🚀 go-pugleaf

Greg Conquest <conquest@surfline.ne.jp> wrote:

> Thanks for the reply, Nishino-san. It has been helpful. I have J-OS on
> my Palm IIIx now, and I can input characters OK.
> 
> Now, I'm wondering about the dictionaries. I installed the included
> dic-m (I think it was), but I don't see it anywhere. I want to be able
> to enter an English or a Japanese word and get a translation. Now I
> see nothing relating to definitions or Furigana -- just an IME for
> entering Japanese into and reading the Palm OS.

Ah, the "dictionary" files are *conversion* dictionaries.  To get what
you ask, you need a separete program.  I think there was such a thing,
but do not remember for certain.  If you read Japaenese, go to:

http://www.palmfan.com/
http://muchy.com/

and look around, you should be able find an e-j/j-e dictionary program
there.

J-OS is an IME.


> I found the products on these pages. There is very little English info
> about the program. Did you translate all the info below?
> (more)

Well, I presume the web page authors assume that if you are there
looking for J-OS info, then you are also capable of reading Japanese.
But, yes, I did translate the info.

> Are these included, or does it mention which one's are available? Will
> some of these work with J-OS 1.9? Do any of them show some kind of
> furigana when translating an English word into Japanese?

The improvements are all rolled into the J-OS III program.  None are
separeately available for J-OS 1.9.  As I noted above, J-OS is an IME,
it does not offer any e-to-j translation dictionaries, nor does it give
you furigana.  (Presumably, if you are using IME to enter Japanese, you
already know the phonetic pronounciation, and thus do not need
furigana.)

> And, sorry for so many questions, can I write a kanji instead of using
> the romaji IME? If I see a new Kanji somewhere (there everywhere
> around me, actually), I'd like to be able to write it down (guessing
> at the proper stroke order), and get a definition. Can I do this with
> the apps included with J-OS III?

No.  Again, J-OS III is an IME and localization engjine.  It is not an
dictionary app.  Whenever J-OS refers to a dictionary, it is talking
about a *conversion* dictionary that translates romaji to kanji.

As for Kanji handwriting recognition, it does not exist -- even for the
Japaense Palm machines that IBM sells in that market.  (I suspect it is
just too much to implement on such a small memory.)

Even the dictionary solution I mention above requires phonetic input of
Japanese words.  For what you ask, the best solution is an old fashioned
pocket j-e/e-j dictionary, or if you want to go the electronic route,
the electronic dictionary sets available from casio and sony and the
like.

> Again, thanks so much for your time, Nishino-san.

No problem.  Hope this helped.

Best,

Tn