Computer software in Indonesian

I read with interest your article of July 21, 2001 titled PC software in Indonesian to be launched.

I don't think that launching such software is the answer to making rural and city people computer-literate.

I know of people with a very low level of proficiency in English who are very proficient in operating the computer. These people speak a jargon, such as di download dulu, kemudian di SAVE AS, and the like, a combination of English and Indonesian, without bothering about translation. On the other hand, I also know of people who are proficient in English but who are afraid to touch a computer.

Some 20 years ago there was a Dr. Dali S. Niaga who managed to make an Indonesian DOS, but nothing came of it. DOS develops, and obviously the translator could not keep up. In addition, so many computer books have already been translated or written by local writers, and somehow people get by, even though many words are left untranslated. Why must we waste time and money in creating another (confusing) computer terminology?

Making people computer-literate is not a matter of language, but, I would say, a matter of attitude toward the computer. People must coalesce with the machine and regard it as an ally. It is the fear of the "unknown", the fear of something new, that keeps certain people away from the computer.

RUDI WILSON

Bandung