Latest addition to the Windows XP SP2 – Nepali Locale

Microsoft Corporation released the Nepali locale for the Windows XP Service Pack 2 on August 9, 2005. Nepali users will welcome this development that paves the way for a version of Windows XP and Office 2003 in Nepali.

The significance of this update to the SP2 is the freedom allowed – Nepali users will now be able to type their text in Nepali, thus enabling advanced language processing.

The locale of any computer determines the information settings for a given location to suit the user’s environment. Thus, the language and cultural conventions, collation sequences, date and time formats, numeric formatting, monetary and currency formatting, and also formats of informative and diagnostic messages and interactive responses are automatically adjusted by the software to suit the user’s requirements.

The Nepali locale settings are based upon the National Standards of Cultural Conventions as set by High Level Commission of Information Technology, Government of Nepal.

The localization of Windows XP and Office 2003 in Nepali has been contracted out to a Nepali company, Unlimited Numedia Pvt Ltd based in Kathmandu. Allen Bailochan Tuladhar, Chief Executive Office of Unlimited also serves as the Member Secretary of Nepali Language in Information Technology, Steering Committee under the High Level Commission. Their aim is to develop and foster the usage of local language computing and its national standards, harmonizing it with international standards. With these initiatives, both Microsoft and Unlimited work very closely with the Nepalese government, academia, media, industry and IT professionals in developing standards for the ease of use for general users.

This update for the Windows XP SP2, can be obtained from: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=3fa7cdd1-506b-4ca0-bd47-b338e337a527&DisplayLang=en#instructions