Hello folks,

I'm currently in a dilema... see, the way I'm currently planning to add multi-language support to Messenger Plus! 2.0 is by using ANSI and Unicode. Don't what this is? well, ANSI is for 256 characters languages (french, italian, english, german, ...) and Unicode is for any other language in the world (Japanese, Chinese, ...).

The problem is that Unicode is supported only in Windows NT4/2000/XP... it is NOT supported by Windows 95/98/Me. That basically means that half of the languages that MP2 may support thanks to your effort won't be available on those platforms. The only way of doing this support is be supporting MBCS. I don't really like this third option, it's kinda messy... so.... my question is: do you care? I mean, is it ok with you, if you are using a complex language, that it is only supported in Windows NT4/2000/XP ?

Jae, you have the email of a lot of people... could you please pass the message?

Thanks,
Patchou.

It's OK with me, since French is not one of those 'Complex languages'

mmm i don't realy understand...
so if unicode isn't supported by win9x how do the chinese/japaneses.. use windows9x ....??? or doesn't it exist in those country where the language is complex???

from what i understand, they use a differnet system 

quote:

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Originally posted by Patchou
Jae, you have the email of a lot of people... could you please pass the message?

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In Japan/China/..., Windows 9x uses MBCS... it's an hybrid system system that I would prefer not to use.

maybe you can share your project with a trusted japanese/chinese guy and who can devellop a version of messenger using "MBCS", nope?

man i really want mg2 to support unicode, no matter if it has to be on xp or not

Hi,
I am a Chinese from Taiwan. It's OK with me for using unicode, because My NB is running on Win2K System
But, if MP2 can support MBCS, I think all users in asia will appreciate you very very much
If there are anything that I can help (to be a tester?), please contact me any time. 

Don't use MBCS - you have absolutely no chance of getting it to work without  a development machine actually running the Asian version of 98. WinXP is the main MS OS, and its sufficiently "good" for no one to have an excuse for sticking with 98/ME, one of XP's plus points is the excellent multi-lingual features, so people in Asia should definately upgrade to XP and then use Plus!.

The alternative of allowing someone to port it to MBCS would be workable, if you find someone who can program C++ well, is still using Win98 with MBCS as a development platform (doubtful - most developers are on 2k or XP by now, C++ .net won't even run on 98) and you are prepared to give up the source code.

quote:

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Originally posted by ginge
WinXP is the main MS OS, and its sufficiently "good" for no one to have an excuse for sticking with 98/ME

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quote:

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How has plus been run before in Asia; with native language or straight english? Hence, could you get away with not translating it, since everyone who currently uses it must use it in english already anyway?

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Seriously Patchou - don't you have enough problems as it is?

I wouldn't recommend anything but unicode. As ginge and jw pointed out, the only difference to users of Window 9.X would be, that they can't change the language - they will still be able to use MP.

So, to answer your question Patchou, I'd say that the work of the translators (I'm one of them) wont be wasted. Roughly half of your users probably use Windows 2K or XP anyway.
Personally I don't mind that my translating work is only used by half of the potential users i.e. users in Denmark (I don't expect that anyone else would want to change the language to Danish...).

//EchoGecko

i agree EchoGecko

Not many people using multi-language on windows 95/98/me. If I need use asian language, I will install the asian version windows or windows 2000/xp. I think most people will do it like this.

Don't worry about this, there are some good software support displaing DBCS on english version win98/me. I know most people want to use DBCS software on english version win98/ Me will install this kind of software. for example: NJStar, MagicWin98.

Hi, I'm using Japanese Windows 98, and for me, though a Japanese language pack would be fantastic, as long as I can chat in Japanese and Chinese (using IME) I will be very happy. And though most Japanese people can't speak English, reading it is usually not really a problem.

Having said that, Japanese and Chinese interface would be awesome. And I agree that though XP is very stable, you need a very powerful computer to be able to run it. So it's not only a matter of acquiring Windows XP, but usually also requires upgrading your PC. Which I think is a little too much to ask for being able to run MSN Plus!

ok i am cantonese, kinda the same as chinese
so when we use this function we can type chinese in?
do we have to type chinese in kinda like njstar and richwin??

hm...i am able to type chinese perfectly now in my IM windows so personally  i dont see whats the problem. Maybe you could have like the translated text turned into images and place it there...i know it will be cheating but...hey..its a solution right?   hehe...im not quite sure what I am saying either!

