From @UGA.CC.UGA.EDU:owner-ccnet-l@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU Fri Jul  2 09:40:47 1993
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Date:         Fri, 2 Jul 1993 16:11:59 +0200
Reply-To: HU Bo <ucc02au@SUNMAIL.LRZ-MUENCHEN.DE>
Sender: Chinese Computing Network <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
From: HU Bo <ucc02au@SUNMAIL.LRZ-MUENCHEN.DE>
Subject:      JitsuYou JKDOS 1.0 released
Comments: To: JTIT-L@PSUVM.BITNET, CCNET-L@UGA.BITNET
To: Multiple recipients of list CCNET-L <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Status: RO

Dear netters:

Sponsored by Oxford University, a Japanese front-end processor for IBM-
compatible PC has been developed and its version 1.0 is being released.

JitsuYou JKDOS is a so-called add-on software to standard MS-DOS/PC-BIOS
of IBM compatible PCs. It provides the possibility of input and output
of Japanese (Kana/Kanji) on the level of MS-DOS so that standard
western software can be used for Japanese without any modifications.

Before starting an application, first start JitsuYou JKDOS by entering
JY in the JY directory. JY is a TSR program which loads itself, the
screen-driver and printer-driver into memory.

Following this you can use the character-oriented DOS applications like
MS-WORD, WordPerfect, dBASE, Borland's language products etc., and
input and output Japanese directly. JitsuYou JKDOS 1.0 supports
EGA/VGA/Hercules graphics cards, 24 pin, HP II compatible and
PostScript printers.

Together with ShiYong CCDOS 2.0, it is possible to mix Japanese,
simplified Chinese, classical Chinese and most European languages in a
single file and on a single printed page.

Available for a test/demo installation:
                ftp.lrz-muenchen.de[129.187.10.35], in
                /pub/culture/east-asia/sw/IBMPC/J/JitsuYou

Hu Bo   ucc02au@sunmail.lrz-muenchen.de
(the author)

From @UGA.CC.UGA.EDU:owner-ccnet-l@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU Tue Aug 24 04:53:42 1993
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Date:         Tue, 24 Aug 1993 11:50:25 +0200
Reply-To: HU Bo <ucc02au@SUNMAIL.LRZ-MUENCHEN.DE>
Sender: Chinese Computing Network <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
From: HU Bo <ucc02au@SUNMAIL.LRZ-MUENCHEN.DE>
Subject:      Re: New versions of CCDOS/JKDOS (fwd)
Comments: To: ccnet-l ccnet-l <ccnet-l@uga.bitnet>
To: Multiple recipients of list CCNET-L <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Status: RO


Forwarded message:
>From ucc02au Fri Aug 20 11:22:09 1993
Subject: Re: New versions of CCDOS/JKDOS

>
> Actually, this is not shareware.  You can not use it. It is a commercial demo
> which spend people's time. Please do not do it again.

I thought it would inform the people about some achievements on the sector
of commercial software. I received also a lot of such kind of mails from
other people.

> From the demo, it looks
> worse than the shareware like zwdos - worse looking, lower speed ... worthless!
>

I have tried to avoid a comparison with zwdos all the time - since I think
zwdos is used by many netters to manage the 7-bit-only access of e-mail
networks and thus very useful. But, due to its special code schema, it can
not be used for wordprocessing using standard western software, the most
important application of Chinese computing.

ShiYong CCDOS is now used by many people for wordprocessing, data base managing
(especially library cataloging) in educational and semiprofessional sectors
since its introduction in 1989.
There are several Chinese Newspagers/Magazines in Germany using ShiYong CCDOS
for their layout works.
Since ShiYong CCDOS supports a character and word oriented input method, and
several additional graphics oriented input tables (Wubi, Cangjie etc.) are
also delieverable, it provides a more easy-to-use input interface.
To speed up the screen display, you may try one of the screen drivers with
the name extension _fast or _f. The font ShiYong CCDOS uses is now also used
by CStar for Windows, Tway, and NJStar partly (according Ingar).
I want to mention these in the hope to point out
that what you said on this net is just your invalueable personal opinion
which has not to be shared by all people.

Reagards,



Hu Bo (Author of ShiYong CCDOS)

From @UGA.CC.UGA.EDU:owner-ccnet-l@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU Wed Aug 25 04:19:18 1993
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Date:         Wed, 25 Aug 1993 05:17:30 -0400
Reply-To: "HU Bo, IFT Munich, +49 89 54759129" <hubo@IFT.FHG.D400.DE>
Sender: Chinese Computing Network <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
From: "HU Bo, IFT Munich, +49 89 54759129" <hubo@IFT.FHG.D400.DE>
Organization: FHG
Subject:      Re: 26,000 characters
Comments: To: Stanley G Goertzen <goertzen@BADLANDS.NODAK.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list CCNET-L <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
In-Reply-To:  <DFNGATE:N9Te8o+V*@MHS>
Status: RO

As a matter of fact, you can use up to four
different Chinese fonts in many standard
DOS applications. Using my own ShiYong CCDOS
I have shown this possibility to mix Japanese
(Kanji) and Chinese characters without changing
their original code (EUC-JIS, GB). In my case,
Japanese and Chinese characters are input
seperatedly using differnet input routines.
In your case, since the rare characters are
used also rarely even in a dictionary, maybe
a following method can be used:

Start with the GB classical font and,
add all further variants of existing GB
characters to a second (and a third) font, using
the same codepoint;

Try to fill the second, the third the fourth font
with the rest of characters using codepoints on which
there is a some how related character in the original
standard gb font.

Now to input a character which is not in the standard GB
table means:

if it has a variant which is within the standard GB table,
input the variant and mark it to italics or bold or bolditalics
to obtain the desired variant;
(Example: input the simplified TAI for Taiwan to obtain
the classical TAI for Taiwan or TAI for Taifeng (Taifung).

if it has none variant which is in the standard GB table,
input the "related" character and mark it to italics or bold
or bolditalics to obtain the desired character.
(Example: input a rare character by inputting a somehow
less-rare one with some different radicals)

A more compatible method is to use the GB 12345-90, GB 7589-87
GB 7590-87 and a user's set to cover your usage of 26000
characters, which garantee a data exchange with other people
in the future. However, I have not see any packge jet
supporting these standards. (See Zhenbing Zeng
<zeng@MATHEMATIK.UNI-BIELEFELD.de>'s mail on this net on
Wed, 4 Aug 93)

As application software you can use Microsoft's WORD or
WordPerfect's WP 5.0-5.2.


Bo

From @UGA.CC.UGA.EDU:owner-ccnet-l@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU Mon Aug 23 17:57:18 1993
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Date:         Mon, 23 Aug 1993 17:58:17 -0500
Reply-To: Dongchu Sun <dongchu@CS.UH.EDU>
Sender: Chinese Computing Network <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
From: Dongchu Sun <dongchu@CS.UH.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list CCNET-L <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Status: RO

Hi, everyone:

I'd like to give you some ideas for some questions about DCDOS which many people
asked me.

*******************************
Q: Where can I get dcdos.zip?
A: I already made the file dcdos.zip. But I have some problem with zip format.
   So, I think it will be OK in a few days. I am sorry for lating. I'll tell you
   when it's ready.

Q: Where can get the Auto-Executible files to print HXWZ?
A: ftp cnd.org: /pub/hxwz/PS-NEW/DcDos dir, then you can get the files you need.

Q: Are you the original auther?
A: I am the author of DCDOS and got the Copyright in US in 1993.

Q: Is the DCDOS a Chinese system software but not an editor?
A: No. DCDOS includes five parts:
        1. Chinese System --> RUN
        2. Editing program --> CE
        3. Printing program --> PR
        4. Subroutine (for high language) --> SUB.OBJ
        5. Service program --> TY, DCSET, DCLX, DCCUT, ...
   DCDOS (China version 4.10) supports the five parts under DOS 3.xx. In US, I
   did the furthe developing on part 2, 3, 4, 5 without part 1 becuase I prefer
   developing this part under windows. Right now, I just provide part 2, 3, 5
   to the users unless the part 4 is required.

Q: How many disks does DCDOS include?
A: DCDOS has five 3.5" HD disks include 16X16 fonts, 24X24 fonts, 40X40 fonts
   and a 48X48 font.

Q: Is there any font larger than 64 or you can include 'outline' or ATM fonts
   in the future version?
A: Usually DCDOS use 24X24 & 40X40 fonts. Right now, the biggest font DCDOS use
   is 48X48(only one). DCDOS does not use any other bigger font. I try to use
   'outline' font in the future version. I don't know what is the ATM font.
   Would you who asked me this question tell me about that font? Thank you.

Q: Can I use your editor for programming?
A: That's fine. You can use CE to edit your program and then compile, run it.
   This is a fine way to comment your program with Chinese character. BTW,
   DCDOS can print your program with good format, such as the line number, page
   number, page format, etc.

Q: How did you make a self-printing file?
A: 1. Input the text into a file
   2. Print the file by DCDOS
   3. Make it executible

Q: What kind printers are supported by DCDOS?
A: 1. HP or compatible LaserJet, DeskJet printer
   2. 24 PIN printer such as M1724, M2024, OKI, TH3070, FX185, NEC, EPSON
                             M2463, M1350, M1570, etc.
   3. 9 PIN printer such as IBM proprinter, Panasonic, TI

Q: What kind monitors are supported by DCDOS?
A: CGA, EGA, VGA: 1. 640X200 mono
                  2. 640X200 color
                  3. 640X350 color
                  4. 640X480 mono
                  5. 640X480 color
                  6. 800X600 color
                  7. 1024X768 color (simulating printing on screen only)

Q: Can I take a printing file to print on other machine without DCDOS?
A: Sure, you can make a printing file on floppy disk. Then, you can take the
   floppy disk with you and print it on the other computer with any version
   DOS without DCDOS.

Q: Is the editor of DCDOS compatible with other editor?
A: Of course. The editor CE can edit any ASCII file with GB code and has no
   special code, such as RETURN code '8Dh 0Ah' in WS, only one RETURN code '0Ah'
   in some Chinese editors. DCDOS can change these codes automatically. You can
   use the DCDOS file as a general file, such as programming. One of the
   purposes of CE is programming with Non-English language comments such as
   Chinese, Japanese, etc.
**************************

   I will be happy to answer some questions about DCDOS if you have further
   more. BTW, I'd like you know it is still available that I can create a
   printing file for YOU between 8/23/93 and 9/20/93 with NO FEE. Please e-mail
   your file to:

                dongchu@cs.uh.edu

   with subject: My file need to be printed by DCDOS. Please indicate your
   printer and font. One time per person please. Thank you.


   Sincerely,

   Dongchu Sun


From @UGA.CC.UGA.EDU:owner-ccnet-l@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU Tue Aug 17 13:42:25 1993
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Date:         Tue, 17 Aug 1993 13:42:29 -0500
Reply-To: Dongchu Sun <dongchu@CS.UH.EDU>
Sender: Chinese Computing Network <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
From: Dongchu Sun <dongchu@CS.UH.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list CCNET-L <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Status: RO

Hi, everybody,

Thank you for NOT sending me your e-mail for ordering Auto-Executible file to print HXWZ. I already put it on ifcss.org /incoming, which named hpjian.exe and hpfan.exe. You can pick it up on that director. Please do not ask me for sending the files! Thank you very much.

Any question about Super Chinese System DCDOS, Please take the file prdcdos.exe at first, which I put in ifcss.org /software/dos/chinese-sys. I am happy to answer your question after that step. The following is the abstract of DCDOS. Thank a lot.

