Bi-/Multi-lingual software

[japanat]

I'm trying to make a thread where members can exchange information on software that has proven useful in a multi-lingual application, or to ask for advice on such software.

Ex:
While WinXP and Office support most Japanese kanji, I've run into problems with Publisher (2000). I can cut and paste kanji from Word, but cannot directly input it into Publisher. Is there a workaround, or will I have to get other software in order to do vertical word boxes, etc.

And what program do you all recommend for building homepages in Japanese and English, to be read primarily by the Japanese. Do I need to encode JIS, EUC, Unicode? I can't get a nice effect from Windows, and Nvu's free soft has proven way beyond me. But I don't want to plonk down hundreds of dollars on something the salesperson says "should work".

As you can see, and as Riinuka already knows, I can use computers, but am a bit of a moron about this kind of stuff...

[Kaji]

Unicode is designed with compatibility with current major systems in mind, so if I were to pick a single encoding, I'd go with Unicode. Just about all current systems support it, and should they not then the page can translate itself back with relative ease.

[Riinuka]

Agreeing on the Unicode verdict, though if it isn't too much trouble, perhaps parallel versions (each with a different code) could be linked in order to provide a page that would display if the first does not?

I got mentioned. o O; Weird. xD

Seeing as how I only have some experience with Publisher, I am not sure... But can't you make a text box in word, copy it in it's entirety (by selecting the box and copying) and then insert it into Publisher?

I'm not at a system where I can test this right now..

Otherwise, I would just make a drawn object without borders, make it so that you can type within it, and then try rotating text.. See if there is an option to make characters always appear correctly position when it comes to rotation in the "Format" option when you right click...

Sorry that I don't have access to Publisher to help you out right now. ._.;

[harperatheart]

I recommend Adobe GoLive...or Dreamweaver.

There might be others that work too... but those two programs I have experience with.

From my experience, you just type the kanji into program just as you would in Word. It is like using english sentences in the page, only in a different language.

Download a trial version of the two.. give it a try.

Hope this helps.

[japanat]

Seeing as how I only have some experience with Publisher, I am not sure... But can't you make a text box in word, copy it in it's entirety (by selecting the box and copying) and then insert it into Publisher?Yes, I can do this with no problem, but if I try to set a vertical box, it just turns the box 90° and turns the kanji sideways, too.

Otherwise, I would just make a drawn object without borders, make it so that you can type within it, and then try rotating text.. See if there is an option to make characters always appear correctly position when it comes to rotation in the "Format" option when you right click...I haven't been able to find anything like that, but I'll keep looking.

Adobe GoLive...or DreamweaverI'll check them out, Thanks.