Microsoft launches first programs in Indonesian
Microsoft launches first programs in Indonesian
The Jakarta Post , Jakarta
After twenty years as a chemistry lecturer at a Jakarta public
high school (SMU), Sri Rahayu Ningsih's dream has come true with
all the teachers in her school now having access to computers
while teaching.
"Teachers are aware of the significance of computer usage for
communication with their students, for example, when students
turn in their research papers and present their projects," Sri of
SMU 67 in East Jakarta told The Jakarta Post.
However, Sri said that her limited English affected her
ability to optimally use computers.
For the last week her school has been trailing a special
version of Microsoft's popular Windows XP operating system and
Office XP suite of programs that use Bahasa Indonesia in all
menus, messages and help systems. The programs were launched by
Microsoft in Jakarta on Tuesday.
To produce the programs, Microsoft worked together with the
Indonesian central language agency to translate 320,000 words,
75,000 sentences and 22,000 phrases. In August 2004, Microsoft
launched beta versions of Office XP Starter Edition in five
countries -- India, Malaysia, Thailand, Russia and Indonesia.
The programs using Bahasa Indonesia provide features such as
localized and tailored support, and preconfigured settings to
minimize difficulties in the setup menu.
Microsoft Office Standard Edition includes the programs Word,
Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook, all using Bahasa Indonesia.
"Based on last year's data, personal computer penetration in
the Indonesia is less than 2 percent of the population," said
president director of PT Microsoft Indonesia Tony Chen.
He explained that there were only 3.9 million personal
computers in the country last year, thus making Indonesia a
highly potential market for computer sales, said Tony.
"Our sales target is unlimited and we will be targeting the
market outside Jakarta," Tony said during the launch of Windows
XP Starter and Microsoft Office in Bahasa Indonesia on Tuesday,
adding that the trial at Sri's school was part of Microsoft's
promotion efforts for the products.
Meanwhile, the village chief of Pawenang, Sukabumi, West Java,
Dharma Lidjaja, also tried out the new software for himself.
"I hope that computers will become more accessible at more
affordable prices," said Dharma on Tuesday.
He said that nearly all of his village's 4,962 residents, who
were mainly farmers and merchants, would benefit from using
computers to gain access to information. (004)