Should we continue to translate the Help content of OpenOffice.org 2.4 or not? :(
On 3/14/08, Javier SOLA <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi, > > This sounds great ! > > Yes, these are the usual problems. Some people think that by teaching > computers in English... the students will learn English. The result is > that they do not learn computers and they do not learn English. Computer > scientists, all over the world... tend to be the worst enemies of > localization, they do not accept the localized terminology (they think > it is funny) and do not see the problem of children who do not speak > English... > > The best advice is to give to them OpenOffice in a language and script > that they cannot understand (Khmer !), and see how much they can learn. > > I used to start conferences speaking in Spanish, so that nobody would > understand, and - after a minute everybody would be frustrated - and > understand quickly the problem of language. > > Maybe the strategy is to start for the first minute with slides of > OpenOffice in Khmer :-) and then explain to them that this is the same > feeling that children have when they see interfaces in English. > > Another point that I sometimes make is that computer English is > completely different from conversational English. If you feels the > children's heads with complex computer concepts in English, you have not > advanced anything towards helping them speak, understand or read real > English for conversation or learning. > > In Cambodia the education system has changed to OpenOffice BECAUSE it > was in Khmer, otherwise it would have been much more difficult. > > Best of luck ! > > Cheers, > > Javier > > Vu Do Quynh wrote > > Javier SOLA a écrit : > > > >> Dear all, > >> > >> I just came back form an ASEMEO (ASEAN Ministries of Education > meeting). > >> > >> The representatives of the Ministry of Education of Vietnam had a big > >> poster saying that they wil only use OpenOffice in schools, and > >> confirmed to me that the decission is official. It is great news ! The > >> pity is that they will use the English version :-( > >> > > > > Hi, > > > > Yes I am aware of this situation and I'm fighting to promote the use of > > the VN's localized version. > > > > Today we will have a preparation meeting with the national television > > channel VTV2. There will be about 30 tutorials broadcasts of about 30 > > min. each on OpenOffice.org that are planned for this year. Already we > > had discussions on which version to use: English US or Vietnamese. > > > > Usually informaticians like to use the English version (due to English > > knowledge et better acknowledgement of English technical terms vs their > > VN counterparts). Also there is an established custom of using (pirated) > > software in English and available manuals are commonly developed in > > Vietnamese but using screenshots of English versions of softwares. > > > > This is because until now you did'nt had the choice between different > > languages of one piece of software, like it is often the case with FOSS > > softwares. > > > > Thus it is rowing against the mainstream to wish to implement the use of > > Vietnamized OpenOffice.org. However good sense says that if you work for > > the people and want to promote IT use in poor areas, then you better > > choose a localized software whenever available. I'll see if government > > deciders are logical with their choice of serving the people or not. > > > > > > Regards > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >
