SuSE, the German Linux distributor, has announced it is readying to release Zulu and Xhosa versions of its distribution. The two new languages will be included as options in version 7.2 of its distribution.
The project is a collaborative effort between SuSE and local consulting firm Saffral Consulting. "We are doing the translations locally and we will then submit them to SuSE for inclusion," says Robin Hayes, GM of Saffral Consulting.
The Zulu and Xhosa translations will only affect the SuSE installer and the basic desktop file systems, says Hayes. These would include translations for the Konqueror file manager. "Anything beyond that would be a nightmare to achieve." Instruction manuals and other documentation will also still be in English.
Hayes notes that SuSE is fully committed to the Southern Africa region: "SuSE wants to make inroads in SA and in terms of government the company felt that the product would be more acceptable if it was available in a local language."
He says the availability of software in local languages is a first and has "great significance in the educational field with the move towards equipping every high school with computers in order to bridge the digital divide".
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