All

This is an interesting question, though to my mind the wider web context of publishing in different character sets is an even more challenging prospect that within a closed network like the Tate. 

At 24 Hour Museum we are currently preparing a series of community arts/history/heritage trails in foreign languages -ie non-European character sets. These are to sit within our Culture Online-funded City Heritage Guides project. 

We looked into the whys and wherefore of the situation and decided that offering .pdf downloads is the best way to go. This is a good compromise solution enabling us to publish, say, a trail of Sikh heritage sites and artefacts in Leicester on the web, within our budget guidelines.

Factors that shaped the decision

1. Our planned trails or features may be accessed in public access points -ie UK Online Centres. If you're intending to author html or dynamic pages in non-Euro characters the reader will need to know how to download the appropriate character sets from the MS download centre - if you're on a PC. Naturally this would be difficult or probably blocked on a public access system. (Not a problem though accessed over a gallery intranet like within Tate)
2. We felt this was also beyond the tech ability or network permissions of most of our target audiences in home environments or schools, though of course many are familiar with downloading the latest version of Flash etc.  

So we're doing .pdfs which are easily printable: most people have got Acrobat and we are just left with the job of getting good translation that is contextually aware. In cities like Leicester, Leeds and Manchester we're now looking forward to working with a broad range of communities and giving them the chance to read cultural material, which they have had a hand in shaping themselves, in graphic forms that really communicate.

> Jon Pratty
> Editor
> 24 Hour Museum
> [log in to unmask]
> www.24hourmuseum.org.uk
> www.show.me.uk
> Tel 01273 820044
> 
> The National Online Guide To 3000 Museums, Galleries and Heritage Sites  
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-----Original Message-----
From: Joe Hall [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 22 September 2004 11:11
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Dealing with foreign language texts


Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had had any useful experience of dealing with
foreign language texts, especially those using non-Western scripts
and/or reading right-to-left (e.g. Japanese, Arabic).  We are looking to
publish these as html for international online visitors wanting to read
more about displays at Tate Britain.

We have looked into html specifications, and although any advice on this
would be useful, I was wondering in particular about any good/easy
practices for receiving text from translation agencies, editing/viewing
these texts internally (e.g. using MS Word?), and any platform/browser
software issues.

Many thanks for any help,

Joe Hall

Web Editor
Digital Programmes
Tate