E-Localisation Winner – 2008

Hoimonti

DESRIPTION
Hoimonti is a first of its kind technical endeavour in Bangladesh, where a Linux based free operating system called Ubuntu has been developed. The operating system is in Bangla. Hoimonti has a Bengali “installation procedure” along with configuration documentation. After installation, the default username is set to “Ankur” with the same password. So far Ankur ICT Foundation   has  released customized Bangla Operation System based on Linux so that the people can get used to know about Bengali localised softwares through Hoimonti.

CITATION
Among many local language based society, Bangla is one of the most spoken languages especially in Bangladesh. And the lack of availability of Bangla based operating system, which could be free to use, became biggest barrier to create and access the digital tool for content. Ankur ICT Foundation’s efforts to create Hoimonti have totally converted Linux-based OS Ubuntu in Bangla and it has got popularized across Bangladesh. This has not only facilitated a form of Bangla based operating system but also contributed towards bridging digital barriers in the form of providing Bangla content for daily use.

Producer
Khandakar Mujahidul Islam

Organisation
Ankur ICT Foundatiuon,  Bangladesh

Location
Tangail, BANGLADESH

Telephone
88 191 5825911

Email
suzan@ankur.org.bd

Technology/Medium
Offline

Language
Bangla

Lipikaar

DESCRIPTION
Lipikaar is a method to enable typing in 16 languages with an ordinary keyboard for the PC and on the Internet. The languages it supports include Hindi, Marathi, Sanskrit, Nepali, Kashmiri, Konkani, Sindhi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Urdu and Arabic. Lipikaar is currently available for the Microsoft Windows Desktop and all Windows Applications, Mozilla Firefox browser and for use with Internet or web applications. Lipikaar is also available in an embedded or hardware form allowing you to use the ordinary keyboard for regional languages with various hardware products. The typing method is intuitive and effortless to learn and is as close as possible to writing in a regional language.

CITATION
The need for localization is becoming almost mandatory and various efforts are making ICT tools, especially computers work across all languages. Provision for typing in local language in ICT tools and applications is one such need. And this is what Lipikaar is attempting to provide by selecting 16 out of  total 22 official Indian languages in devising a methodology to enable typing in those languages. The uniqueness of Lipikaar is it works   with the same English keyboard without being fluent in English across popular browsers like Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer. In Lipikaar the typing method is unambiguous and efficient, making it very easy and enjoyable to type out stories, articles and documents in your chosen language.  Adding value,  Lipikaar also serves as a key component in enterprise applications, remote banking, and financial services.

Producer
Anjali Gupta

Organisation
BookEazy Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

Location
Maharashtra, INDIA

Telephone
91 20 25663548

Email
Anjali@lipikaar.com

Technology/Medium
Web/Internet

Language
Supports 16 languages Hindi, Marathi, Sanskrit, etc

Sea Monkey

DESCRIPTION
Sea Monkey is a project of developing all-in-one internet suite in Pashto language. The Afghanistan Computer Science Association has been developing Sea Monkey in Pashto language as a community effort for quite some time. Such a software suite was previously made popular by Netscape and Mozilla, and the SeaMonkey project continues to develop and deliver high-quality updates to this concept. Containing an Internet browser, email & newsgroup client, HTML editor, IRC chat and web development tools, SeaMonkey appeals to advanced users, web developers and corporate users as far as Pashto language is concerned. For Afghanistan, Sea Monkey is one effort which can reach out to the entire country for accessing internet and avail digital media.

CITATION
For a country like Afghanistan this is manna from heaven. Sea Monkey is community based effort to create all-in-internet suite in Pashto language.  Sea Monkey  can use Mozilla browser, email, newsgroup client, HTML Editor, IRC Chat, and web development tools – all in Pashto language. This project removes the digital gap and content gap because it removes the main barrier to digital world, the English Language. People will no longer need to learn English Language because they can now see their native language on their desktops. Through Sea Monkey project Afghanistan can leapfrog beyond digital divide and avail the digital opportunity to a great extent.

Producer
Rafiqullah Kakar
Habibur Rahman Ghaznawe
Sharifullah Mahboob

Organisation
Afghanistan Computer Science Association

Location
Kabul, AFGHANISTAN

Telephone
93 799 890933

Email
rafiqullah.kakar@acsa.org.af
habib.ghaznawe@acsa.org.af
Sharifullah.mahboob@acsa.org.af

Technology/Medium
Web/Internet

Language
Pashto