in wanting to download and install the programs Graphite and WorldPad
to make own fonts and alphabet, i sent this email to the WorldPad
site
http://scripts.sil.org/cms/scripts/page.php
site_id=nrsi&item_id=WorldPadDownload :

hey, :^)
>
>on the page of your site to download worldpad,
>http://scripts.sil.org/cms/scripts/page.php?
site_id=nrsi&item_id=WorldPadDownload
>
>i downloaded .net runtime, ICU Installer for WorldPad 2.1, Microsoft
Text Services Framework , WorldPad 2.1, released 17 November 2005,
WorldPad 2.1 Read-me, and WorldPad version 1.
>
>i didn't download Keyman 6, nor Keyman 6 Developer, as when i went
to site the links took me to, these programs were only available as a
30 day trial; then have to pay for it. do i really need these
programs in order to use graphite and worldpad to make and use my own
fonts for an alien/constructed alphabet/language?
>
>which worldpad do i use, version 2.1 or 1.0?
>my OS is Win98SE. the browsers i use are compuserve 7.9, Avant 11.0
build 5, IE 6.0.

>can the worldpad version 2.1 work in my OS, even tho it says it's for
>Win2000 and XP; but dosnt say that it is ONLY for Win2000 and XP?
>
>thank you
...

to which they replied:

Dear...,
>
>Thank you for your interest in WorldPad. Windows 98 requires
WorldPad 1.0, so the others you have downloaded won't work. There are
indications with each download as to which operating system you need.
>
>You don't have to download Keyman 6.2 (this is the latest version,
and there is a free home version you may have missed). You will need
some kind of keyboard utility to make good use of the features of
WorldPad, unless the font you want to create doesn't have any complex
or non-Roman characters. There is more information about keyboards on
the Tavultesoft web site, and in particular there are questions and
answers in the Forums and in the Knowledge Base.
http://www.tavultesoft.com/
>
>We also have information about keyboarding on our website: Short URL:
>http://scripts.sil.org/Input
>
>This may be something you already are aware of and have chosen not to
>incorporate into your font, but Windows 98 doesn't support Unicode
>encodings. More information about Unicode can be found here:
>http://www.unicode.org/
>and here: http://www.alanwood.net/unicode/index.html
>
>Regards,
>
>Sheila Harrison
>Non-Roman Script Initiative
>nrsi@...


to which i replied:

ok, if i understand it correctly, the OS Win 98SE will only need
downloaded and applied, the programs linked on your Worldpad site:
1. Net runtime v1.1
2. Microsoft Text Services Framework
3. Keyman 6
4. WorldPad 1.0
5. Documentation WorldPad_DTD_zip.zip

and on the Keyman site:
http://www.tavultesoft.com/keyman/downloads/homeedition.php
1. Keyman 6.2 Free Home Edition
2. Microsoft RichEdit 3.0 update (which is under Keyman System
Requirements. http://www.tavultesoft.com/keyman/support/sysreq.php
As they state: If you want to use Unicode input in Write, Outlook, or
many other applications under Windows 95 or 98, you need this
update.) If I understand it correctly, upon reading through some of
the info on unicode you gave links to, this update will make it
possible to use unicode characters in Win98Se, as if Win98SE were
supporting unicode encodings, as well as using the keyboard to enter
non roman/non english characters with Keyman 6?

looking through the software for unicodes, for example, on BabelStone
site, there is a BabelMap
http://www.babelstone.co.uk/Software/BabelMap.html for Win98, and a
BablePad http://www.babelstone.co.uk/Software/BabelPad.html for
Win98 to download. Since i would be using WorldPad, i would not need
these?

again, if i understand it correctly, the OS Win98SE does NOT need
downloaded and applied, the programs linked on your WorldPad site:
1. ICU Installer for WorldPad 2.1
2. WorldPad 2.1
3. WorldPad 2.1 Read-Me
4. Keyman 6 Developer

and on the Keyman site:
http://www.tavultesoft.com/keymandev/downloads/
1. Keyman Developer 6.2, as it includes Keyman Standard and requires
a buy after a 30 day trial.
2. on same page: Keyman Developer PDF documentation
3. ditto: Keyman Runtime Add-Ins

please correct me if i am wrong in any of these above.

