Product category:
Operating Systems
News Release from: Phoenix Global Software | Subject: Linspire
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 25 March 2005
Ambitious Linux translation project
launched
Phoenix Global Software encourages ambitious Linux translation project
The juggernaut of hype surrounding Linux seems unstoppable and the Linspire operating system based on Linux is taking great strides into the desktop market Simon Campbell-Young, CEO of software republisher, Phoenix Global Software, recently attended the Linspire Conference and returned with news of an ambitious Linux translation project to increase the appeal of the operating system
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 24 Feb 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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According to him, Linspire is the most user-friendly Linux desktop operating system available.
"While many Linux systems have been criticised for the complexity of operation, Linspire specifically set out to prove the critics wrong.
With features such as a 10 minute install and the ability to download and install hundreds of applications with a single click through the Click and Run (CNR) Warehouse, this is the easiest and most accessible Linux on the market today," he says.
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Linspire also offers a Graphical User Interface (GUI) which is simple, easy and recognisable, and offers far superior security and stability than other proprietary operating systems.
Even compatibility with the more traditional applications like Word and Excel is built-in.
"In fact, this product can be comfortably installed and operated by someone who has little to no computer experience," claims Campbell-Young.
However, a potentially serious shortcoming of the operating system is its limited language availability - presently, Linspire is only available in - English, Japanese, Italian, and Spanish - which creates a challenge to the claims of usability.
Linspire is now tackling this potential problem in the most innovative way in the tradition of open source software development.
Says Campbell-Young: "inspire recently announced the release of a new Web-based translating application that will allow volunteers from around the world to easily translate leading Linux applications into nearly 80 different languages," he says.
He hails Linspire as a promising technology platform that grows month on month and year on year, constantly and swiftly evolving to market demands.
"And it's the collaborative approach to software development that drives this growth," he says.
Dubbed the International Resource Management Application (IRMA), the project calls on users who speak English and another language to volunteer to translate parts of the operating system.
Currently, 24 languages are supported through the IRMA system, with 54 additional languages to be added over the next few weeks.
Volunteers sign up for one or more of IRMA's supported languages through the online interface.
Once registered, translators can log in and begin translating small, auto-selected strings of code.
When complete, the translations will be integrated into language-specific versions of popular Linux applications, such as KDE, Mozilla, OpenOffice.org, Nvu, and Lsongs, and made available to a wide audience around the world.
"With this collaborative and highly cost-effective approach, a Linux-based operating system will soon be available to any user, regardless of their native language, giving people a level of comfort and personalisation with Linux that they may not have had before.
This demonstrates the lengths the open source movement goes to in order to make this kind of technology accessible and affordable to everyone.
And it is this philosophy upon which Linspire is building its foundation," concludes Cambell-Young.
More than 200 translation volunteers have already signed up, representing 35 languages.
"Linspire is currently seeking more volunteer translators in all languages.
No technical or programming knowledge is required; it's as simple as viewing a Web page, entering in your translation for words or phrases, and then clicking the Save button.
Those fluent in English and another language, who are interested in joining a translation team should visit http://www.irmateam.com.
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