Super Chinese System DCDOS, which combats much advantage from many
Chinese systems in both of Taiwan and China, lets you input,
edit and output Chinese character under DOS easily. DCDOS supports
more than thirty ways to input Chinese characters, in which all the
Chinese characters are sorted by high-frequency and have an
associating character with next one or word group automatically.
You can redefine the keyboard, function keys (single and double),
batch process, Chinese-English phrases and associate word easily so
that you can use computer by your original habit. By DCDOS, you can
print very beautiful Chinese-English reports with many fonts(more
than ten Chinese fonts), sizes, rotations, tables, subscripts,
mathematical symbols, etc. The disk space is required from several
hundreds Kbytes, such as 360K in floppy disk, to several millions
bytes chosen by users. You can simulate on screen without print out.
Just like other general utilities, DCDOS does not occupy the memory
space for the Chinese character library and can display Chinese
character fast.

Dongchu Sun

From @UGA.CC.UGA.EDU:owner-ccnet-l@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU Tue Aug 17 19:25:09 1993
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Date:         Tue, 17 Aug 1993 19:26:41 -0500
Reply-To: Dongchu Sun <dongchu@CS.UH.EDU>
Sender: Chinese Computing Network <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
From: Dongchu Sun <dongchu@CS.UH.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list CCNET-L <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Status: RO

 Dear Weiting Ni:

Thank you for your letter.

I will answer some question about Super Chinese System DCDOS and Auto-Exectible files for HXWZ here include your question. Thanks for your attention.

1. DCDOS just have a demo version which include editor CE and readme right now. I try to put theis file on ifcss.org later.

2. The file prdcdos.exe include five page printout samples of DCDOS and readme. You can look these files at first and contact me if you are interested.

3. The Auto-Executible files for printing HXWZ on HP Laser Printer is 150DPI with 16x16 fonts. I want to make this file smaller. (13 pages in one file)

4. DCDOS can print very beautiful Chinese characters and English word. It has English word wrap.

5. DCDOS also can support Japanese.

6. DCDOS can print on LaserJet, DeskJet, 24PIN, 9PIN printer.

7. DCDOS can print mathematical symbols, subscripts, etc.

8. DCDOS support moniter 640X200, 640X350, 640X480, 800X600, you can change the mode even wen you are using.

9. DCDOS can install to PC with 360K space, even without harddisk.

Thanks a lot. Please feel free to ask me if you have any other quetion.

Sincerely,


Dongchu Sun


>From WNI@aardvark.ucs.uoknor.edu Tue Aug 17 17:51:18 1993
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 93 17:49 CDT
From: Weiting Ni <WNI@aardvark.ucs.uoknor.edu>
Subject: DCdos
To: dongchu@CS.UH.EDU
X-Vms-To: EDU%"dongchu@CS.UH.EDU"
Status: R

Hi,
after I printed several pages included in your prdcdos.exe, I really like
the output.  Is the DCDOS a commercial software or you have a shareware
version that we can try before buy?  Thank you for your effect to make
such a nice software.
I think It is a popular question, could you please post an answer on
ccnet?   Thanks again
Weiting Ni

From @UGA.CC.UGA.EDU:owner-ccnet-l@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU Fri Oct 29 07:34:52 1993
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Date:         Fri, 29 Oct 1993 13:32:26 +0100
Reply-To: HU Bo <ucc02au@SUNMAIL.LRZ-MUENCHEN.DE>
Sender: Chinese Computing Network <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
From: HU Bo <ucc02au@SUNMAIL.LRZ-MUENCHEN.DE>
Subject:      New version of software packages available
Comments: To: Chinese Network <ccnet-l@uga.bitnet>
To: Multiple recipients of list CCNET-L <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Status: RO

Dear netters,


new versions (version 2.01) of following software packages are made
ftp-able:

ShiYong CCDOS:
        A Chinese DOS environment enables the usage of MS-WORD, WordPerfect
        dBASE and all Borland's language products for Chinese applications.
        Character and (new:) word oriented input. User's extensions to the
        input tables can be made on-the-fly. User defined input METHOD
        can be implemented WITHOUT any programming. Ca. 50000 entries in
        input tables, including toneless pinyin and graphic informations
        for an easy selection and quiry of characters of unknown
        pronounciation.