thank you
...

to which they replied with their answers to my questions in ** **:

Dear ...,

**Comments below. You should know that I have never used Graphite,
WorldPad, or a Keyman keyboard. We do not provide user support for
our fonts and other software; however, I am doing user support in a
limited form because we do want people to be able to use these free
programs.**

Regards,
...

ok, if i understand it correctly, the OS Win 98SE will only need
downloaded
and applied, the programs linked on your Worldpad site:
1. Net runtime v1.1
2. Microsoft Text Services Framework
3. Keyman 6 **yes, actually Keyman 6.2 home version**
4. WorldPad 1.0 **yes**
5. Documentation WorldPad_DTD_zip.zip **I don't know what this is--I
opened it and it seems to be programming code, like a readme file. It
doesn't hurt to download it.**

**The others are for the current version, so they don't apply to
WorldPad 1.0.**

and on the Keyman site:
http://www.tavultesoft.com/keyman/downloads/homeedition.php
1. Keyman 6.2 Free Home Edition **yes**
2. Microsoft RichEdit 3.0 update (which is under Keyman System
Requirements. **If the website says you need it, then yes**
http://www.tavultesoft.com/keyman/support/sysreq.php
As they state: If you want to use Unicode input in Write, Outlook, or
many other applications under Windows 95 or 98, you need this
update.) If I understand it correctly, upon reading through some of
the info on unicode you gave links to, this update will make it
possible to use unicode characters in Win98Se, as if Win98SE were
supporting unicode encodings, as well as using the keyboard to enter
non roman/non english characters with Keyman 6? **I have no
experience with Windows 95 or 98 with relation to fonts and Unicode.**

looking through the software for unicodes, for example, on BabelStone
site, there is a BabelMap
http://www.babelstone.co.uk/Software/BabelMap.html for
Win98, and a BablePad
http://www.babelstone.co.uk/Software/BabelPad.html
for Win98 to download. Since i would be using WorldPad, i would not
need these? **Sorry, I don't know about BabelStone applications.**

again, if i understand it correctly, the OS Win98SE does NOT need
downloaded and applied, the programs linked on your WorldPad site:
1. ICU Installer for WorldPad 2.1
2. WorldPad 2.1
3. WorldPad 2.1 Read-Me
4. Keyman 6 Developer
**Correct.**

and on the Keyman site:
http://www.tavultesoft.com/keymandev/downloads/
1. Keyman Developer 6.2, as it includes Keyman Standard and requires
a buy after a 30 day trial.
2. on same page: Keyman Developer PDF documentation **...but you
should download the documentation that pertains to the Keyman app**
3. ditto: Keyman Runtime Add-Ins
**Keyman is for people who want to use keyboards. Keyman Developer is
for people who are creating keyboards.**

please correct me if i am wrong in any of these above.
**My suggestion would be to find a forum or some other group that is
also creating fonts and join their online discussion. Many of these
are very friendly to people just beginning and offer excellent
advice.**

---------
can anyone help me with what they were not sure of and didn't know?

another thing...i had already downloaded and applied .Net runtime
v1.1, and downloaded but did not apply Microsoft Text Services
Framework. on their page to download WorldPad
http://scripts.sil.org/cms/scripts/page.php?
site_id=nrsi&item_id=WorldPadDownload
it states that this is already included in Win XP. so why would a
link to download this be there, if not for applying for other Win
OS's?

do i need to remove the .Net runtime v1.1 that i applied, since they
say it is not for Win98SE and WorldPad 1.0? if so, how do i remove
it? if not, will it cause any run problems with Win98SE, WorldPad
1.0 and Graphite?

thanks.


also, why dosnt conlang allow posting to the yahoo group?  to me it would 
make it easier to read and organize.  as i have difficulty in trying 
firgure out what is where on this site.  ive tried posting here before, but 
nothing happened.