[CentOS] Re: Japanese Language Support? -- same system, multiple uses with multiple languages

[Bryan J. Smith]

On Sun, 2005-07-31 at 19:02 +0900, Dave Gutteridge wrote:
> Windows has what is called a "Global IME" ...
> Even more significanly, I can use this input method for programs, in 
> Windows, like OpenOffice, Firefox, and Thunderbird. This is why I more 
> or less assumed Linux would be able to as well, because the applications 
> that I also use in CentOS support the feature in Windows.

In UNIX/Linux, language settings are environmental variables.  All you
would need to do is set a variable and export it before a program
starts.  The Pango subsystem of GNOME 2+ handles it for GNOME
applications, and KDE has it's own.

> As for the keyboards, again, I don't know how it works, but I just type 
> in Japanese phonetically, the same way it works on a Japanese keyboard, 
> but still using my US English keyboard. In fact, I prefer to use my US 
> English keyboard for typing Japanese because Japanese keyboards have a 
> tiny space bar that I'm always missing and hitting other keys, and they 
> weirdly map thigs like an apostraphe to being above the seven and other 
> odd choices. With Windows, my keyboard retains its mapping, but the 
> result is that I can type in Japanese characters.

You can do either with X.  You can continue to use your English keyboard
_and_ you can plug in a Japanese keyboard simultaneously.  How either is
mapped is up to your X program, although I'm sure if you have the
English in and the Japanese locale, it will take it as well.

> It's this functionality which I assumed CentOS was offering with it's 
> "Input Method Switcher". After all, the Input method switcher does sit 
> on my top panel with a little white squre icon with "En" on it, just 
> like Microsoft's Global IME. If the "Input method switcher" does not 
> allow me to type in other languages, then what does it do?

I don't know.  Never tried it.

I just wanted to mention I had setup different users with different
languages before, and that unlike Windows (without different Graphical
Display Interfaces, GDIs, such as via Terminal Services for Switch
User), you _can_ run multiple user desktops/applications simultaneous on
a _single_ X session with windows right next to each other (of different
users).

-- 
Bryan J. Smith   b.j.smith at ieee.org      http://thebs413.blogspot.com
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