OpenOffice 3.2, the latest version of the free open-source office software, has just been released. Version 3.2 of the popular software package includes new features and updates, one of which is a significant step for minority language communities around the world.
OpenOffice.org now supports Graphite font technology for better support of scripts and variants used by minorities. Using this technology, the support for new minority scripts becomes manageable. Just one font needs to developed for the specific needs of that minority. read more about OpenOffice 3.2
Many minority language groups around the world use alphabets that are different from those used by well-known majority languages, often with their own characters. Not only that, but unlike the Roman alphabet (A, B, C, …) many languages have characters that interact with each other and display differently depending on which other characters are next to them.
Graphite is a technology that has been developed by SIL, a partner organisation of Wycliffe, to allow these complex scripts to be displayed in computer software.This is potentially a first step for the language community as they seek to produce booklets and health materials, preserve their language and culture, and translate the Bible and other resources.
Prior to this partnership, OpenOffice supported approximately 110 languages. The inclusion of Graphite makes it possible for users of OpenOffice to implement computer scripts for hundreds of other languages.
Tamil Ligature Involving a Viramacized ConsonantThere are currently more than 6,900 languages in the world, according to the Ethnologue, although some may never have a written form. Many of the remaining languages, however, require complex rules governing the way their scripts are or will be written. These writing systems require cutting-edge computer technology–smart fonts–in order to display and print properly with computers. Graphite is designed to be flexible enough to handle any orthographic need that might arise in any writing system based on any modern roman or non-roman script. read more
While for many majority-language users, the addition of Graphite to OpenOffice isn’t something that is very significant, for hundreds of minority communities around the world this represents an opportunity for their language to be written and read for generations to come.
Complex scripts are one of the topics we’ll be looking at in detail at next week’s Check IT Out event at the Wycliffe UK Centre – if you’re interested there’s just time to sign up still!
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Tags: computing, FLOSS, Graphite, IT, minority languages, Open Source, OpenOffice, SIL, Software
