How to Read Chinese

How to Read Chinese on the Internet

How can I read Chinese on the Internet? What is Big-5 code? Why are there some blank spaces " " or black holes found when I read Chinese sometimes? Why can I read Chinese characters on the some Web pages, but not on other pages? Why can't I display Chinese characters in Netscape under Chinese Windows?

• In order to read Chinese through the network,
  
  
  1. you will have to run your WWW browser such as Netscape or Mosaic under Chinese Environment, or
     
  2. you can use Chinese Windows (Big-5 version), or
     
  3. Mac with Chinese Language Kit, or
     
  4. X-Windows with Chinese Fonts.
     
     
  Normally, you do not need to make any special settings to your browser, and it should be able to display Chinese characters.
  
  
• If you have an English version of MS Windows, you can try to use Twinbridge. The demo version can be downloaded from
  "ftp://ftp.ifcss.org/pub/software/ms-win/c-sys/cp40demo.zip".
  
  For users in Hong Kong, you can get it from
  "ftp://ftp.cuhk.hk/pub/chinese/ifcss/software/ms-win/c-sys/cp40demo.exe".
  
  After downloading Twinbridge, you need to run Netscape (if applicable) and have the following settings under Options menu, choose "Preferences" then "Fonts and Colors":
  
  
  For the Encoding: Japanese [Set it first before setting others]
  Use the Proportional Font: Chn
  Use the Fixed Font: Courier
  Default Encoding: Japanese-SJIS
  
  
• You may also try UnionWay 4.0 with English version of MS Windows 3.x or Windows 95. The demo version can be downloaded from
  " ftp://ftp.ifcss.org/pub/software/ms-win/c-sys/uwcjkstd.exe".
  
  For users in Hong Kong, you can get it from
  " ftp://ftp.cuhk.hk/pub/chinese/ifcss/software/ms-win/c-sys/uwcjkstd.exe".
  
  
• If you are using a Macintosh, you will need to run Chinese Language Kit and make the above changes as in Netscape.
  
  
• As far as font path is concerned, you need to use Chinese Big-5 fonts in the X-Windows system. You can find the information to install Mosaic at
  "ftp://ftp.cuhk.hk/pub/chinese/ifcss/software/x-win/www/Mosaic/" .
  
  Alternatively, you can use cxterm plus the text-based WWW browser lynx. You can obtain the information from
  "ftp://ftp.cuhk.hk/pub/chinese/ifcss/software/x-win/cxterm/".
  
  

• Big-5 code is one of the common internal storage coding schemes for Traditional Chinese characters, similar to the ASCII coding scheme of English.
  
  
• Text in iSPACE is displayed using the Big-5 code. To read on-line news, you will have to have software/OS which supports this coding scheme. Chinese Windows is one of the examples. You can check with your local supplier for a listing of related softwares/OS that allow you to view Chinese characters on your computer screen.
  

• Blank spaces " " or black holes represents unrecognized Chinese characters which are, for example, often used in Hong Kong slang. We are working on a scheme to provide additional fonts to our users for these special characters.
  

• The Chinese content that you can read on your WWW browser are made of graphics only. It's like a picture which can be posted to your screen without any Chinese supporting software installed.
  

• There may be some problem with your display driver. Some less commonly used display drivers do not support Chinese in some graphic modes. Check with your supplier for further information.