v564huce@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Allen Hsu) (03/13/91)
Hi All! Sorry this reply took so long. To all those who have been waiting, I am very sorry, but life has been a tad busy here for me :-). Anyway, there seems to a whole lot of interest in the Chinese software that I have. Let me sumarize how it works and it's features. Tech stuff: It works off of System 6.0.2 (read: Mac Classics, LCs, IIsi, IIci, IIx, IIcx, and IIfxs cannot use this software). The system has about 6000 characters in the basic set and about 2000 more in a supplement. For MS Word users, that number should be 2600 normal, and 2010 supplement. The program is supplied with a word processor called miniWriter. I understand taht this is rather common and a shareware program. Fear not, the shareware fee has been paid for when you buy the program. The program will print to any Mac printer (laser or non-laser). Quality is quite good, even on the ImageWriter. How it works: There are two ways and the method used depends upon whether or not you use Word 3.0X (no mention of Word 4.0 compatibility). Let me first say that I have NOT tested out the MS Word method. Word bypasses some of Apple's Script Manager (I think thats the name) routines. While this does work, it also wreaks havoc with programs like MacChinese. Hence the special version. I used the system with MacWrite (and miniWriter as a test) and it worked fine. Response was not as sluggish as the IBM-based Tien-Ma system I had used at Tennessee. In MacWrite, you would type in English letters and a window would open up at the bottom giving you possible choices in Chinese. It does rely upon the Mainland-developed PinYin. Mixing English and Chinese as not a problem, it's simply a matter of clicking an icon. The reason that it's not new Mac compatible is Apple's fault. MacChinese, whend used, also changes all of the menus and menu items to Chinese. The basic system software is that which Apple has written for Macs going to China (or that area). The problem is, that Apple is a little behind in changing System software to other, non-letter based languages. I would guess that by now they should have caught up to System 6.0.4 or so. For more info, contact APDA or Linguist. Assessment: I do find the cheapness of the program attractive ($99.95 retail, less if you go to MacConnection like I did). It is NOT a fancy program. Even at my relatively infantile level of Chinese, I did come to points where I could not find a needed character. You can add more, but the process is very painful indeed. Compared to the other systems I heard about (like Fei-Ma), this is a real bargain. Fei-Ma used to go for something like $500.00. I would say that for all those who need it, this program is at least worth a look. Linguist Software: P.O. Box 580, Edmonds, WA 98020-0580. Phone: (206) 775-1130. FAX: (206) 771-5911 APDA (Apple Programmers/Developers Agency): (206) 251-6548 P.S.: Linguist also makes many other language fonts, such as IPA, Greeak, Hebrew, etc. Allen Hsu