The Welsh language is to be introduced into Microsoft Windows as part of a project to increase usage by minority language speakers. It is one of 40 new languages due to be added, in response to complaints from around the world that youngsters were losing their native tongues.
Microsoft programmes already run in 40 languages including English, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese variants.
A Welsh start menu and some commands will be available in about six months.
Microsoft said it has received complaints from places such as Catalonia, Malaysia and the Arctic regions of Canada.
'Digital divide'
They claim the switch from native languages online is also affecting everyday speech, said BBC North America Business Correspondent Stephen Evans.
Some argue the fewer languages the better for global trade and understanding, but Microsoft is siding with "linguistic diversity", he said.
The other big linguistic groups to benefit from the expansion will be speakers of Gujarati and Tamil in India, of Catalan in Spain, and of Bahasa in Malaysia.
Native languages from Northern Canada and Ethiopia will also be added.
Start menus and instructions like 'save' and 'search' will be introduced, said Microsoft.
The company's worldwide public sector senior vice president Maggie Wilderotter said they were working with governments and academics to develop the languages over the next year, for Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Office 2003.
Dato' Hj A Aziz Deraman, of the national language authority of Malaysia, said the availability of Windows in Bahasa would speed up IT literacy and help bridge the "digital divide" between rural and urban areas.
Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri; Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mâd, Tros ryddid gollasant eu gwaed.
Gwlad, Gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad. Tra môr yn fur i'r bur hoff bau, O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau.
Hen Gymru fynyddig, paradwys y bardd, Pob dyffryn, pob clogwyn i'm golwg sydd hardd; Trwy deimlad gwladgarol, mor swynol yw si Ei nentydd, afonydd i mi.
Os treisiodd y gelyn fy ngwald tan ei droed, Mae hen iaith y Cymry mor fyw ac erioed, Ni luddiwyd yr awen gan erchyll law brad, Na thelyn berseiniol fy ngwlad.
I think that is a wonderful and brave judgement on their part.. The Global Village is a great place to play and do bussiness.. BUT,I am a product of my Culture and Country ,and take pride in it..
How fantastic that a HUGE company like that is celebrating the stuff of what makes us all the same, and yet so wonderfuly unique at the same time ...
This just made me smile .. Thanks for sharing it ..
In Service to the Dream, Paula
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Proud member of Clan Mac Roni , CEO of The KDC
The curve is mightier than the sword ...
"He's twitching, because , mah axe is embedded in his nervious system " ! LOTR
If you take a look at the language options in the Google home page you'll find they've been doing Welsh Language menus for some time (and many other minority language including "Frisian", the original language of the the North of the Netherlands, which is now acknowledged as the basis for the English language).
Yeh i've used Welsh google, but this is a bigger step. You can't get onto google without an OS and the main one is Windows. It's about time they added Welsh language support to it.
Bòrd na Gàidhlig is also working on a translation. I don't know if it's out yet, since I don't plan to get Vista. You can get a list of translated words here.
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Hmmm methinks Bill Gates is just trying to keep ahead of the h he designed the curve, though he is the designer of the curve. Throwing any OS he wants at the public even if it is not fully developed. Cudo's for sharing the site, It is now in my favorites