[Wikimediaindia-l] (OT) On the importance of Unicode

[Nikhil Sheth]

Great discussion, but I wonder why I didn't see any real, easy, doable,
inexpensive, quickfix solution put forth that every Indian on the internet
can begin using immediately to get around the Unicode Vs custom Fonts issue.

So here's some from me:

1. Quick copy-paste, working with a net connection:
http://www.google.com/transliterate/

2. Put a bookmarklet/favorite in your browser to type in Indian language in
any site. इधर भी : http://t13n.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/blet/docs/help.html

3. Get these languages installed in 5 mins on your machine so you can use it
in any application from notepad to chat :
http://www.google.com/ime/transliteration/ or sneak out the files for
offline installation in your hometown using this neat hack:
http://visibleblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/google-transliteration-ime-offline.html

(I know our greatest angels won't care about this one because it only works
on Evil Windows!)

4. Indian made alternative both editor and input language:
http://www.baraha.com/

Sincere apologies to the purists who might blow up like a volcano at either
going to the Evil Google Lord for help, or Daring to use transliteration
instead of the
so-easy-to-use-and-learn-if-only-you-spend-a-whole-day-on-it-and-get-an-indic-script-keyboard-from-God-knows-where-because-everyone-is-well-off-and-supposed-to-be-living-in-a-well-connected-metro-like-me.


If there is an open-source/cross-platform/creative commons/kumbayaah
solution where we don't have to mug up what to do when we forget what we are
supposed to have mugged up like the key combination for भ or त्र or ण
or ळinstead of just typing "bh" or "tra" or "na" or "l" and (if
needed)
backspacing twice to get a dropdown menu to choose what we truly want and
moving on with our lives, or where we don't have to bend the laws of physics
to get that elusive त्सा or perform computer साल्सा to have that split
letter stuff on our screen then let's have it right here and right now or
let's get our hands dirty and make'em for the love of the Lord instead of
blasting the impure and corrupt Harijans who dare to take shortcuts for the
sake of getting their work done on time.

(Disclaimer : Only little offense meant with the hope to give a kick and
create a demand for real open source solutions that can rival the private
ones)


Cheers,
Nikhil Sheth
+91-966-583-1250
Pune, India
Teach For India <http://www.teachforindia.org/> Fellow, 2011-13
www.nikhilsheth.tk
Find me on: Twitter <http://twitter.com/nikhiljs> |
Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/nikjs>|
LinkedIn <http://in.linkedin.com/in/nikhiljs> | Google
<http://www.google.com/profiles/nikhil.js>|
RangDe<http://www.rangde.org/investor/nikhilsheth>
Join me on: Pune Documentary
Club<http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=138497769525636>| Let's
Do it Pune <http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lets-do-it-Pune/103857326346659> |
Toastmasters in
Pune<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Toastmasters-in-Pune/148767611833746>|
Wikipedia
For Schools project<http://education.wikia.com/wiki/Wikipedia_For_Schools_Offline_Edition>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaindia-l/attachments/20110224/adc5d17d/attachment.htm