Arabic Mac OS X localization progress

[Magnus]

From Apple IMC ME's localization department we learned yesterday that the arabic localization is progressing and they have a timeline, which we're sharing with you here today.

A core system Arabization of Mac OS X 10.4.8 Intel is expected to be completed at the end of March 2007, with a release date expected about a month after that.

Fully Arabized version of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard will start in April 2007 and expected completion date is September 2007. Final release should be some two to four weeks after that, so in October 2007 you should be able to get a fully Arabic Leopard.

There is also major work underway to translate parts of Apple IMC ME's web site into Arabic. In addition to the site much Apple documentation in the form of Features Guides and User Guides will be translates into Arabic and they should start appearing from March 2007. Included in this is User Guides for Cinema Display, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, iPod Hi-Fi, iMac, iPod, MacBook, and Mac Pro.

As you know I don't speak or write Arabic but I know how important this is to many of you, to have a Mac OS that is fully supporting your language. I applaud the efforts made to Arabize Mac OS X and hope that they can keep to the timeline.

[Magnus]

To remind you, we previewed an early beta version of Arabic Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger last year.

[MacUAE]

Thats good news and I applaud ABM on their efforts. I guess the timing is not too bad, but it better than nothing.

[AliSawaya]

Some delays in the localization process but at least we have confirmed dates now. I am very happy that the IMC are arabizing the manuals. Good thing indeed. Let us hope they will post them on their site as PDF fomat and not hard copies.

Thanks for the info. and update.

Ali

[istara]

This is fantastic news. I am not an Arabic user, but I can feel the gap in the market.

I hope localisation works better than it does in MS, where it always seems to be impossible to toggle, and it also seems to toggle on from some arcane key combination that one presses by accident. Suddenly you are trying to write an email, and the text comes out in Arabic, or you are in a Word.doc and suddenly everything is going backwards, and there is no apparent way to revert to English (and I'm sure the reverse is also true).

I am assuming Apple will use something like the International menu, using a clear icon that transends language, where users can easily toggle between languages. Like the English/[Arabic - written in arabic] options on regional websites.

[MoeXS]

Finally......but i'll wait for the leopard one....

[Gabba]

WOW, WOW, WOW, finally it is happenning. I thought the ME market was given away forever by Apple to Windows. I give my appreciation to all those involved in the making of the Arabic version of the great MacOSX.

I hope, REALLY hope, that some of the Apps makers like FileMaker Pro, for example, Arabize their products. The market is in REAL need for a database program that can manage Arabic data on the MacOSX.

Also, would this mean that we can have iPods displaying songs in Arabic names (let us danace). How's about the iPhone? would it work in Arabic - contacts and sms.

With all the hassle in the ME, the future looks bright again.

Thank you again and again and again....

[Zaid Al Hilali]

I hope, REALLY hope, that some of the Apps makers like FileMaker Pro, for example, Arabize their products. The market is in REAL need for a database program that can manage Arabic data on the MacOSX

You can get FinalMaker Pro with enhanced features for the Middle Eastern user from Winsoft/France

Also, would this mean that we can have iPods displaying songs in Arabic names (let us danace). How's about the iPhone? would it work in Arabic - contacts and sms.

Not necessarily, but if Apple would localize iPod's software so it can display Arabic on it then yeah.

[Riklar]

I think it would be a wonderful news to Mac users who use to write from right to left.
The issue is divided into two aspects:
- A local interface. It is important but less important than the second point, IMHO.
- The ability to write from R2L by the system itself. For instance, Apple softwares like Pages or Keynote do not have the capacity to handle R2L paragraphs or having text in both English and ME language. This is also the problem with the Mac version of Office 2004.
I know that some solutions can be found with NeoOffice, but we need Apple to recognize that in our world there are many people who love Mac and who wish to be able to write freely and without difficulties in their languages on their Mac.
There are two wordprocessors, Mellel and Nisus Express on the OSX which have this capacity, but we need that capacity in the system itself to enable Mail.app to write R2L directions.

I think that the second point MUST be resolved by Apple as fast as possible.

Thanks

[Zaid Al Hilali]

Well Riklar, RTL in Pages, Text Edit or any other application will not be solved I'm afraid by "Arabizing" the OS. These apps. needs Apple software writers to work on them specifically to write RTL as we did before. But I do agree with you totally about the importance of producing a full Arabic package that convince local buyer.

Before we had an Arabic Simple Text application that's the equivallent of Text Edit now.