda.Throughout the exercise, we were able to translate 8000
words
used on the interface into Luganda.

The team comprised of 100 student volunteers with a computing background
from the Faculty of Computing and IT,MUK, and more than 100 Luganda
knowledgeable students  from the Institute of Languages.The product was
amazing.We were told the CDs having the translated application would be
made
available at the Faculty of Computing and IT .
The challenge left is translating,the techinical terminologies of
firefox
into luganda.To have this work continuing,a team of  4 students from the
Software Incubation Center at CIT have taken up this task as a six
months
project and would be willing to accept any help rendered.

....

Best, Meddie


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