The Microsoft Local Language Program or LLP, is part of a worldwide initiative dedicated to providing individuals with access to desktop computer software in their native language. Beyond providing fully localized versions of Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office in nearly 40 languages, Microsoft currently supports 95 languages through the LLP. More than 1 billion people speak the languages that are supported by this program. 

It is estimated that every 14 days a language dies!

Microsoft has announced solutions that empower local language communities to discover, share and develop IT terminology in their native language.

First, they have announced the current list of languages that will be supported for the new releases of Windows, Office and, for the first time, Visual Studio:

• Fifty-nine new Language Interface Packs (LIPs) for both Windows 7 and Office 2010

• Four new LIP additions for Visual Studio 2010

These new offerings are in addition to the 178 downloads available in 67 different languages for which there are already LIPs and CLIPs for earlier versions of Windows, Office and Visual Studio.

The second piece of news is the Caption Language Interface Packs. The current standard for the Local Language Program, a Language Interface Pack has 400,000 terms and installs over a base language, transforming most of the functionality to the new language.

With the CLIP, a tool tip is displayed that shows the term in the specified language, but allows for the base language (which can be a LIP or a fully localized version) to show through, allowing for a smooth transition between languages and greater computer literacy in multiple languages.

Download Page: Microsoft Language Interface Packs (LIPs) and Captions Language Interface Packs (CLIPs).

You can see the complete list of language interface packs available for Windows 7 here at Microsoft.