Released on: January 30, 2008, 1:17 am

Press Release Author: Samuel Murray, Translate.org.za

Industry: Computers

Press Release Summary: Language communities in countries where computers still
\'speak\' only English or other global language will benefit in 2008 from a software
translation project launched by the African localisation company Translate.org.za.


Press Release Body: Language communities in countries where computers still \'speak\'
only English or other global language will benefit in 2008 from a software
translation project launched by the African localisation company Translate.org.za.
The company recently received generous funding from the international grantmaking
foundation, the Open Society Institute to help volunteers in those countries help
make computer programs available in their own languages.

During the project, which is named the Decathlon project, volunteer translators from
all over the world will be assisted to translate ten computer applications into
their own languages. The Decathlon project is a continuation of Translate.org.za\'s
efforts to promote the creation of translation communities by volunteer native
speakers in all countries.

According to Samuel Murray, the Decathlon project leader, many world languages face
an uphill struggle in countries where computer programs are in English despite the
fact that few people speak English fluently. People who are passionate about their
own languages do not always have the technical expertise to help make more software
available in their languages, he says.

The Decathlon project was designed to bridge the gap between volunteer translators
and developers of opensource software. The project makes use of a web-based
translation tool, Pootle, which was created by Translate.org.za specifically to help
volunteers do translation without requiring any programming expertise.

“One of the problems with software translation, is that different development
teams require different procedures to translate their programs,” says Murray.
“These procedures can be quite complicated, and this acts as a barrier for
people to join translation teams as volunteers.”

The Decathlon project will liaise with the development teams of selected computer
programs to make their translatable content more accessible to volunteer
translators. Translators can then translate directly in their web browsers, or if
they prefer, they can use professional translation software of their choice.

The software considered for translation, include an educational drawing program, a
blogging system, a music editing program, a multimedia player, and a word processor.
According to Murray, the final selection of programs to be translated has not been
made, and the Decathlon team is eager to be contacted by developers of other
opensource projects wishing to participate in this localisation project.

“We are also eager to hear from translators who wish to form new teams or join
existing teams in their own countries,” says Murray. “After all, the
whole point of the Decathlon project is to help create sustainable translation
communities who can help themselves and others to promote software in their own
languages.”

More information about the Decathlon project can be found on the web site
http://translate.sourceforge.net/wiki/decathlon/mainpage, or contact the project
leader, Samuel Murray, at samuel@translate.org.za.

Web Site: http://translate.sourceforge.net/wiki/decathlon/mainpage

Contact Details: Samuel Murray, Translate.org.za, Wenning Street, Groenkloof,
Pretoria, South Africa, Tel +27 12 460 1095 (UTC +02:00), E-mail
samuel@translate.org.za