I don't think the topic of this thread has anything to do with being able to chat in chinese/japanese. Patchou's talking about translating the text in MsgPlus itself.

oh...ok...told u im blur...hehe

anyway like i said...maybe its possible to save the text as an image...i mean how many people actually go and select the text (you can do that right?) well...just a suggestion from lil' o me

o lol sry
well hmm
it might be good if it had like some chinese writing program in it
i'll make a diff from typing like
typing chinese - wo jiang ying yu
chinese - ‰ä�u‰pŒê
eng trans -  I speak English

its hard to type chinese if u can't pronounce words like me
i have to use a translator
maybe Patchou should add some feature to msn plus! like this
so then it is a ezier way for us to type...

edit
um so it doesn't show chinese in here eh?

i haf no idea what u r trying to say...please rephrase. btw, to view chinese in webpages, click view select encoding and select the correct chinese encoding (either GB or Big5 depending on what chinese....fan ti zi use big5 jian ti zi use gb)

p.s. your wo jiang ying yu turned out ‰ä�u‰pŒê <-- which obviously isnt wo jian ying yu

hey patchou, i've got an idea: use MSLU (microsoft layer for unicode) on win9x. it implements quite a lot of unicode functions

I\'m sure those people will like it if Plus! would be in their own language.

Today I don't think still any people will use MSN Messenger on Win98/Me. The machines are good enough to run two WinXP (kidding) . 
Don't Worry about that. Keep going.
By the way, there is a simliar program namely "MSN Helper".  Anyone should go there and take a look. www.msnhelper.com
Thanks for all you done.

quote:

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Originally posted by dudboi
i haf no idea what u r trying to say...please rephrase. btw, to view chinese in webpages, click view select encoding and select the correct chinese encoding (either GB or Big5 depending on what chinese....fan ti zi use big5 jian ti zi use gb)

p.s. your wo jiang ying yu turned out ‰ä�u‰pŒê <-- which obviously isnt wo jian ying yu

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i got "yi dao" something "ban"..

my chinese not so good...dun blame me

I am a Chinese user and I think it is enough if it can use Chinese under 2000/XP. I believe there are extremely seldom people using MSN Messenger on win95/98. At least, in my company, there are about 50 employees, but no any one using win98 or win95.
I am anxiously waiting for the birth of msgplus 2.

I'm Korean, I use multiple computers in Korea with Messenger Plus.

1. People here in Korea generally do not really mind if the menus and dialogs are in english.  Many commercial programs are like that anyway.

2. They are, however concerned if the basic functionality of the software is affected by this character-set issue.  This means:
People should be able to chat in Korean (and/or Chinese, Japanese, etc.) with no problems, send and receive file with Korean filenames, change user nicknames into Korean nicknames, etc.

3. One of the most important features of Messenger Plus! in Korea is the ability to log chat sessions.  If you install the ANSI version of the current Messenger Plus, this WILL NOT work properly.  The individual message lines are truncated.  If this issue can be resolved, then I think people won't mind if the user interface is still in english.

quote:

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Originally posted by deminy
I am a Chinese user and I think it is enough if it can use Chinese under 2000/XP. I believe there are extremely seldom people using MSN Messenger on win95/98. At least, in my company, there are about 50 employees, but no any one using win98 or win95.
I am anxiously waiting for the birth of msgplus 2.

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I am Korean.

So, need 'multi-language support' to Messenger Plus! 2.0.

I am using Windows 2000 and XP.

Agree with opinion of Mr. Patchou.

Wait completion eagerly. Cheer up, Mr. Patchou!


ps. I am sorry my English is awkward.



Dept. of Computer Science,
Korea University, South Korea.

yunskorea ~.~

Do not worry, I'm working along with a chinese while I debug MP2 (thanks Ruiwei!) so you can be sure of one thing: MP2 will be COMPLETLY compatible with any language... even its interface will be available in multiple languages (such as chinese) so.... wait and see

How did you do that? with images?

no, with Unicode in WindowsNT and MSCS in Windows 9x... all this is technical but the good thing with Unicode, compared with softwares you see in general on the web, is that if you have Windows NT4/2000/XP, you can select and view any language (for example, you can have a chinese Messenger Plus! even if you run an english Windows)

business messenger i see... hey patchou, love the work you did with the unicode thingy...now i can save all chinese text ! Ah hahahh *yes , im mad*