Re: [gnome-cy] Windows in Welsh, at public expense?

["Chris M. Jackson" <chris zenii linux org uk>]

On Thu, 20 Nov 2003, Dewi Jones wrote:
> Ysgrifennodd Kevin Donnelly:
> >During the meeting, Mr Uden noted that MS had now recognised that Welsh was an 
> >official language, and that as a result it intended to offer all OS versions, 
> >along with MS Office, in Welsh within two years.
>
> Where as a completely Welsh (?) Linux desktop already exists in a 
> commercially available distribution already - Mandrake 9.2 (?)

Not to mention the fact that AFAIK we have the core of KDE and GNOME 
available in Welsh, as well as Mozilla and OpenOffice.  Within the two 
years, we'd be likely to face a Welsh Fedora, considerably more of GNOME 
and KDE translated, and (hopefully) OpenOffice to be even better than it 
is now (to the point of "actively" competing with MS Office - FUD 
permitting).

All of this, assuming that nobody puts together a specialist Linux 
distribution targeted at Wales in the meantime.

> >I have no objection at all to a Welsh version of Windows - so much the better 
> >for Welsh. 
>
> Good for Welsh OSS also perhaps. When people hear that Microsoft are 
> proposing Welsh versions of Windows and Office then it'll give the whole 
> notion of Welsh language software added validity. I mean, it's a bit 
> difficult to 'create the market' on our own.....

I agree.  If you see something as insignificant, and then put vast efforts 
into denouncing it, you'll only give it credibility.  Clearly MS seem to 
have difficulty in grasping this point :)

Anything that does give validity and credibility to markets for 
Welsh-language software AND free/OS software can be a very good thing.

> > But I do object to it being funded by someone other than MS, and 
> >I'm prepared to spend a fair bit of time raising some noise about this.

I think the gesture may have been seen to be more sincere were they 
willing to stump up the cash for it themselves.  It's not as if they can't 
afford to do it 8)

-- 
|/  Chris M. Jackson
C>  Be seeing you!
H   


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