thank you

Please do not mix the word “english” and Latin Script
“english” is written by using the Latin Script. All characters in the Latin script are registered in the unicode falling into several pages.

Visit
http://www.decodeunicode.org/

and click on any ;;;; to see the registered characters

Sinhala is given on

http://www.decodeunicode.org/w3.php?ucHex=0D80

You can see that you cannot write a simple letter like “DU” “KU”
There are no locations for these characters

So every font maker either image these characters wrong or give a different locations in their font
Therefore the text written by one writer cannot be read by another writer looks garbage

ICTA came with the unicode sinhala. This also reads as rubbish

Visit
http://www.unicode.org/review/pr-96.html

quote from unicode
To make matters worse, it’s possible to misapply format characters such that users can create strings that look the same but actually contain different characters, which can create security problems (see UTR# 36: Unicode Security Considerations).
Unquote

If you go down on the same unicode link they have given an image for you to read.

also visit
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7528191@N04/

for more examples

We have the change the SLSI 1134 and I have the solution
I have published it on ISBN 955-98975-0-0 (C)

Invite me to solve the probelm

Donald Gaminitillake
http://www.akuru.org

If we have a quick look at the present situation; the children have a great enthusiasm for computers and they pour into computer labs when ever the time permits, intending to learn something new. Comparing to the year 2000, the present day student has a kind of an acquired ICT knowledge which eases the burden of the teacher (In my school the school computer section was started in the year 2000 with the support of Lanka Academic Network).Parents also direct their children towards learning computers and most of the enthusiastic and educated parents think about purchasing PC s and getting internet connections. Teachers are being trained and now most of them have basic ICT knowledge to use ICT in the teaching-learning process. Responses for the G.C.E O\L ICT subject are positive and now even the private institutions have begun supplementary classes for the ICT and GIT subjects. Educational content in local languages are emerging slowly although the said software are still to be improved. The government spends millions of Rupees to improve school ICT sections and the SchoolNet shows promising developments. As you notice all above are positive points and as we all know all these points are overused in flashy news headings and big ICT conferences. After believing all these colorful stories it is hard to avoid us from gliding into a dream of a possible ICT boost in a few more months time.

In understanding the real situation, it is important to have a closer look at the subject matter and you are sure to find some disturbing bitter factors underneath the layers of sugar of ICT education in Sri Lanka. The biggest problem the teachers have to face is finding a way to deal with rigid school time tables/curriculum and formal education procedures. There must be a control and a good system to monitor but those measures should not delay the progress for too long. Teachers require further trainings and more capacity building programs on the practical use of ICT in the daily teaching-learning process,. At present there is no proper way to select teachers for special trainings and most of the opportunities are limited to the metropolitan nucleus.

Schools need more computers and there should be mechanism to maintain the machines properly but unfortunately the enthusiastic computer providers have failed to provide a quality after sales service even after selling a computer to a chubby sum of 155,000 LKR ( Correct me if the amount is wrong). One company with a surgical Precision constantly fails to attend their maintenance tasks and they easily neglect the jobs undertaken with assigned numbers. Either this company is formed instantly for the purpose and now only the receptionist is remaining or may be they are busy with new orders. (The writer will reveal full company details including contact numbers in the next communication) The number of computers could have been tripled if the computers were purchased from a local vendor who satisfies govt. criteria. The furniture is of low quality (The lecture hall chairs: They have used a stapler to fix the seat covering and this was the first time I witnessed such a thing)

The “Sinhala Language Issue” is another major problem we are going around for nearly decade now. I have a few very simple questions to ask: Why can’t I use Sinhala in the computer as I use the English. What is the reason for the huge gaps in the text of Sinhala websites? If Japanese and other languages with thousands of characters can be successfully used in computers why can’t we find a solution to this Sinhala language problem? TThe students and teachers require more educational content but the system has failed to cater the present need.he Sinhala/Tamil speaking people are waiting for the day they can use their native languages in computers and the ICT experts of our country are fighting with each other refusing to listen or to think. The local content must enter the web freely and then only the common people can reap the real benefits of ICT.

Thank you

This is the equivalent of treating the people who can just write their names as ‘literate’.

This definition is good for politicians. They can claim they have increased IT literacy from X% to Y% in Z years etc, but I am not sure whether it has any impact on the society at large.

There was also a discussion on parallel lines at LIRNEasia site sometime back. http://www.lirneasia.net/2006/08/sri-lankas-computer-literacy-survey-questionnaire

What is the alternate basic exam that Lasith is referring to? Is not any kind of written exam harmful to IT literacy?(I am assuming that these exams would degenerate to largely pen and paper exams). What do you think of something like the Computer Drivers license as an alternative?

The British School in Colombo used the CDL as their assessment tool. The test actually requires a demonstration of competence at a keyboard. You can pick up the skills anywhere but you have to demonstrate competencies of a listed set of tasks at a designated computer center. NAITA (National Apprentice and Industrial Training Agency. ) is the body that is authorized to administer that. Unfortunately, That test is now not even on their Web site (http://www.naita.slt.lk/). Although ACTOS says it is (http://www.actos.lk/about.html). I have at home a little booklet that NAITA gives. I used to it guide some kids who came home to use our computers. True the CDL is mostly Microsoft-based. But would not anything be better than written exams. If the Dept of education has a skills-oriented test in mind why reinvent the wheel?

If SRILANKA to develop, THESE ” IDIOTS OF IT ” must retire

Thanks

http://www.unicode.org/review/pr-96.html

I quote from unicode
“To make matters worse, it’s possible to misapply format characters such that users can create strings that look the same but actually contain different characters, which can create security problems”
Unquote

The Solution is given by Donald.

First we got to correct the Sinahla SLSI and move these project forward

Donald Gaminitillake
Colombo