Re: JB's NJWIN note (was: Re: tlug: Netscape and RH5.0)

[Jonathan Byrne - 3Web <jq@example.com>]

On Thu, 27 Aug 1998, Eric S. Standlee wrote:

>Is there no similar program on the Linux side?  It seems that it cannot be
>that hard to do what NJWIN does:  trap two-bit languages and translate

MS Visual Basic is a two-bit language :-)  CJK are double-byte languages.
Completely different animal :-)

I have my sights set even higher: MacOS features the Japanese Language Kit,
which not only enables English applications for Japanese use (and there are
similar kits for the other double-byte languages), but enanbles English MacOS
to run quite a few Japanese apps.  The Windows 95/NT side of the fence
features TwinBridge and a couple of work-alikes that do the same thing as
Apple's JLK, except AFAIK they don't enable you to run Japanese apps.  I've
used TwinBridge, and it's very good, the next best thing to actually having a
Japanese Windows system.

The above CJK solutions work on a system-wide level that lets you put
double-byte input into any app, and display it in any app.  On KanjiTalk
(Japanese MacOS) and the Japanese flavors of Windows and (presumably) OS/2,
they will attempt to put Japanese into any app, whether it's a
Japanese-localized one or not.  It's surprising how much of the time that
works, too.

So like you, I find myself asking a question something like "How hard can this
be, if there's a market?"  After all, it's been done on lots of other
platforms already.  If it's not free, or even if it's not Free, I'm
willing to buy it.  I want the same quality and ease of Japanese input that
users of other platforms enjoy, and it would be worth money to me.  Even if
such a system cost 20,000 - 30,000 yen a pop, I'd pay if it were that good.
WNN6 costs about 9,000 yen, and it doesn't seem to be any better than Canna.
Canna can at least make the defense that it doesn't cost anything, so my room
for complaint is rather limited.  WNN6 is not only proprietary, but quite
expensive for what you get.  If it's neither free nor Free, its room for
excuse is rather limited, and my room for complaint is rather large.

Cheers,

Jonathan Byrne
Media and Content Section
3Web - Your Internet Solution! <URL:http://www.threeweb.ad.jp/index.en.html>
3Web Channel <URL: http://www.3web.co.jp/>

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