http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista...3.mspx?mfr=true

Understanding language packs

Language packs contain the localized resources for the user interface in Windows Vista. All installations of Windows Vista contain at least one language pack and the language neutral binaries that make up the operating system. The types of language packs described below differ only in the amount of coverage that they provide to Windows Vista and whether they require another language pack to provide a complete interface.

Implementation of the Windows Vista MUI consists of two primary elements:

• Language-neutral binaries The files that make up Windows Vista do not contain any language specific resources and are described as language-neutral binaries. The benefit of a language neutral operating system is that it can be updated by a single software update anywhere in the world, rather than requiring a language-specific version of the update.

• Language packs Language packs provide the localized language resources for the user interface. This support is provided at varying levels:

• Fully localized language pack Localized interface resources for Windows Vista. Language packs contain 100 percent of the user interface text resources. Windows Vista using a language pack would appear to have a completely localized user interface with all elements appearing in the specified language. The English (United States) version of Windows Vista is a language neutral version with the en-US language pack applied. Language packs are also sometimes referred to as parent languages.

• Parent language pack A parent language pack is a fully localized language pack providing support for a language interface pack (LIP). An example would be a Windows Vista computer using French as a parent language and Lao to provide the most common portions of the language resources.

• Base language pack A base language pack is typically a fully localized language pack that is installed to provide the language resources that are absent in a partially localized language pack.

• Partially localized language pack A partially localized language pack contains most, but not all, of the language resources for the user interface in Windows Vista. To provide a full user interface, a partially localized language pack depends on a base language pack. For example, Arabic (Saudi Arabia) is a partially localized language pack and contains approximately 80 percent of the language resources localized in Arabic. The remaining 20 percent of the language resources can be in either English or French. Both English and French are fully localized languages.

• Language interface pack A LIP depends upon a parent language pack to provide a complete user interface conversion. In countries/regions where there are commonly two languages, you can provide a greater degree of localization by applying a LIP over a language pack to provide a better user experience.

great!

there must be many Lao programmers working in "Microsoft"

?how would the lao language interface with another language like french

Maybe I have a missing file, but the Lao scripts that are rendered on my computer comes out like a total mess. The top deactrics signs and a lot of the vowels are misplaced into spaces instead of coming out smooth.

So i can just start typing Lao script like thai version in the chatroom, and anybody can view without a problem.

สาธารณรัฐประชาธิปไตยประชาชนลาว

the LIP add-on allows Windows Vista to display menu items in the Lao language. Any menu name/item that does not have an equivalent Lao word will be displayed in like French or English, etc...



Yeah, anyone with Windows Vista will be able to read/write in Lao language without having to do anything. The DokChampa font is the standard Lao font in Windows Vista. There's better looking Lao fonts out there, but for some reason DokChampa was chosen. I'm sure in later versions of Windows, Microsoft will add more Lao fonts.

DokChampa font uses the traditional style of the Lao script, whereas other Lao fonts use the ornamental style (westernized version to mimic western fonts...i.e. straighter lines). The traditional style looks more rounded.





Are you using Windows Vista? The default Lao font is DokChampa.

Here's a cool site that let's you visually "type" Lao words if you don't feel like using your regular keyboard.

http://rishida.net/scripts/pickers/lao/

Oh, i have been looking forever, but i guess i have to use Internet Explorer to view the script. Doesn't work on the Netscape and Firefox.

^ I'm using Firefox and I can see Lao.

Savan - I'm not using Windows Vista but Lao fonts just appeared out of nowhere on youtube and stuff- Wherever anyone types Lao, I will be able to see it but it doesn't really work that well.

Can somebody translate my Lao?

ໃຈຂ້ອພປວຈາກວັນນັ້ນ jai koy puard jark wun nun
ວັນຫີ່ຂ້ອນັ້ນ wun tee koy nun
ຢິນຄຳບອກລາ yin kum bork la

^Woah,....speachless! Nice try though.

I think you just need to install Windows Vista or manually install the DokChampa font.



Yeah, I was quite surprised myself which led me to do some research and then found out that Microsoft had decided to include a Lao font as a standard font on Windows Vista...so Lao fonts are now cropping up on YouTube and Wikipedia, etc...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larb



I don't see any spaces...the font looks fine on my end. I think if you want Lao fonts to display correctly on YouTube, you will have to install DokChampa or upgrade to Windows Vista because it has native support for Lao script.

Therefore, for those of you who are Lao, please upgrade to Windows Vista and support Microsoft's decision to include Lao language support in their new Windows Vista operating system!

p.s. Too bad Microsoft didn't give us additional options for the Lao script...i.e. Traditional rounded look versus the Computerized (Ornamental) version with straighter lines.

Any idea where can i get DokChampa font for Free.

Sorry, I don't and come to think of it, now I'm not even sure if installing DokChampa will correct the problem...there are some new features in Vista, which support the Lao Unicode font format, but I believe in order to use DokChampa correctly, you will need to at least update your Windows XP to the SP2 version by using Windows Update for free. I also think that newer versions of Internet Explorer have native support for rendering newer fonts like DokChampa. However, I don't think it will allow you to type in Lao. If you need to be able to easily type/read Lao script, then just upgrade to Vista.

If some of you are running Windows XP, but still see spaces or squares while viewing Lao script on like YouTube or whatever, then try upgrading to Windows XP SP2.

I guess i have to upgrade to Vista, i might be able to get it done this month. For other to be able to view they have to do the same.

Vista looks better and is much easier to use, anyway.

Besides, if you want to teach your parents how to use the computer, just install Windows Vista with the Lao LIP add-on to change most of the English menus in the Windows operating system to Lao menus. But if you decide not to install the LIP add-on, then Vista will still have native support for Lao script but the Windows menus will be in English.