Munich System:
        Aonther Chinese DOS environment (see above), but with intelligent
        sentence oriented pinyin input with or without tone. 32000 well
        sorted entries. Priorities of the entries can be changed on-the-
        fly. User's extensions to the input tables can be added and deleted
        as well.

JitsuYou JKDOS:
        Japanese front end processor for DOS. It enables the usage of MS-WORD
        WordPrefect, dBASE and all Borland's language products for Japanese
        applications. As input table used: Wnn input table. User's extensions
        to the input table can be made on-the-fly.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                What is new?
------------------------------------------------------------------------


The version 2.01 of ShY, MSII and JY has following advantages in comparison
to version 2.00 of ShY, MSII and version 1.00 of JY:

1) Including a SETUP, editing of .INI files no more neccessary.
2) Possibility of display four different fonts simultanously on display,
   for example, Chinese simplified, Chinese classical AND Japanese.
3) Possibility to view 7 bit GB/EUC-JIS files (MSB reset).
4) Some bugs eliminated.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                Availability
------------------------------------------------------------------------

As a DEMO version, which can be upgraded to a standard version when
receiving a valid LICENCE code, all these three packages are ftp-able from

        ftp.lrz-muenchen.de[129.187.10.35], in
        /pub/culture/east-asia/sw/IBMPC/C/ShiYong.201, or
                                    .../C/MSII.201, or
                                    .../J/JitsuYou.201


Please send your questions, comments to ucc02au@sunmail.lrz-muenchen.de

From @UGA.CC.UGA.EDU:owner-ccnet-l@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU Sun May 15 23:37:54 1994
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Date:         Mon, 16 May 1994 12:28:27 +0800
Reply-To: Marten Hiesboek <s66180@CC.NTNU.EDU.TW>
Sender: Chinese Computing Network <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
From: Marten Hiesboek <s66180@CC.NTNU.EDU.TW>
Subject:      OS/2 2.1 Zhongwen ban
Comments: To: CCNET <CCNET-L@UGA.UGA.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list CCNET-L <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Status: RO

Dear netters,

OS/2 2.1 Chinese is on the shelves and it does look promising. Following
IBM's latest effort to ease installation bugs and difficulties as
presented in the Chinese 0&1 BYTE of May 94, it will run not only English
Windows programs faster than Windows, but also claims unconditional and
straight compatibility with Chinese Windows programs, including input methods.

I'd like to get some feedback before I spend the NT3500 (although it is
cheap, isn't it, for 16 diskettes and 40MB on your HD).
Comments, outbursts of anger, hail and praise, and constructive critisim
appreciated. More conrete: Word 6.0, Hanin input method, Lotus Approch,
German, Spanish, French Windows versions -- how do they run on Chinese OS/2.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Marten Hiesboek
NTNU Taiwan
FAX: 886-2-363-2242 (363-0479)

From @UGA.CC.UGA.EDU:owner-ccnet-l@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU Mon May 16 00:42:02 1994
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Reply-To: "Avron A. Boretz" <aab2@CORNELL.EDU>
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From: "Avron A. Boretz" <aab2@CORNELL.EDU>
Subject:      Re: OS/2 2.1 Zhongwen ban
Comments: To: Marten Hiesboek <s66180@CC.NTNU.EDU.TW>
Comments: cc: ccnet-l@uga.bitnet
To: Multiple recipients of list CCNET-L <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Status: RO

Marten Hiesboek wrote:

