Internationalization, also referred to as i18n, is the process of translating an application into a different language. Here in East-Africa, we have of-course been eagerly awaiting the process of translating the mainly Enlish language based applications and operating systems, into Kiswahili.

With the dawn of Open Source software in East-Africa, thanks to the growing communities involved, translation has over the past few years taken a good step forward. Whereas Microsoft had been dragging its heels for years, soon after fully Kiswahili versions of OpenOffice.org and FireFox Web-browser became available (see below) Microsoft announced a Kiswahili Office. Though the latter was costly, cumbersome and badly translated, and as such failed. So what is available today?

An overview of what is available free of charge:

• Jambo OpenOffice – The Kiswahili version of the OpenOffice suite of applications.
• klnX -The Open Kiswahili Localization Project from the University of DSM (with, amongst others, the Swahili Firefox Web-browser and Swahili SpellChecker)
• Microsoft Office Kiswahili Dictionary Language Interface Pack for registered versions of Office 2003

Kiswahili resources on the web:

• The Kamusi Project – The Internet Living Swahili Dictionary (their Software page).
• Google’s live translation of words, sentences or entire pages:  Kiswahili > English &  English > Kiswahili
• Ungefanyaje? A kiswahili computer game made by the UN to stop the spread of HIV (BBC News)
• Surfing in Kiswahili (article on BBC News)
• Bongo Radio – Swahili Internet Radio
• Swahili Centre – Sharing Swahili Culture & Experiences

News on Kiswahili Computing:

• Follow Kamusi on Twitter, the latest news on Swahili Software and Sites