Linux software, now in Bengali

KOLKATA: The state''s ambition to carry IT to the grassroots level received a boost on Thursday with open source provider Red Hat launching a Bengali beta version of Linux.
The ''Red Hat Enterprise Linux Bangla'' version will include applications such as office suite with a word processor, spread sheet, presentation tool, as well as a Web browser and a e-mail client.With the availability of these applications, users can share digitised text in Bengali across platforms which support Unicode.
Red Hat India director Javed Tapia said the commercial launch would happen in February 2005. State IT minister Manab Mukherjee said the Bengali version of Linux would benefit all sections of society.