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Myanmar Open Source Software Background Computer software support for Myanmar languages is still a long way behind that of most other major languages. This makes IT education in Myanmar more difficult, impedes electronic communication in Burmese and makes the handling of Burmese documents and data much harder than it should be. It is difficult or impossible to add proper Myanmar support to the software of proprietary Multinational Software Vendors because there is very little financial incentive. Open Source Software can be modified with little input from the original developers. The key benfits of Open Source Software for Myanmar are: • Myanmar support can be readily added to the software • The Open Source software community is very open to adding new languages and improving language support • The software is legal and guaranteed to remain without cost, there are no expensive licensing issues • Major Open Source software packages are technically equal to and sometimes superior to proprietary software.
i Love Myanmar seeks to be involved in the following areas: |
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Unicode Fonts Aim: To provide a high quality font, which fully complies with the International Unicode Standard, to enable all ethnic groups in Myanmar to communicate effectively on the Internet and offline. Benefits: A Myanmar Unicode compliant font is a prerequisite for producing web based materials in the Burmese, Sgaw Karen, Pwo Karen, Kayah, Mon, Shan languages. Unicode is an international standard allocating unique numbers for each character used in the world. In April 2008 the Unicode standard was updated to include almost all of the characters in use in Myanmar: Burmese, Mon, Karen and Shan. However, there no fonts available yet which reliably support all of the Myanmar scripts that have now been included in Unicode. The Padauk font from SIL International is a free (Open Font License) font which i Love Myanmar is already utilizing for different projects. i Love Myanmar will continue to work with SIL to improve Padauk with the goal of fully supporting all of the Myanmar languages. |
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Myanmar Open Office Aim: To provide a high quality Myanmar Office suite suitable for Myanmar language IT education, government and business use. Benefits: • Myanmar language menus and dialogs will make it easier for new computer users to learn the software. • Myanmar OpenOffice is almost the only software that can sort Burmese correctly. • The software will correctly line break Burmese text – an important consideration for a language without spaces after each word. A significant part of Open Office has already been translated into Myanmar, i Love Myanmar will continue to play a key role in facilitating the completion of this process as well as incorporating Myanmar specific changes to Open Office. |
Christian Software
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1. Myanmar Bible Software Aims: To make the bible available in all Myanmar languages on the Internet and Offline for ministry and personal study. Benefits: • The Bible is available on the internet to Myanmar language speakers whether in Myanmar or among the diaspora. • Verses can be readily copied for use in Bible studies or sermon notes. • The Bible is fully searchable and allows two translations to be viewed in parallel. The MyanmarBible.com website which i Love Myanmar was heavily involved in is already readily accessible. |
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2. Myanmar Christian Encyclopaedia Aims: To provide a Christian encyclopaedia in Myanmar languages to assist theological education and ministry. Benefits: • The encyclopaedias will be in at least Falam Chin and Myanmar enabling speakers of these languages to research the bible more easily (most existing material is in English only). • The resources will be fully searchable unlike paper encyclopaedias. • The material could be linked with the Myanmar Bible Software. |
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In Loving Memory of Baby Emmanuel
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