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CDAC unveils Tamil language office software

The software conforms to the Tamil Nadu government's recommended standards to use computers in Tamil. The standard came out of the 'Tamilnet 99' conference.

T O D A Y

• Bootleggers booked • CDAC's Tamil software • E-COMM 99

The CDAC software was released by Professor M Anandkrishnan, vice-chairman of the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education and received by state Education Minister K Anbazhagan at a simple function in Madras.

The software is mostly an office application. It also has tools that teach users to type in Tamil. It is possible to send email and fax messages, present Web pages, create documents, translate words and phrases from English and extend other Windows application to work in Tamil language once the software is installed on a PC.

Congratulating CDAC for bringing out the software, Anbazhagan says tools like spell checker and choice of words and phrases in the software would go a long way in popularising the use of Tamil language in computing.

He pointed out that ancient literature written on palm leaves is gathering dust and this technology could help digitise them and preserve them.

Anandkrishnan claimed the present challenge is to provide computer access to people who do not know English and Tamil Nadu is in the forefront in this endeavour.

Underlining the need for a huge digital dictionary, he said tools are necessary for the survival of a language in the computer age.

Languages for which there are no digital tools might face the danger of extinction, he warned.

Professor N Chandrasekaran of CDAC says a light version of the 'Leap Office' would be made available on the state government's Web site immediately and users could download it.

The higher version of the software would also be made available on the site soon free of cost, he added.

UNI

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