If you do not see the following word العربيه in Arabic, your computer is not supporting Arabic. It is not Arabic enabled. The Arabic word means �Arabic�. Here is my entire conclusion to help you to view, edit and more using Arabic language. Of course, solution depends up on the OS (operating system) you are using. Also, how much you will be working in Arabic. Let us started with MS Windows OS. If you are heavily user, it is much better to install new updated version of your OS that is Arabic enabled. Contact Microsoft for price, setup, and more details.
For all MS Windows OS users, If you have a globalization, localization, localizability, or international feature usage problem for which you may find an answer on the Global Software Development and Computing Portal: (http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev), if you can find an answer. Then, you should go to Dr. International�s help. Dr. International provides you the most accurate answer to your queries by filling out the form below. Due to the volume of emails received, Dr. International can answer faster to those queries that are detailed enough: http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/drintl/askdrintl.aspx
If you want to use Arabic language via your computer once in a while to do not that much editing, to send some emails in Arabic. Then you need to know the following. The program WordPad for Windows supports many languages utilizing the UNICODE. WordPad is found on your computer: Start Menu > Programs > Accessories >WordPad. How does it work? Switching Directions
Press Ctrl + right Shift to change the direction of a paragraph from English or Latin (left-to-right) to Arabic (right-to-left,). Press Ctrl + left Shift to set it back to left-to-right. How to input Unicode Characters?
Type the four-digit hex code of a Unicode character and then press Alt+X:
* Type 263a, press Alt+X, and you will get a smiley.
Shift+Alt+X typed after a Unicode character will turn the character into its hex code.
Unicode provides a unique number for every character, no matter what the platform, no matter what the program, no matter what the language. The Unicode Standard has been adopted by such industry leaders as Apple, HP, IBM, JustSystem, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, Sun, Sybase, Unisys and many others. Unicode is required by modern standards such as XML, Java, ECMAScript (JavaScript), LDAP, CORBA 3.0, WML, etc., and is the official way to implement ISO/IEC 10646. It is supported in many operating systems, all modern browsers, and many other products. The emergence of the Unicode Standard, and the availability of tools supporting it, are among the most significant recent global software technology trends. To know more about Unicode Charts, please see: http://www.unicode.org/charts/
http://www.unicode.org/charts/collation/chart_Arabic.html
In short, if you got an email text in Arabic, all you need to do is to copy that text and open WordPad, then paste the text to it. For replying do the opposite; write your Arabic text using WordPad then copy it. Paste it into your email program. After you been able to use Arabic interface on you computers, go to get some nice Arabic fonts. http://www.alanwood.net/unicode/fonts.html - arabic.
The following is an Arabic keyboard map for Windows:
In case WordPad does not work with you. And you do not like to spend some money to have another Arabic viewer and editor. You can write Arabic using English letters as described on the following chart or map. For example if you like to write, �Earth is big� in Arabic you write it as: �Al-ard^o kabeerah�.
If you want to buy a program that enable you to edit and view Arabic letters and script, Then you may try the Arabic Editor, The simplest solution and probably the cheapest ($ 29). Works with a non-Arabic version of Windows. To get the feel of it, you can download a free demo version (with some characters are disabled). Can be set up for phonetic typing if you are unfamiliar with the standard Arabic keyboard. Please, check:
http://www.summitsoft.co.uk/ and http://www.al-bab.com/arab/comp3.htm
Global Writer, An international language word processor that allows you to type in more than 100 different languages. $150.00
http://www.datacal.com/dce/s-global-writer.htm
OnePen for MS Windows (English, Arabic, or Any Edition). Typing foreign text in Windows has never been easy. OnePen revolutionizes foreign language word processing. It is a multilingual program that has the capability to insert blocks of foreign text into most Windows programs. OnePen is the multilingual solution
For Web pages and E-mail.
Spell Check/Thesaurus in Many Languages
Supports Web Page Design in Foreign Languages
Many Language Modules Available
Multi-Line Editing, Including Right to Left Languages
English, Arabic, Hebrew, French, German and Spanish Menus
Price: $169.95. http://www.aramedia.com/onepen.htm
Also there are more expensive soft wares to handle Arabic for a heavily user such as Universal Word. http://www.WYSIWYG.com.
For Mac OS users, an introduction to writing Arabic on the Mac:
http://www.hf.uib.no/smi/ksv/ArabicMac.html
For Linux OS users, http://www.arabiclinux.com/index.php?topic=Arabization
http://www.ficorp.com/linux_i18n.html
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/unicode.html
I hope this page help you. In case you have a comment or a question, please, feel free to contact me at:
Updated on 28 November 2003.
