[Indic-computing-users] FW: Article sent from The Hindu

[Mita <mi...@au...>]

WONDERFUL NEWS!!!  See article below.

I used a rule on my inbox, and now I don't see the Indic-messages
anymore!  Hope all of you are well > Tapan, Ashish, Raj, Fred, Hema,
everyone else from the Bangalore workshop.

You will be happy to know that thanks to your inspiration, we're
seriously considering switching over at least partially to Linux; Raj,
you will remember you sent us the Mandrake Linux CDs; well I'm just
about to stake up the courage and go for installation  (its very
difficult to free up one system just for experimentation!); have also
started a Linux course at NIIT Pondy...  Its thanks to you guys that we
discovered Linux.  

I read another article recently about a meeting that happened at Chennai
where someone made an important argument for govt. offices switching
over to open-source software and the need to make applications for govt.
use under open-source platforms> of course the indic initiative will
take that even one step further...

Hope to see some of you at the Tamil Internet conference in Chennai.

With warm wishes from Auroville and all of us at AV Language Lab,

Mita

PS : Fred, can you tell me if there are any Linux user groups in Pondy?
PS : I once again repeat our request to be informed about any software
for learning any of the Indian languages...if any of you hears of
anything, please just drop a line with the link/email/phone/details of
the producers.
	Till now we are aware of Hindi Guru, Bhasika from Samskrita
Bharati for Sanskrit, a wonderful CD from the Academy of Sanskrit
Research Melkote,  and a Hindi version of a superb program called the
Rosetta Stone from USA. For Tamil, there is the Tamil Book of Dr.
Kuppusamy of USA, two CDs from IITS (International Institute of Tamil
Studies) Chennai...



_________________________________________________
Auroville Language Laboratory
Tapas Desrousseaux, Mita Radhakrishnan : Coordinators
Shakti, Auroville, Tamil Nadu - 605101.
Phones : 91-413-2622575/2623661.  Fax : 91-413-2622274
E-Mail : mi...@au..., tap...@au...,
al...@au...
Web : www.auroville.org/society/Language_all.htm


-----Original Message-----
From: the...@we... [mailto:the...@we...]

Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2003 8:54 AM
Subject: Article sent from The Hindu

=============================================================
This article has been sent to you by N. Radhakrishnan (
rad...@ya... )
=============================================================
Source: The Hindu
(http://www.hinduonnet.com/2003/07/19/stories/2003071902931200.htm)

National
  
 
Multilingual Linux software versions hit market
 
 
 
By Our Special Correspondent
 
 

NEW DELHI
JULY 18.

Linux For You (LFY), a magazine involved in the promotion of open source
software, today announced a multilingual version of Linux. 
 
Available so far in English, Linux educational software solutions now
have versions in several major Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil,
Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Bengali, Gurmukhi and Gujarati. It has been
developed at the LFY Labs here.
 
Called "Linux from India — For You" (LiFY), the educational version
of Linux claims to provide cost-effective software solutions to a
cross-section of the population. 
 
It has been integrated with applications that are useful for education.
These include applications meant for students at school, college and
research level. As is the case with all Linux products, the applications
are based on open source which means they can be used totally
royalty-free. The source code is also available for modification and
re-use by programmers. LiFY has been integrated with applications
devised by Indian programmers. The operating system does not need any
installation and can run directly from CD-ROM.
 
"The support of all major Indian languages in LiFY will make it a
universal choice for all Indians. Till now the basic language for
computing was English. Now Indians will be able to use their own
languages in computers using LiFY,'' said the LFY editor, Rahul Chopra.
Allowing users the freedom to know the source code, modify it and
redistribute it, Linux is said to be an ally in the process of
democratisation of societies. 
 
Its far bigger rival, Microsoft, has called Linux "a cancer that spreads
to anything it touches" and "not a real cost saver in the long run." But
the company also admits that Linux scores over Windows in hardware
utilisation and lower licensing costs.
 
India, like many developing countries, is debating over the merits of
using open source software compared to propriety software of companies
(Microsoft) who closely protect their source code. At the same time,
some Government institutions such as the Centre for Development of
Advanced Computing, the National Centre for Software Technology and the
National Informatics Council have teamed up with the IITs to develop
Linux for Indian languages.
 
 
 
 
 


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