African localisation organisation Translate.org.za is to translate the popular WordPress blogging software into local languages.<\/p>\n
The organisation has identified WordPress as one of ten key applications to be translated in 2008 as part of its Decathlon project. <\/p>\n
Decathlon project lead, Samuel Murray, says that choosing WordPress wasn’t a difficult decision to make: "The WordPress blogging system is ideally suited as a platform for encouraging speakers of many languages to create content in their own languages. It is also easy to install and customisable," says Murray. In addition to providing blogging software for web site owners, WordPress also provides free hosting of blogs.<\/p>\n
Organised by Translate.org.za and funded by the Open Society Institute, Decathlon is a project to contribute to ten key localisation projects during 2008. <\/p>\n
Murray says that one thing that makes WordPress an ideal candidate for translation is its excellent documentation which is written and maintained by the volunteer translators themselves. <\/p>\n
"Normally, Decathlon would create guides for translators on the Translate.org.za wiki pages, but we are fortunate that the WordPress organisation already has extensive help files for translators and other developers." <\/p>\n
WordPress also shows its commitment to translators by providing blogs where visitors can download language packs in their languages, says Murray.<\/p>\n
The Decathlon project is not formally affiliated or associated with WordPress but, according to Murray that is the beauty of open source software translation. "Organisations such as ours can freely use open source software as catalysts for creating language communities," he says. <\/p>\n