I just want to start off saying that this will work for any language Ubuntu uses.
*(For those of you looking for native “pirate” language abilities, I don’t think Ubuntu supports that. The good news is that you can use the standard English alphabet for it if you don’t mind the missing “special” characters such as “rum bottle”, “cutlass”, and “union jack”, and having all the emoticons made with patches over one eye.)
We also have a Macbook Pro for use by the rest of the family, and as a backup of my backup.
The Macbook switches relatively easily between the Japanese OS and the English OS (or other languages for that matter).
Windows, however, is different. I know people who use various programs to “write Japanese on your computer”, however there is a very, very simple solution to the problem of using foreign languages natively on a PC.
Simply put, the answer is Ubuntu. Ubuntu is a Linux based operating system that is as easy to use as Windows or OSX. If most of what you do is word processing, email, or internet research, Ubuntu may even be easier.
You can run Ubuntu from a live disk or USB for occasional use of Japanese, especially if you don’t need to save too much data, and most of your settings are synced online. Ubuntu does not actually use a lot of space on a hard drive so another simple solution is to dual install Ubuntu with Windows (or OSX), and when you turn on your computer, select Ubuntu when you want to work in Japanese. The dual install will also allow you to save as much as you want onto the Ubuntu side, and easily keep all of your settings.
It is definitely worth the time to learn how to use Ubuntu on your computer, and it can also be a great way to revive an older computer and make that your Japanese language machine.
Once the proper language packs have been downloaded and are a part of your Ubuntu environment, it is very easy to switch languages.
- Logout
- On the bottom left side of the login screen, choose your language and keyboard configuration.
- Login
If you get used to the menus in Japanese, remember that Japanese operating systems function in English as well as Japanese.
Ubuntu comes preinstalled with programs such as OpenOffice.org, Firefox, Skype, and most of the other programs one might need in order to do get things done.
Ubuntu is a free, open-source operating system, and the only price you pay is the time you spend installing it, learning about it, and then giving back to the community if you so choose.
Here is a link to Ubuntu’s main English language page:
You can even order a free CD if you can wait and don’t want to download it. Feel free to ask me in the comments or drop me a message if you have questions.
If you want to be absolutely sure that the email you send in Japanese doesn’t end up as a bunch of garbled characters or “mojibake”, Ubuntu is a great solution to the problem.