[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

>--Dear Everyone:
>
>You know how the French feel about the purity of language and cultural 
>identity; it is their credo. And at least they get excited about issues that 
>really matter. Think of the race as another Sputnik... as Andy has stated, 
>everyone will benefit from a little "friendly" competition.  And at the risk 
>of being a provacateur.. remember the U.S. Congress and "Freedom Fries"?  Now 
>really.   
>Vive le rivalite',
>Susan 
>Susan Crane-Sundell
>SUCB
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>  
>

I sort of agree. But in the future, I see a more common language being
used, made up of all the other languages. I must add, if there is a lack
of content in other languages, it is not the fault of the 'Anglophones'.
It is the fault of the 'Otherphones'.

The truth is that web content is becoming increasingly diverse and
non-English. That someone in France - Chirac, no less - finally said
'Charge!!!' (or 'En garde!' ?) late is really nothing of consequence.
That's posturing, sort of like Bush landing on an Aircraft carrier. In
the grand scheme of things, it means more money will be spent on making
sure that content is there instead of.... actually getting the content
there.

Agence Francophonie deserves honorable mention here - in the Caribbean,
they have not only started bridging the many gaps in language and
culture (CARDICIS, http://www.cardicis.org ) and continue to do so. I'm
surprised at some of the organizations that they are working with - the
name cropped up even at the recent Caribbean Linux and Open Source
Foundation meeting. It's not about dominion, it's about preserving
culture and language - honorable things, yet also flexible things.

As a matter of fact, I'm borrowing bandwidth from FUNREDES right now
(http://www.funredes.org ) where projects are done multilingually. The
site, though old, is available in about 3 languages. They're having fun
with my Spanish, I might add.

Where the rubber meets the road, there are people making a difference.
But they are not up for re-election, so you won't see it on the front
page of the newspaper.

-- 
Taran Rampersad

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

http://www.linuxgazette.com
http://www.a42.com
http://www.knowprose.com
http://www.easylum.net

"Criticize by creating." â Michelangelo

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