>Dear netters,
>
>OS/2 2.1 Chinese is on the shelves and it does look promising. Following
>IBM's latest effort to ease installation bugs and difficulties as
>presented in the Chinese 0&1 BYTE of May 94, it will run not only English
>Windows programs faster than Windows, but also claims unconditional and
>straight compatibility with Chinese Windows programs, including input methods.
>
>I'd like to get some feedback before I spend the NT3500 (although it is
>cheap, isn't it, for 16 diskettes and 40MB on your HD).
>Comments, outbursts of anger, hail and praise, and constructive critisim
>appreciated. More conrete: Word 6.0, Hanin input method, Lotus Approch,
>German, Spanish, French Windows versions -- how do they run on Chinese OS/2.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Marten and Fellow CCNetters:

I have OS/2 T2.1 (T for Taiwan), 3.5" disk version. I just spent the better
part of the weekend installing, fighting with, and finally deleting it from
my hard disk. I intend to reinstall it, but not as my primary operating
system. My warning to anyone considering buying it: Even if standard US OS/2
2.1 GA runs happily on your hardware, you may experience problems with the
Chinese version.

Installation is fairly straightforward (I'd previously installed OS/2 SE for
Windows) and not as bad as "16 disks" (not including drivers and add-ons)
might make it sound. The whole process takes less than an hour.

The problems begin if you want to use 3rd party *video* drivers. I have the
excellent beta OS/2 32-bit drivers for my #9 GXE card, but OS/2 T2.1 simply
wouldn't deal with them (might have something to do with screen fonts). This
entailed several hours of frustrating experimentation, repeatedly rebooting
using 2 floppies, and then restoring the original VGA drivers. Finally, I
succeeded in loading the IBM-supplied S3 video drivers, but with these I
could only run at 640X480 or 800X600, or my monitor would lose synch (my
monitor can do up to 1600X1280, and 1280X1024 at high refresh rate, and has
very wide bandwidth, so what gives?). Moreover, the refresh rate at 800X600
was unacceptable. After investing two months of my graduate student stipend
in the video card and Sony Trinitron monitor, I'm not too happy about this
state of affairs!

For the last year or so, I've been running Chinese Windows 3.1 (under DOS)
and OS/2 (English version, with Twinbridge running on top of Win-OS/2) with
beautiful results with this video system. I should note that the Windows
portion of T2.1 works fine with the #9 Windows drivers in full-screen mode.
But why not just just use plain Windows in that case?

The Chinese PM (Presentation Manager) interface is ok, the screen fonts are
acceptable (they use the Mincho typeface), and the text-mode OS/2 stuff is
actually quite well done--sort of like a 32-bit ETen or Kuochiao.
Unfortunately, only a few input methods are available, including Cangjie and
zhuyin. No pinyin input is available at this point. Maybe the cxterm and
Mule folks want to take a stab at this?

One intriguingly weird item: when you install Windows support, there is a
dialogue box with a choice of English or Chinese Windows. But the Chinese
Windows choice is greyed out. One wonders about the history of this little
glitch...

Since there is no *true* Chinese Windows under OS/2T, IBM provides an add-on
somewhat like Twinbridge (in fact, it's called "TWin"<--caps and lower case
as in the manual). The one advantage it has over Twinbridge (which I believe
you could also run in this configuration, although I haven't tried it yet)
is that it allows you to use the MS Chinese Windows TrueType fonts (or any
compatible TT fonts, presumably including the freeware TT CWIN fonts at
ifcss.org). This, and the ability to run the DBCS versions of AmiPro, Word,
Excel, etc.  is possibly what was meant in the Taiwan BYTE article by
"compatibility with MS Chinese Windows." In the settings for Win-OS2, one
can also enable or disable support for DBCS--I guess this setting enables
support for DBCS-specific programs. In any event, most of use are not using
DBCS-aware applications, just regular US applications that don't mess up
double-byte input too much... and again, input methods in this version of
Win-OS/2, as in PM, are limited. As far as I understand the architecture of
this particular way of doing things, one cannot use any of the available
CWIN input programs (e.g.,  Hanin pinyin input program for MS Chinese
Windows). Please correct me if I'm wrong about this.

