AS part of the ongoing trend of software localisation, Silicon Graphics recently unveiled a new Chinese interface for its graphical workstations and servers. The Silicon Graphics Chinese Language Module (CLM) implements a system-level use of traditional or simplified Chinese. It also provides translation of the Silicon Graphics Indigo Magic user environment incorporating mail and multimedia. Silicon Graphics viewed it as an important step into the Asian market. ''Along with our module for Japanese, the Chinese-language capability greatly enhances our ability to bring high-quality visual computing to the Asian arena,'' Edward McCracken, chairman and chief executive officer for Silicon Graphics, said. The Chinese Language Module could accept multiple input methods including the woobi radical method and the popular pinyin transcription system. Unlike some other pinyin input systems, which translate on a character-by-character or word-by-word basis, the CLM allows users to write a sentence before the transcription is converted into characters. The Chinese language module was developed in the US after extensive consultations with Silicon Graphics offices in Asia. ''In Hong Kong we played a co-ordination role,'' Vincent Lee, product specialist at the company's Hong Kong office, said. The office in the territory is the sales headquarters for Hong Kong and China. ''The major development was done in Mountain View [California].'' According to Mr Lee, Silicon Graphics expected that introduction of the CLM should make a significant impact on sales in Hong Kong and China. ''It will increase sales a lot,'' he said. ''A lot of Chinese users do not how to use UNIX in English. They prefer to use their own language.''
