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ellienihon
Joined: 20 Sep 2003
Posts: 34
Location: San Diego, CA
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 Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2004 5:51 pm Post subject: Another computer question |
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I will be in Japan in April. I think that shipping my desktop is unreasonable, so I'm going to look for a used laptop. I have read the posts about computers, and wanted some suggestions for what I should look for in hardware so that it's compatible with Japanese machines. In particular, I'm thinking about modems (I'd like to get a wireless one, but should I wait?), but if there's other hardware issues i haven't thought of, please share your experience.
Also, what software would you suggest buying before I leave? I primarily use my computer for word processing and WWW. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2004 10:24 pm Post subject: |
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| I think all you really need is something with an OS newer than Windows 98, plus a LAN card. I'm not an expert on this, and if you want real tech-head advice, I suggest www.gaijinpot.com . |
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lajzar
Joined: 09 Feb 2003
Posts: 647
Location: Saitama-ken, Japan
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| Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2004 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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Software wise, any laptop bought today will have some kind of word processor and web browser pre-installed, even if it is only MSIE and Wordpad. I strongly recommened buying an English version of your favourite word processor (Word 2000/en or later can use the Japanese IME for typing Japanese), as it means not having to relearn everything.
Modem wise, I'd wait until you get to Japan. There can be lots of compatibility issues, not just with the computer hardware, but also with the telephone network and main power supply. Most good ISPs here will rent out a modem for a token amount anyway. |
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Sherri
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Posts: 749
Location: The Big Island, Hawaii
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| Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2004 10:29 pm Post subject: |
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ellienihon
If you wait until you get here, you can get a mac laptop--all macs have an English and Japanese OS, so there are no problems with compatability. I have an airmac system that I bought here for the same price it would have cost in the States (bought new plus warranty, there is an English helpline here too). If you have an English OS and use a Japanese printer for example, then all the messages related to printing will come up in gibberish, a bit annoying. I know that in Tokyo at least you can buy computers with an English OS. Check out this site for much more info:
http://www.gaijinpot.com/isps.php
If you are thinking of software, consider bringing at least the English version of MS word, and if you decide to get a Mac make sure it is the mac version.
Hope this helps
Sherri |
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shmooj
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1758
Location: Seoul, ROK
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| Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 12:04 am Post subject: |
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| Sherri wrote: |
| If you have an English OS and use a Japanese printer for example, then all the messages related to printing will come up in gibberish, a bit annoying. |
I have a Japanese OS. One day, playing around with settings, I somewhere chose English as the system language (I think it was by using regedit). Voila, all my Japanese printer messages changed to English. Nothing else did, which didn't bother me as I got a Japanese OS to help my language skills if nothing else. So, it is possible to alter printer dialogs.
BTW, Windows XP has IME built in so you can type in Japanese and Korean. You can also personalise all menus in Office so that you can change the Japanese to English. Yet to see OS X offer personalised menus.
If you want to go the second hand machine route when you get here and are happy with a Japanese OS, check out Hard Off. This store stocks plenty of good second hand laptops at very reasonable prices. |
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Sherri
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Posts: 749
Location: The Big Island, Hawaii
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| Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 12:26 am Post subject: |
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Sorry, I don't know much about computers, what's a personalised menu (Office)? Wouldn't that be software related? My version of office is ancient but my mac allows me to type (and have menus) in English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese among other languages.
Anyway, I guess the point is that now it is easier than ever to use more than one language on a computer these days. I think it's worth waiting and buying your computer in Japan and having all the advantages of the local warranty and you won't have to worry about compatibility issues.
Sherri |
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shmooj
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1758
Location: Seoul, ROK
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| Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 12:34 am Post subject: |
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| Sherri wrote: |
| Sorry, I don't know much about computers, what's a personalised menu (Office)? Wouldn't that be software related? My version of office is ancient but my mac allows me to type (and have menus) in English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese among other languages. |
Let's not start the OS war here okay but in Office 2003, which comes bundled with almost all laptops you would buy in Japan these days, you can right click on any drop down menu and select an option which basically enables you to click on your drop down menu titles and change them to whatever you want. E.g. you can type "Puuuurrrrriiiinnttt this baby!" if you fancy that instead of the standard "Print" Obviously, this means that you can convert the Japanese language menus to English.
