One of the most frequently asked question I encounter is:

Is there (free) English – Tamil translation software for download / online / offline?

The sad answer is NO.

There are some long running machine based translation research projects at Universities. But none have given usable product yet. Google offers translation services for Hindi. They also give a translation toolkit that can be used for any language. Right now it’s efficiency for Tamil translation is very rudimentary. It is supposed to get better when more users use it.

Google says that it can bring automatic machine based translation for Tamil too, if it can get millions of pages of documents with English and Tamil translation side by side. One place where such translated documents may reside with the legal department of the country. It’s in the Government’s hands to give them for public research if not to a private company like Google.

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Tamil computing forums:

1. Free Tamil computing group – Free Tamil computing group is a good place to discuss, announce various topics related to Tamil computing. The group is quite active and has lot of friendly people.

2. INFITT – INFITT is a well known Think-Tank  for Tamil computing. The group has lot of veterans and plays a key role world for policy decisions regarding Tamil computing and Tamil Internet. It is a must for any Tamil computing enthusiast to know what’s happening.

3. TamilFOSS – This is a very new forum our friends started. You can ask very practical help, doubts in Tamil regarding usage of free and open source software.

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List of Tamil Text to Speech converters:

1. Tamil Text to Speech converter from MILE lab, IISc – This converter is a recent invention by Dr. A. G. Ramakrishnan and his group. Kudos for them. The converter is in beta stage and exceeded my expectation in its quality.

2. Dhvani – The conversion quality is not as good as Tamil Text to Speech converter from MILE lab, IISc. But Dhvani is a free software for Linux that can be used offline and provides support for many Indian languages.

Auvai Text to speech converter from Gopi – This tool by Gopi is still in development. I expect it to be a promising one considering Gopi’s other tools. I am linking it here so that interested people can work together.

Do you any other tool for text to speech conversion?

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Tamil Typing software for computers:

1. NHM Writer – The ultimate tamil typing software I recommend. Works in Windows only.

2. TamilKey (a) TamilVisai – Firefox extension for typing Tamil. Since it is browser based works on all operating systems but can only be used online and only inside the browser.

3. SCIM – For typing Tamil in Ubuntu.

I recommend using the Tamil99 keyboard for faster, easier, tiredness-free typing experience in the long term. You can practice Tamil99 Keyboard at http://wk.w3tamil.com

Related post: கணினியில் தமிழில் எழுதுவது எப்படி?

Warning 1: Never use Google Indic transliterator for Tamil

Warning 2: You can type Tamil for free in computer. Need not buy any paid software.

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Would you like to blog in a own domain like me? I am offering Free WordPress web hosting now. Please see if it helps. Thanks.

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List of websites that sell Tamil books online:

1. NHM – Kizhakku Padhippagam – Online shop of the leading Tamil publication house Kizhakku Padhippagam (கிழக்குப் பதிப்பகம் ). Offers free shipping within India for purchases more than INR 250. It’s the only Tamil publication whose books are available in Amazon.com .

2. Anyindian.com – One of the oldest Tamil websites selling a vast collection of Tamil books, magazines, English books and much more.

3. Vadaly.com – An upcoming Eelam based startup selling its own publications.

4. Kaanthalakam

5. Tamilbooksbazaar.com

6. Udumalai.com

Special mention:

7. Viruba.com – A database for Tamil books.

8. Tamil Book Market

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List of websites giving first hand, authentic news from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ( LTTE ) view point:

* TamilNet.com

* Puthinam.com

Is there any other news website that gives original and trust worthy news regarding the LTTE ? Please let me know in the comments.

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List of Google Services available in Tamil:

1. Tamil Google News – This is a significant milestone in Tamil internet with automatic aggregation and grouping of Tamil news content from both Unicode and Non-Unicode websites.

2. Tamil Google transliterator – Beware! I don’t recommend using Google Tamil Transliterator

The following services have an option for Tamil interface:

3. Gmail

4. Orkut

5. Blogger

6. Google Search

7. Google Groups

8. Google Docs

Do you any other Google service that caters to the needs of Tamil? Please let me know in the comments.

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Free Tamil fonts download websites:

1. Technology development for Indian Languages (TDIL) is a Government of India initiative under Indian Language Data center (ILDC). ILDC provides Open type and True Type Tamil fonts for download from Centre for Development of Advanced computing (C-DAC), Chennai Kavigal, Cadgraf Digitals Pvt. Ltd., Modular Infotech Pvt. Ltd., Pune.

2. Tamilnation.org page on Tamil Unicode is the most comprehensive and extensive collection of information and download links for Tami Unicode fonts. It also provides links for TAB and TAM fonts, TSCII fonts and other Tamil fonts for Linux, Windows and Mac operating systems.

3. Tamil Wikipedia Font Help page gives detailed instructions on how to install Tamil fonts across all operating systems.

4. Tamilnadu Government provides Open type Tamil fonts, True Type Tamil fonts and Tamilnet99 compatible keyboards drivers and data conversion utility for free download.

5. Electronics corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (ELCOT), a Government of Tamil Nadu undertaking, provides lot of free Tamil fonts, keyboard drivers and other tools.

6. TAB and TAM fonts from Tamil Virtual University. These fonts help in viewing many of the Government of Tamilnadu websites and old non-unicode Tamil web pages.

7. WAZU Japan’s gallery of Tamil Unicode fonts

8. Alanwood list for downloading Tamil Unicode fonts

9. Tamil Unicode fonts download page from South Asia Language Resource Centre of University of Chicago

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Websites of Tamil Literature magazines in print:

1. Keetru – கீற்று is a non-profit volunteer initiative to host lot of small Tamil literature magazines like புது விசை, தலித் முரசு, விழிப்புணர்வு, பெரியார் முழக்கம், மாற்றுக் கருத்து, கவிதா சரண், அணங்கு, அணி, பெண்ணியம், முழக்கம், தமிழர், புத்தகம் பேசுது, கனவு, சஞ்சாரம், செம்மலர், மண்மொழி, நெய்தல், தக்கை, சமூக நீதித் தமிழ்த்தேசம். Keetru is one of the extensive, comprehensive and informative contemporary Tamil literature source online. The magazines hosted are intentionally selected and voice alternative and forward thinking supporting the oppressed people.

2. Noolaham.net – நூலகம் is a non-profit collaborative volunteer initiative from SriLanka to digitize Tamil literary works from Eelam. Besides archiving many old magazines, it presents contemporary magazines like மல்லிகை, ஞானம், பயில் நிலம்.

3. Kalachuvadu.com – காலச்சுவடு provides a very valuable archive of all it’s monthly publications. It is one of the very well designed Tamil magazine portals.

4. Uyirmai.com – Besides hosting the printed உயிர்மை magazine, Uyirmmai has a column / blog page by its publisher Manushyaputhiran. The site also offers online shopping to buy Tamil books published by Uyirmai.

5. Vadakkuvaasal.com –

Do you know any other printed Tamil literature magazine present online? Please let me know in the comments. You may also want to know the websites of popular Tamil writers.

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