Dwayne Bailey
Founder and Managing Director of Translate.org.za
ET1: Emerging Technologies Session
ICT for a Multilingual Knowledge Society

Summary:

Q1, Your panel touches on a very complex subject such as cultural appropriateness of ICTs. Why do you think localizing ICTs to the needs of developing countries is a priority?

For me it's the reality that not everybody speaks English, and not everybody uses software in the way that developers envisioned. By making it localized we can change it to the language that the people speak and make it relevant to the people and the cultural environment in which they use it.

Q3, What are the most important challenges for the real localization and effective translation? Are there specific challenges for localization in developing countries?

One is the predominance of English and the perception of economic value of English, there is a practical problem because decision makers may speak English and the desires of people wanting to use ICTs and wanting to advance their English. On a practical, technological level is often finding appropriate terminology so we can localize applications consistently.

Q4. What are your expectations from GK3? How can GK3 become a real milestone in the history of ICT4D?

From my experience before, what is amazing for me is being in a community with people of many different facets of the development agenda. It exposes me and other people to what we do. People who don't think much about localization may be able to put it in their agendas in terms of what they are delivering in ICT4D.