Hebrew Word Processor
JACOB RICHMAN
I am looking for information about full function word processors
that support the Hebrew character set. The term support here would
include: right to left typing, switchable to include English, rulers,
indenting, landscape laser support). We have three local products
(Alef-Bet, Wordmill,Einstein) but I was wondering if any of the major
USA packages support Hebrew. I read in one of the pc magazines that
Wordperfect is comming out with a version that supports Hebrew. Has
anyone heard about this? Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Jacob
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Date sent (Israel time): 20-JUL-1988 10:30:06
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JACOB RICHMAN * <JRICHMAN%FAB8%SC.INT...@RELAY.CS.NET>
*
INTEL ELECTRONICS * Disclaimer: All thoughts and statements here are my own
FAB8 * and NOT those of my employer, and are also not
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL * based on, or contain, restricted information.
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Earl H. Kinmonth
>Greetings,
>
> I am looking for information about full function word processors
>that support the Hebrew character set. The term support here would
Nota Bene?
David Phillip Oster
called "The Script Manager". The Script Manager gives Macintoshes
multi-lingual capaibility. One document, even one line may include up to
16 different scripts, for example it may include English (using a 256
character font.), Hebrew, and japanese (using a 6000 character font and a
2-byte encoding.) Each script provides its own comparison routine so
names will be correctly sorted into the appropriate alphabetical order.
The script manger handles selections that cross boundaries from
left-to-right text to right-to-left text, (and vice versa, and simpler
selections of course.) The script manager handles remapping the keyboard
as you shift from language family to family (by simple font change
commands.) You can also daisy-chain multiple keyboards on the SE and the
Mac II. (The operating system supports multiple diverse keyboards, and the
"Apple Desktop Bus" defines all the low - level stuff to just plug a
second keyboard on the machine.)
Apple provides standard tools, such as "ResEdit" that let end users,
change the prompts, error messages, menu commands, menu command key
equivalents, and help texts of commercial software.
(and also the arrangement and spacing since not all languages take the
same amount of space to specify a command.) (The software is inherently
multi-lingual, but _you_ probably prefer to have all your commands and
prompts be in the same language.)
This means that if you want a Hebrew version of say, Aldus Pagemaker, a
bilingual friend can make one from a store-bought English version in a
few hours work.
Most modern Macintosh word processors advertise "Script Manager
Compatibility." Any Script Manager compatible word processor will work
fine in both Hebrew and English.
-----
The operating system also provides "The Window Manager", which defines a
high-level interface from the application program to the screen, and "The
print manager" that defines a high level interface from the application
program to printers. What this means is you can stick an arbitrary video
card in your mac and all your old software will take full advantage of it.
(On a Mac II you can fill all the slots with video cards and have an
non-rectangular desktop consisting of all 6 crts.) Windows can be
partially on one crt and partially on another.
Since applications print by sending a string of graphics commands to the
printer (move to these corrdinates, draw this text in this font here.) Mac
applications are inherently compatible with printers, plotters, and
typesetters. One printer driver allows all your application programs to
use that printer. (Other machines require that _each_ application know
how to use the new printer.)
This means that your word processor is not tied to any particular set of
display cards nor any particular set of printers.
The operating system also provides switching from application program to
application program in well under 1/4 second. (I regularly document my
programs by having a drawing program (for embedded figures),
a program editor, a word processor, an outline editor,
and my program itself, all running simultaneously, each in its own
windows.) The Scrap Manager provides cut and paste between
applications, and three standard scrap types that most applications
support are:
1.) text (straight ascii text)
2.) fonted text. (The script manager defines this standard.)
3.) pictures. (These are byte-encoded lists of graphics calls, not just
bitmaps, so they may include move and draw-text commands.)
There is a lot more, such as kerned, proportionally-spaced fonts, provided
by the system, and hence available to all applications. The system will
synthesize fonts, so even if you don't have to have an artist-drawn bitmap of
each size, you can still use it. (but the more bitmaps you have, the
better your screens will look.)
It is also easier to learn, use, and maintain than other systems.
--- David Phillip Oster --When you asked me to live in sin with you
Arpa: os...@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu --I didn't know you meant sloth.
Uucp: {uwvax,decvax,ihnp4}!ucbvax!oster%dewey.soe.berkeley.edu
Peter da Silva
a computer novice and can afford one, you probably need a Mac. It's not
politically correct to support Apple, but the machine is great for
computer illiterates for all that it's hell on programmers. However:
In article ... os...@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu (David Phillip Oster) writes:
> One printer driver allows all your application programs to
> use that printer. (Other machines require that _each_ application know
> how to use the new printer.)
This is not entirely true. The Amiga has always supported a wide variety
of printers by means of system calls that use loadable drivers, so there's
at least one system out there that lets all your programs use one printer
without configuring each. I also believe that Microsoft Windows (and hence
HP's New Wave and IBM's Presentation Manager) also supports this.
> The operating system also provides switching from application program to
> application program in well under 1/4 second.
However, the operating system also requires an extremely large amount of
memory to support this... I have been told that 2 megabytes is pretty much
the minimum if you want to run multiple major applications. Apple is not
alone in this: I understand that OS/2 won't even run in less than 2 Meg.
The Amiga is inherently multitasking, so you can do the same thing with
a lot less memory.
All three environments (Multifinder, Windows, and the Amiga's... Intuition)
allow you to cut and paste text and pictures between applications, though I
do think the Mac's setup is the most versatile.
> It is also easier to learn, use, and maintain than other systems.
The learning curve for the Mac is extremely shallow... for users. Programmers
have a much harder road to hoe, since they have to do operating system type
things like handling timeslicing themselves. Here's hoping that AUX will
solve the problem by combining the Mac's toolkit and managers with a real
operating system.
--
Peter da Silva `-_-' Ferranti International Controls Corporation.
"Have you hugged U your wolf today?" (uunet,tness1)!sugar!ficc!peter.
Orr Michael
including versions of most of the most popular WP programs in
English. Most are actually Bi-Lingual (Hebrew/English).
I even have a PD one, quite good. Most are able to work with a lot
of printer models, BUT (and a big BUT ...) you have to have your
printer converted, by making it able to print hebrew chars. This is
usually done by making chars above 128 ASCII print hebrew letters.
If anyone's interested, I can find out names/addresses of companies
and/or product. Cheers.
orr@nsc IBM's motto: Machines should work,
{amdhal,decwrl,hplabs,pyramid,sun}!nsc!orr People should think.
Orr's remark: Neither do.
Disclaimer: Opinions, come home. All is forgiven. Papa.
--
orr%@nsc.NSC.COM IBM's motto: Machines should work,
{amdhal,decwrl,hplabs,pyramid,sun}!nsc!orr People should think.
Orr's remark: Neither do.
Disclaimer: Opinions, come home. All is forgiven. Papa.