Translation software

[Peter Arnold]

Hi guys,
I am still keeping up with my friendship in Shenyang and we talk on QQ ofcourse. It is very hard work and takes me about 3 hours to have a small conversation.
I have tried to get get my computer to read Chinese characters by going to the 'control panel' and choosing Asian Languages, but I do not have my Windows XP CD's to run and install it. Do not know what I have done with them.
Is there another software I can down load to help speed up the translation process so Renjie can send me messages and I can then translate.
Anybody give me some advice please, as to how you guys do it,
Peter

[Peter Arnold]

Thanks Mike,
You guys are a wealth of information. I will try it and let you know how I go.
Peter.

[joeswuhandream]

hi peter
 i recommend bablefish excellent translation tool
i use it all the time , very good indeed you can translate up to 150 words at a time
 i find it as good as anything   regards joey 

[mustfocus]

Hey Peter,

Is the problem that you can't see chinese characters?  Or is it that you can't input chinese characters?  There is a thread here somewhere with how to display characters that I wrote a while back...  you shouldn't need your windows XP CD to set it up... I've done it uncountable numbers of times with my computer and with Lenovo and HP computers and I've never needed the CD (the "cab" files you need should be on the computer already... just not extracted).

As for writing, you don't need any additional software, you just need to add the input method component which is also part of Windows XP.

The only time I know of when this can be different is if your lady is using something called "Big5" coding (sometimes called GB5).  This requires additional software... but let's stick to basics first.  Let me know the issue and I'll see if I can help.

[Willy The Londoner]

My own experience is that the less talking you do the happier life you will have together!

Willy

[Peter Arnold]

Hey Willy,
I don't know how she puts up with you! But thanks for the advice anyway

[Jimmy]

If you look just a little you can see a post martin made just a week or 2 ago with a list of them.

[mustfocus]

I think Jimmy means this thread:

http://www.chinaromance.net/index.php?topic=2744.0

That said, most of those programs still require that you be able to view chinese characters first.