Innovation: Dzongkha touch typing, a new software meant to enhance Dzongkha typing speed and accuracy without looking at the keyboard, is yet to find a market, just like the national language.

The software has received approval from the Dzongkha Development Commission and is equipped with a speedometer, an interactive keyboard and hand gesture.

There are also 39 lessons categorised for beginners, intermediate and advance users. Lessons include typing only alphabets and longer sentences among others.

“I wasn’t that lost when I started the project as I am now,” Thinley Jamtsho, 29, said, showing his software on his laptop.

The audio engineer, who built the software, said he didn’t know what to do with the software that indicates which letter to type, or which finger to type a particular alphabet.

Thinley Jamtsho, who also owns the Ripple Audio Solution, a company that operates and designs live sounds in Thimphu, said the software can be used without requiring any installation. “It can be operated through USB drives and in the computers even without Dzongkha fonts,” he said.

He said he initially developed the software on Tshuyig 4 font, but officials of Rigsum Institute suggested if he could convert it to Jogyig font. “It took me five months to build the software, and converting the font took me two more months,” he said, adding that he was approaching relevant agencies and ministries to sell the product.

Meanwhile, DDC’s chief researcher, Namgay Thinley, said that this was the second Dzongkha typing tutor software developed after the first one that the Rigsum Institute developed. “The creator asked us to buy but we couldn’t because of budget constraints,” he said. “However, we gave him an acknowledgement letter, so that he can approach other agencies.”

By Nima Wangdi