You can also download IE in English to replace the one in Japanese on your OS. Between IE and Office, most computer literate people find that they can manage fine on a Japanese OS without understanding the language.
Windows does not offer multilingual settings for the whole OS like Mac does unless you can afford an exorbitant license for it. The reason for this is pure marketing. If you don't like that then don't complain to me and remember that Bill is simply pursuing the good ol' American dream as so many are encouraged to do over there  |
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ellienihon
Joined: 20 Sep 2003
Posts: 34
Location: San Diego, CA
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| Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 8:27 am Post subject: |
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Thank you for the replies, everyone. Does anyone know whether Yahoo BB is available in Aichi-ken? I've seen lots of good comments about that here.
Thanks for the heads up about forums at gaijinpot, I'll check those out.
If I get XP in the USA, how do I get a Japanese word processor. I would also like to be able to type Japanese for email. I was not clear about that earlier. |
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shmooj
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1758
Location: Seoul, ROK
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| Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:09 am Post subject: |
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| ellienihon wrote: |
| Thank you for the replies, everyone. Does anyone know whether Yahoo BB is available in Aichi-ken? |
Depends where you live. I'm in Aichi and I use Yahoo BBuntil tomorrow morning when I leave the country. Go to this URL:
http://bbpromo.yahoo.co.jp/
which will all be in Japanese. Ignore the Japanese if it bothers you and type in your phone number in the top left boxes (area code) (first two digits) (last four digits). Hit enter and this will tell you whether Yahoo BB is available for that number. If it is you will get transferred to a screen telling you your number and the exchange where the number is registered. If it isn't, they come round and remove a member of your family until such time as you can make bail
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If I get XP in the USA, how do I get a Japanese word processor. I would also like to be able to type Japanese for email. I was not clear about that earlier. |
XP has IME (input method editor) built in. AFAIK, you can simply select Japanese from the language bar (right click on the taskbar and select this toolbar to make it visible if it isn't) and then set about inputting Japanese (which is an art in itself). But if Japanese IME is not preinstalled download IME by going to THIS link. |
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VanKen
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
Posts: 139
Location: Calgary, AB Canada
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| Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| XP has IME (input method editor) built in. AFAIK, you can simply select Japanese from the language bar (right click on the taskbar and select this toolbar to make it visible if it isn't) and then set about inputting Japanese (which is an art in itself). But if Japanese IME is not preinstalled download IME by going to THIS link. |
To clarify a bit, Windows XP PRO has the ability to add a Global IME to it, but this is NOT the case with Windows XP HOME, which is usually installed on new computers for the home market.
Global IMEs can also be installed on Windows 2000.
If you ONLY need to read/write another language within an MS Office program, downloading and installing an MS Office IME is the way to go. This is possible for Office 2000 as well as for Office XP. |
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shmooj
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1758
Location: Seoul, ROK
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| Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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Well VanKen, goodness knows what my XP Home is doing then. Not to mention my friend's US version. Let's focus on the INPUT METHOD here. You can download this or have it bundled pre-installed depending on your version of XP but it is there.
I think you are thinking of the MUI pack which you can find out more about HERE which has very limited availability.
As for IME, here's the blurb straight from their website (my emphasis):
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Windows XP
Windows has for years used Input Method Editors to allow users to enter the thousands of characters needed to write Chinese, Japanese and Korean. An IME is a program that allows computer users to enter complex characters and symbols, such as Japanese characters, using a standard keyboard. The user composes each character in one of several ways: by radical, by stroke count, by phonetic representation, or by typing in the character's numeric encoding index. Windows XP ships with standard IMEs that are based on the most popular input methods used in each target market. There are four basic target markets: Japanese, Korean and Chinese (which is subdivided into Traditional and Simplified). |
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