Re: utf-8 in browsers

[Nadim Shaikli <shaikli at yahoo dot com>]

On 06 Nov 2002 08:55:23 +0000
  "Walid Shaari" <ws070 mdx ac uk> wrote:
> On Sun, 3 Nov 2002 11:00:34; Nadim Shaikli wrote:
> > 1. Does Mozilla support other languages in its compose/reply
> >    buffers ?  If it does, shouldn't we ask for proper Arabic
> >    support there too ?
> 
> OK The answer to this question is available in the Linux-Egypt forum,
> I will give the link, and for the impatient I will quote the text. It
> worked for me under Ximian Gnome (Galeon, and mozilla), be warned that
> the keymap used might not be the apporpriate/complete one for you later,
> so check it before using it, or use one of your own
> 
> consult the URL :
>   http://www.linux-egypt.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=668
> 
> This is how alaa does it on his system: 
> <quote> 
> I have an XKB arabic keyboard keymap file one my home directory (that
> file is attached here) I think it came with PANGO and I modified it a
> bit, there is another keymap maintained by the Saudi LUG a quick search
> through google should lead you their file should be identical to mine
> anyway. 
> 
> to load arabic keyboard just run 
> 
> xkbcomp arabic.xkb :0 
> 
> to switch languages just hit RIGHT ALT+ RIGHT SHIFT 
> 
> you can put this line in your .xinitrc file to be run automaticaly
> every time you run x. 
> 
> you can also install katoob and use its arabic keyboard emulator
> instead, when you need arabic text in other apps you can just copy
> and paste it (it will work across GTK+2 apps at least). 
> </quote> 

Thanks for the info.  A couple of things to keep in mind that are
rather bothersome to me anyways.  It still seems to me that Mozilla
should know which language its under.  A case in point, let's assume
I'm composing an email under Mozilla and then I decide to spell-check
it.  Well I pull-down a menu and simply do "spell-check" and Mozilla
automatically picks the appropriate language (or I specify it apriori
within the preferences page).

NOTE: mozilla doesn't have a spell-check, but one is coming according
      to the following URL (it'll use OpenOffice's dictionaries)*

      http://spellchecker.mozdev.org

In short, the application seems to ought to have language awareness
and I'm guessing that Mozilla does (like for french (fr) or czech
(cz), etc) - the question then becomes, does it ?  Is that awareness
within the application ?  Are all czech users having to switch their
keyboards (via 'xkbcomp') to compose/create an email within Mozilla ?
The "preference" setting for "composing" includes "Arabic CP-1256"
(and many others including UTF-8), shouldn't it also include a keymap
setting ?  If its a logical thing to have, should we suggest it to
mozilla.  Keep in mind that this suggestion has connotations - this
will mean that even non-arabic windows users (embedded systems, etc)
will be able to write in Arabic within Mozilla.

Sorry if I'm being dense...

*NOTE: we really need our own __ARABIC__ dictionary and work has
       already started in that regard - we very much need people
       to continue on this work (possibly full-time even).

  http://www.arabeyes.org/archives/doc/2002/July/msg00008.html
  http://www.arabeyes.org/cvsweb/translate/misc/full_wordlist.po

Salam.

 - Nadim


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