All in all, I'd say that were it not for the annoying video problem, I'd be
running under OS/2 T now anyway (I've become a fan of OS/2 lately, and was
REALLY looking forward to the Chinese version). On the other hand, it seems
that this is *not* the next-generation Chinese operating system we've all
been waiting for. Hardware compatibility problems aside, OS/2 seems a
somewhat clumsy pastiche of operating and interface features. MS-Chinese
Windows, for all it's shortcomings, provides a much more aesthetically
pleasing interface, and with 3rd-party fonts and input programs, it is the
more flexible of the two.

I hate to say it--I've been a die-hard x86 person all along--but if you're
going to switch operating systems or platforms at this point, OS/2 isn't the
way to go. Get a Mac instead.

Chinese Chicago and NT (and Unicode-based OS/2T 2.2) are all due out next
year, according to an article on the nsysu gopher--but that's a long way
off, even it it's for real. For now, if you can get your hands on OS/2 T2.1
and have nothing better to do some weekend, check it out. But don't expect
too much.

Avron
*******************************************************************************
                                     Avron Boretz

              Cornell University, Department of Anthropology
  CU Chinese-Japanese-Korean Computing and Database Facility
                                aab2@cornell.edu

*******************************************************************************

From @UGA.CC.UGA.EDU:owner-ccnet-l@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU Mon May 16 07:17:00 1994
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Date:         Mon, 16 May 1994 19:58:33 +0800
Reply-To: Marten Hiesboek <s66180@CC.NTNU.EDU.TW>
Sender: Chinese Computing Network <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
From: Marten Hiesboek <s66180@CC.NTNU.EDU.TW>
Subject:      Re: OS/2 2.1 Zhongwen ban
Comments: To: "Avron A. Boretz" <aab2@CORNELL.EDU>
Comments: cc: Multiple recipients of list CCNET-L
          <CCNET-L%UGA.Bitnet@TWNMOE10.Edu.TW>
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Status: RO

> One intriguingly weird item: when you install Windows support, there is a
> dialogue box with a choice of English or Chinese Windows. But the Chinese
> Windows choice is greyed out. One wonders about the history of this little
> glitch...

The IBM ad in BYTE says: Even though the featured Windows version is
English, thanks to the program TWin , one can make use of Truetype fonts
and input methods designed for CWindows.
And a fax from IBM support says: So many files of C OS/2 and C Windows are
identical, that we choose to offer the simpler English Windows with a
"bridge" (jieqiao ?!).

Ain't that weird? If they are identical, . . . ????

Asked whether OS/2 T2.1 could sustain a say - Japanese TWINBRIDGE or a
German Windows version there is cold silence from IBM Taiwan.


> this particular way of doing things, one cannot use any of the available
> CWIN input programs (e.g.,  Hanin pinyin input program for MS Chinese
> Windows). Please correct me if I'm wrong about this.

Please let's find out if you are wrong about this. I really depend on
Panasonic's Hanin Input Method. Who knows more?

> Windows, for all it's shortcomings, provides a much more aesthetically
> pleasing interface, and with 3rd-party fonts and input programs, it is the
> more flexible of the two.

Can you tell us more about the aesthetical aspect? Why is Windows much
more pleasing?

> I hate to say it--I've been a die-hard x86 person all along--but if you're
> going to switch operating systems or platforms at this point, OS/2 isn't the
> way to go. Get a Mac instead.

One of the reasons to buy OS/2 would be stability. We are using Word 6.0,
Word 5.0 Chinese, Pagemaker, Corel Draw all on Chinese Windows 3.1, and
sometimes it's just enought to send me up the wall. Program crashes, files
currupted, import filters in Word 6.0 don't work as soon as you have
high-bit chars in a file, deng3 deng3 ...
Will I be happier with OS/2?


