Friday, August 15, 2008

Apertium in 'The Guardian'

There was an article about our Welsh translator in yesterday's Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/aug/14/freeourdata.opensource

"Flummoxed by a document in Welsh? Now you can get a free translation at cymraeg.org.uk. The Apertium-cy software, described as the first free automatic translator from Welsh to English, is the fruit of a multilingual effort involving developers in Spain, Wales and Ireland pushing forward the possibilities of open-source software and, they hope, free public-sector data."

The focus of the article is on how we weren't able to use public data compiled by the Welsh Language Board:

'When we contacted the Welsh Language Board, however, it said the Apertium team couldn't be more wrong. "We welcome re-use," it said. Although the small print forbids unauthorised reproduction, the board says it would be delighted to consider requests. Where feasible, it will make products available under what it says would be "a suitable free non-commercial agreement".'

Well, if they had ever returned any of my phone calls, maybe we could have used their data. Maybe they'll give me an answer now :)

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