Internet Users in India

[drbiohealth]

This is a clarion call for marketers who have either shunned or used the internet sparingly, blissfully ignorant in their belief that the Net is a largely metro, high-income and English-speaking consumers' medium.


http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/07/05/1704972.htm

[sunsei21]

well i guess i know where to search next;)

[TrafficDomainer]

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/07/05/1704972.htm

Hi Dr,

Thanks for the article. I have been contemplating about registering Indian domains but I am still unsure about the potential. I have been to India twice and see that even Indians who don't speak much English in small cities and towns don't have keyboards in local languages. Even internet cafes where these folks may access the internet don't have local language keyboards.

This contrasts significantly with a market like Thailand for instance where keyboards are usually bilingual in Thai and English and students learn to type in both the languages in typing classes. As far as I know most of the texbooks taught in Indian schools for specific subjects use English as the medium of instruction. English is the official written language of India. Although rural people in India may read local newspapers in local languages, chances of them typing in local languages are slim because 1) Lack of local language keyboard 2) Lack of typing skill in local languages. Most of the major portals in Thailand, Japan and China are all in their respective languages. For instance, rediff (a top Indian site) is in English) and Sanook.com (top Thai website is in Thai). When you type www.google.co.jp, goole.cn and google.co.th, you know that they use local languages but for google.co.in , it' English, so I am wondering what your thoughts are on this? If the demand for local languages in India are high, why don't companies come out with local language keyboards for everyday use and schools not teach typing in local languages? In Thailand even before the days of the internet, typewriters in Thai were commonly used more so than in English. Bilingual Thai-English keyboards have ofcourse replaced typewrters almost completely.

Your take on this will be greatly appreiciated so I could decide on registering Indian names accordingly. Thanks for your help.

Yours,

TrafficDomainer

[drbiohealth]

Too many issues .. :) OK, one by one.

Hindi keyboard: Previously, there were all sorts of computer/internet problems related to Indic scripts, such as, keyboard standardisation, font portability etc etc, loads of them. However, over past couple of years these problems have all been sorted out (read standardised). The main thrust behind this movement has been due to Microsoft, Intel, and Indian government.

Regarding typing hindi, its not difficult even using an English keyboard. Its damn easy. All, you have to do is install IndicIME (part of Windows OS). Here are the guidelines,

http://akshargram.com/sarvagya/index.php/IndicIME
http://akshargram.com/sarvagya/index.php/How_to_Type_in_Hindi

However, now hindi (or bilingual) keyboards have become available. Thanks to Microsoft again! Regarding hindi keyboards, have a look at one here,
http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/keyboards/kbdinhin.htm

More of it here: http://www.hclinfosystems.com/news52.htm

Additionally, hindi fonts have now become portable over the web with the introduction of Unicode.

All in all, the developments that are underway will lead to fast proliferation of hindi usage on computer/internet.

My take:

Two things are bound to happen in near future:

1. Internet will become more and more interactive. Higher interactivity of internet will make local languages more fashionable.
2. Mobiles will become more and more internet capable. Mobiles in India with hindi keypads have become a commonplace. No wonders, people there are becoming used to using hindi keypads.

Looking at the current developments, you don't need a Nostradamus to tell you what lies ahead .. ;)


Hi Dr,

Thanks for the article. I have been contemplating about registering Indian domains but I am still unsure about the potential. I have been to India twice and see that even Indians who don't speak much English in small cities and towns don't have keyboards in local languages. Even internet cafes where these folks may access the internet don't have local language keyboards.

This contrasts significantly with a market like Thailand for instance where keyboards are usually bilingual in Thai and English and students learn to type in both the languages in typing classes. As far as I know most of the texbooks taught in Indian schools for specific subjects use English as the medium of instruction. English is the official written language of India. Although rural people in India may read local newspapers in local languages, chances of them typing in local languages are slim because 1) Lack of local language keyboard 2) Lack of typing skill in local languages. Most of the major portals in Thailand, Japan and China are all in their respective languages. For instance, rediff (a top Indian site) is in English) and Sanook.com (top Thai website is in Thai). When you type www.google.co.jp, goole.cn and google.co.th, you know that they use local languages but for google.co.in , it' English, so I am wondering what your thoughts are on this? If the demand for local languages in India are high, why don't companies come out with local language keyboards for everyday use and schools not teach typing in local languages? In Thailand even before the days of the internet, typewriters in Thai were commonly used more so than in English. Bilingual Thai-English keyboards have ofcourse replaced typewrters almost completely.

Your take on this will be greatly appreiciated so I could decide on registering Indian names accordingly. Thanks for your help.

Yours,

TrafficDomainer

[Giant]

I have been to India twice and see that even Indians who don't speak much English in small cities and towns don't have keyboards in local languages. Even internet cafes where these folks may access the internet don't have local language keyboards.


I can trust what you saw, but question is what year was that? In the internet age, things are changing very fast. I read somewhere that the celphone use in India will surpass China soon! This is incredible.

[vgemito]

For those interested in the economic situation in India, an interesting alternative view in the NYTimes titled "The Myth of the New India":
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/06/opinion/06mishra.html

[IDNCowboy]

For those interested in the economic situation in India, an interesting alternative view in the NYTimes titled "The Myth of the New India":
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/06/opinion/06mishra.html
They've said the same things about China. There will always be contrasting views.

[touchring]

Ok, for newbies to digest, let me help sum it up.

Present:

1. The majority of computer users in India use for data entry, the keyboards are also in English.
2. People can read local languages, but they type in English.


Predicted Future:

1. Microsoft is working towards improving Hindi support on keyboards, so more people are expected to type in Hindi and other Indian scriptings.
2. Mobile Internet in local langauges are expected to take off.


Anyone has anything to add, please few free. :)