Muhyadin Ahmed Roble, AfricaNews reporter in Nairobi, Kenya
US software giant Microsoft has launched Windows Vista in Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia. "Launching the Amharic version software is a major step forward for Amharic to be a language of technology", Director of the Ethiopian ICT Development Agency (EICTDA), Debretsion Gebremichael has said.
40 scholars from the Addis Ababa University took part in the translation of the software, Debretsion said. EICTDA has a plan to translate the same operating software into many other local languages, he added.
“So far, 830,000 words are translated into Amharic. This will allow creating customized local solutions, and stimulating the development of the local IT economy.” Debretsion was quoted by ENA. 85,000 USD was being covered the translation, according to ENA
''millions of people around the world who do not speak some of the major languages of technology, face difficulty to use computers." Microsoft Chairperson for Africa, Dr. Cheick Modibo Diarra said.
Diarra said: "It is Microsoft's desire to let millions of people use its technology in their own languages and in the mean time help their language and culture develop".
Ethiopia as a country of over 80 million people has its own language and alphabet, and it is Microsoft’s desire to let this huge country use its Amharic service pack, Diarra was quoted by the Ethiopian News Agency.
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