It took well over three hours on a 256kbps connection for me to install Microsoft’s attempt at introducing its Indic language transliteration input tools to the Indian market. After the installation, for the longest time, I had no idea about how to use the Indic transliteration tools: there’s no guide or tutorial on Microsofts Indic tool download website. This this is a beta launch from Microsoft, but that’s no excuse. Two suggestions for Microsoft: Firstly, put out a tutorial on how to install, and more importantly, use after install (quick notes hidden in a Fact Sheet do not count). Secondly, make the product usable:
The Web version is supposed to work only with Internet Explorer, which, though the most popular browser in the world, isn’t the only one, and isn’t my browser-of-choice. It didn’t work with Chrone. Even with Internet Explorer, it didn’t work properly, as can be seen in the screencap on the right.
The product is supposed to offer free-form transliteration for Microsoft products and, according to the claim claim, other products as well. However, the transliteration, didn’t work for (Microsoft) Notepad, NoteTab or the Pidgin messenger.
All in all, a launch from Microsoft that is dead on arrival, based on the experience during installation, the difficulty in setting it up, and figuring out how to use the software, and actually using it. The only advantage that Microsoft could offer is that the software works offline, unlike the transliteration tools from Quillpad and Google, which we’ve covered before. Do read our extensive coverage of the Indic language space.
Makes me wonder if Microsoft expected anyone to actually try and install the product, instead of copy-pasting the press release.
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6 Comments until now.
Oh man Nikhil,
Kya post hai bhai yeh tho! DOA indeed.
Mr Pahwa – you make me smile :) — You are India's Michael Arrington.
Before anything else – please proof read your posts before posting (bunch of typos etc).
1. Who the hell reads or even expects 'tutorials' ? Which era are you living in ?
2. A 'beta' essentially means that only. A Google Beta is a fraudy beta — just to cover their asses in case they lose someone's critical data.
3. Microsoft only realased it for IE but I use chrome. Do you know what's Chrome's market share ? Do you know Google Talk Client still doesn't have a MAC version ?
Can you please stop sucking up to Google all the time and provide some unbiased journalism ?
Did you turn on Complex Script Support in XP? If you've used any IME before (Baraha, Bhasha, or even Google Transliteration on the web), this is a well known first step. I'm not saying it's ok for MS to expect the user to know this, but this isn't a fair to them to trash the product altogether.
I plyed around a bit and must say, I'm actually very impressed.
Another thing. This seems to be a limited tech preview (not a beta as you say) that has now closed. The page says a public version is coming soon. I'm a little confused as to why the link was published at alland then taken down so quickly. Come to think of it, only The Hindu seems to have published it, so maybe their screwup.
Hi guys try this one. Beats Google and Quill-Pad hollow. Comes from the stable of the guys who put Indic computing on the map. Pity it is not in the market and also pity it works only for Hindi and Gujarati:
http://transliteration.cdac.in/
I dont see why anyone should even create transliteration products. Its a 'kluge' and does not address the gap in input devices (keyboard) etc in local languages. No native language speaker is going to sit around figuring out how to get to their language using an englsih input device.
These are all pure PR exercises. I would rather MS invest time and effort in figuring out a good input device (maybe voice transcription or keyboard) and enable distribution of the same. Much more useful to the end user.
Nerds/techies and PR managers are not the holy grail for this product!
Praise the Lord for voices of sanity like Hari over here. Nahi tho aisa lagra tha ke ek dum se inthne saare beqoof kahaan se aagaye!
Yeh hai India ka kamaal. With 1.2 billion people the "ghadhah" index is truly high. But there is always atleast that one sane voice out there. Kya khayaal hai Nikhil bhai?