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Having said that, I also believe that localization of software in Gujarati will be an
important step in taking Information Technology and the Internet phenomenon
to the masses in the state. Localization in fact is a must !
Localized content then will be a major requirement. A two-pronged strategy will
have to be adopted by Gujarat’s policy makers to ensure that the state becomes IT
savvy. For one, software will have to be developed in Gujarati so that applications
can be created in areas such as financial accounting, word proceessing, etc. that the
common person in the state can use.
Secondly, some amount of standardization has to be brought into the Gujarati script
which will ensure its uniformity and applicability across the state.
No local deviations should be allowed. The Japanese and Arabic scripts are a case
in point where standards have been created to ensure mass proliferation.
At another level, my humble suggestion is that Gujarat should look at the setting
up of G-ICE (a Gujarat Internet Center for Excellence), which will represent the
state’s move into the new economy.
An organization such as G-ICE will not only facilitate Gujarat’s integration into
the ICE-age, it will also ensure that issues such as software localization, and
standards in the Gujarati language script are taken into account.
It could also look at issues such as Gujarati education at the school level,
ensuring that the teachers within the state become comfortable with computing
in the other tongue.
The good news is that global majors such as Microsoft and IBM are looking at how
they can convert software work done in regional languages and make it available
to the global markets as ready to use solutions.
Therefore, whether it is English or Gujarati, we have to clearly look at making our
people more IT literate. The computer, software and the Internet should be the
new tools of trade for Gujaratis. It’s time for Gujarati
bhais
to don the mantle of
IT
bhais.
Gujaratis must learn to play the game in accordance with the new rules,
and if they can play it in their own language, why not?
n
