ernst_witter@eva.slu.se (07/05/89)
Some weeks ago I sent a query to the net on the use of Arabic on
an IBM PC compatible (UK version). No replies were received,
so I try again!
What I am looking for is any type of hardware/software
which will allow me to write and print arabic characters on
a UK version of a PC compatible. The main use is for standard
word processing, and something that would work in conjunction
with WordPerfect would be ideal. Does anyone know of such a
product?. It has to do more than just produce arabic characters
on the screen and printer using complex key stroke combination,
but actually redefine the keyboard as large chunks of text will
be written in Arabic rather than just the odd characters.
Any suggestions/information would be very gratefully
received.
Thanks in advance
Ernst Witterliber@darth.PGH.PA.US (Eric Liber) (07/12/89)
In article <5212@eva.slu.se>, ernst_witter@eva.slu.se writes: > What I am looking for is any type of hardware/software > which will allow me to write and print arabic characters on > a UK version of a PC compatible. The main use is for standard > word processing, and something that would work in conjunction > with WordPerfect would be ideal. Does anyone know of such a > product?. It has to do more than just produce arabic characters > on the screen and printer using complex key stroke combination, > but actually redefine the keyboard as large chunks of text will > be written in Arabic rather than just the odd characters. . . About 5 years ago I was in Saudi Arabia for a few weeks on a company job and I saw a product called Arabstar. I was supposed to be a specially modified version of Wordstar from a company in the UK somewhere. It worked just as you would expect and wrote from right to left on the screen and printed to the printer (epson or IBM graphics - i think) in readable arabic .. how should I know ? I can't read it or speak it :-). Unfortunately that is about all I know. However, i do have a suggestion; why not call or visit the Saudi embassy in your country or check for a saudi student's club or other organization. Someone there is almost sure to use such a product. Hope this helps ... good luck Eric (the red baron) Liber
clay@uci.UUCP (News Administrator) (07/15/89)
Around '83-84 when I was at Lee Data Corp. in MN, we did some work with an interesting fellow from Compusomething in Montreal, Canada. He was Egyptian, had written an Arabic WP program in PC BASIC (BASIC language with French comments -- pretty weird to look at). He changed EPROMS on the monochrome display card to add his special fonts. The WP worked as Arabic should, right to left with the shapes of the characters changing with the context of the sentence. My apologies that I cannot remember the firm's name, though I believe his name was Adly Salib. I have no idea of where the product went after that -- it's been a while! -- Clayton Haapala ...!mmm!dicome!uci!clay Unified Communications Inc. "Declare your Point of Entry, Space Wanderer!" 3001 Metro Drive - Suite 500 "Canarsi -- where everyone looks the same." Bloomington, MN 55425 -- zappa