Marten Hiesboek
NTNU Taiwan

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Date:         Mon, 16 May 1994 13:32:48 -0400
Reply-To: "Avron A. Boretz" <aab2@CORNELL.EDU>
Sender: Chinese Computing Network <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
From: "Avron A. Boretz" <aab2@CORNELL.EDU>
Subject:      Re: OS/2 2.1 Zhongwen ban
Comments: To: Marten Hiesboek <s66180@CC.NTNU.EDU.TW>
Comments: cc: ccnet-l@uga.bitnet
To: Multiple recipients of list CCNET-L <CCNET-L@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Status: RO

>> One intriguingly weird item: when you install Windows support, there is a
>> dialogue box with a choice of English or Chinese Windows. But the Chinese
>> Windows choice is greyed out. One wonders about the history of this little
>> glitch...
>
>The IBM ad in BYTE says: Even though the featured Windows version is
>English, thanks to the program TWin , one can make use of Truetype fonts
>and input methods designed for CWindows.

I think IBM is trying to cover up for the fact that they couldn't get real
Chinese Windows support in OS/2T, either because of legal or technical
problems (like having to get the product out the door before it was ready
for the market).

So, the ad specifically mentions input methods?

>Asked whether OS/2 T2.1 could sustain a say - Japanese TWINBRIDGE or a
>German Windows version there is cold silence from IBM Taiwan.

Again, although I haven't tried it, I imagine it should work. Twinbridge is
fairly friendly, it works in Win-OS/2 English versions, and on top of
Chinese MS WIndows 3.1...

>> this particular way of doing things, one cannot use any of the available
>> CWIN input programs (e.g.,  Hanin pinyin input program for MS Chinese
>> Windows). Please correct me if I'm wrong about this.
>
>Please let's find out if you are wrong about this. I really depend on
>Panasonic's Hanin Input Method. Who knows more?

If I have time later this evening, I will reinstall OS/2T with dual boot
(i.e., just install it on the DOS FAT partition) and try this out. I'll
report the results as soon as I have them.

>> Windows, for all it's shortcomings, provides a much more aesthetically
>> pleasing interface, and with 3rd-party fonts and input programs, it is the
>> more flexible of the two.
>
>Can you tell us more about the aesthetical aspect? Why is Windows much
>more pleasing?

Actually I like the IBM PM interface better than Windows, although I prefer
the simple elegance of xwindows or Motif over either of them. Specifically,
though, the screen fonts for OS/2T Presentation Manager are not as nice as
the Windows fonts. I'm not sure what species of font they are using, but PM
uses Adobe Type Manager (Type 1) fonts, not Truetype. I haven't printed from
PM yet, so that's another aesthetic area to be explored (if worst comes to
worst, there is an IBM version of TeX...).

Since at the moment I can't get OS/2T to run at anything greater than
800X600, this evaluation may not be entirely fair.

>One of the reasons to buy OS/2 would be stability. We are using Word 6.0,
>Word 5.0 Chinese, Pagemaker, Corel Draw all on Chinese Windows 3.1, and
>sometimes it's just enought to send me up the wall. Program crashes, files
>currupted, import filters in Word 6.0 don't work as soon as you have
>high-bit chars in a file, deng3 deng3 ...
>Will I be happier with OS/2?
>
>
>Marten Hiesboek
>NTNU Taiwan

I'm in the same boat--Winword 6.0, Adobe Photoshop, Textbridge OCR,
AmiPro... and yes, crashing and trashing are part of the Chinese Windows
lifestyle! That's why I started experimenting with OS/2 a ways back, and why
I so eagerly antipated OS/2 T2.1. I think the final verdict is not in yet,
especially if OS/2T goes Unicode in 2.2. I'm not sure the system as it
stands today will make life easier than it is now with Chinese Windows,
though. At least when Chinese Windows crashes, you know what to do next!
(Being stubborn, however, I'm going to continue playing with OS/2T and see
what it can do).

Regards,
Avron
*******************************************************************************
                                     Avron Boretz

              Cornell University, Department of Anthropology
  CU Chinese-Japanese-Korean Computing and Database Facility
                                aab2@cornell.edu

*******************************************************************************

