PC software in Indonesian to be launched
PC software in Indonesian to be launched
JAKARTA (JP): The government will launch in August Indonesian
language-based computer software in an effort to widen computer
usage to cover people in rural areas, according to the office of
state minister of research and technology.
Utari Budihardjo, an assistant deputy at the office's
information network development project, said that the project
had established a team to translate English language software
terminologies into Indonesian.
Thus far, she said, the team had compiled 629 Indonesian
language computer terminologies.
For some computer-literate people, however, the Indonesian
terms sound strange. For instance, "password" will be replaced
with sandi lewat, "mouse" with tetikus, "download" with unduh and
so on.
Utari, however, contended that the Indonesian-language
computer software would be introduced to computer users in rural
areas, who had low proficiency in English.
"We realize that there is a segment in society that can afford
computers but is unable to operate the software due to the
language barrier," Utari said in the media conference.
On top of that, Utari said, the Indonesian language
terminologies should also conform with the Malay ones because the
project was a result of a cooperation agreement between
Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
"We cannot produce a whole different terminology to what
Malaysia and Brunei have created. The agreement clearly
stipulates that," Utari said.
"We realize some of the terminologies are odd, but our team's
objective is to announce to the public there are official
Indonesian IT terminologies, although at the end, the public will
be the ones to decide whether to adopt the terms or not," Utari
said.
Utari said the team would embark on a six-month public
awareness program for Indonesian language-based computer
applications starting August 10.
The program would include a road show, starting in East Java,
and traveling to Bali, Central and West Java.
After reviewing the six-month roadshow, the team will proceed
to other provinces across Indonesia, Utari said.
The road show team will be equipped with Internet access
computers, along with computer programs containing the latest
farming and agriculture materials, which the team considers to be
the best approach in presenting IT to rural communities.
The project team comprises representatives from the Indonesian
Institute of Sciences (LIPI), the Indonesian Linguistic Center,
private information technology companies as well as universities.
(06)