Breaking The Language Barrier

Most of the IT majors are looking to improve the appeal of their products by offering their software and hardware in Indian languages also.

They are making a beeline to source multi-lingual technology from Graphics and Intelligence Based Technology (Gist), a division of C-DAC. Gist has already developed computer technologies for Seiko Epson of Japan for printers and Motorola for pagers.

It is now holding talks with worldwide leaders like Olivetti of Italy, Corel Corporation of Canada to localise their products.

Gist has developed `printer-spooler, the software which has been specially developed for Epson printers to print in Indian languages.

 

Epson, which has a tieup with Wipro for the Indian market, will however, directly market these printers armed with Gist's printer-spooler.

The software being developed for Epson's printers will enable the printer to accelerate the process of printing in Indian languages.

At present, the printers use the conventional graphic data being which is time-consuming since the data size is large.

Gist has already delivered the software to Epson which is scheduled for launch next month. Initially, Epson will offer Devnagri and Tamil script options for its printers.

Wipro has also approached Gist for help to create a similar software. Gist is now work on a similar technology to power the Wipro printers with Indian languages

The multinational corporations have realised that localisation is important to survive in a highly competitive computer hardware and software technology market, says Chadrashekhar Raje, coordinator, Gist business division at C-DAC.

For Motorola, Gist has developed fonts and technology for pagers in Indian languages, many of which are already in use in India.

Olivetti of Italy is holding talks with Gist to develop passbook printers in Indian languages to enable Indian banks use its printers to print in Indian languages.

Corel Corporation of Canada is also seeking to localise its publishing software Corel Draw to Indian languages.

Gist's multi-prompter, which is available in several Indian languages, is widely used by Doordarshan, Indian studios and foreign television channels for sub-titling movies, serials and other programmes.