Where To Buy Non English - Non Thai Keyboards?

[geovalin]

Hello

In my case it's FRENCH but the question is relevant for German, Spanish, Korean, etc.

A few years ago, I found French keyboards in the store on the top floor in Panthip. It was Thai made. Good material. Nowadays, in this store, they have only Spanish and Korean.

Where can we find a wide choice of Non English and Non Thai keyboard in Bangkok? At least French?

Thank you

G~

[solo siam]

I've always wondered if French people program computers in French or English.

[geovalin]

I've always wondered if French people program computers in French or English.

My French friends working in computer area use only English keyboards and are even not able to use a French keyboard. The point is that I'm a plain average French man.

[Kyosuken]

Computer language is English, it's universal, version of things like "basic" or "visual basic" or whatever used to be "localised", but you get it, you need a compiler for each type of localised version of the same language, pretty stupid ain't it ? so this error never been done twice.

Finding a french keyboard out there is pretty ###### difficult, the thing i did is asking some friend coming to visit me to bring a couple of these. That being said it's not the "qwerty" / "azerty" that is disturbing it's because french keyboard got things like é è ô ë etc, and unless you got a very good memory (or are so used to the mapping of a french keyboard that you don't need to look at it) it's a pretty difficult task

Edited April 11, 2007 by Kyosuken

[ozymandious]

If you can touch type (don't look at the keyboard)

and only want the French layout (i guess it's muscle memory)

you can use a free tool from Microsoft to remap your keyboard thereby having any layout you like.

I used it before on a machine that had a dead key (swapped it for another rarely used key) and it worked fine

It's some where in the bowels of the MS download section but I also found it here.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Microsoft_Keyboa...ator_d4236.html

Good luck Frenchie!

[geovalin]

Computer language is English, it's universal, version of things like "basic" or "visual basic" or whatever used to be "localised", but you get it, you need a compiler for each type of localised version of the same language, pretty stupid ain't it ? so this error never been done twice.

Finding a french keyboard out there is pretty ###### difficult, the thing i did is asking some friend coming to visit me to bring a couple of these. That being said it's not the "qwerty" / "azerty" that is disturbing it's because french keyboard got things like é è ô ë etc, and unless you got a very good memory (or are so used to the mapping of a french keyboard that you don't need to look at it) it's a pretty difficult task

You are right and I'll receive an "azerty" at the end of May.

In the meanwhile I'm impoving my memory. I type nearly like a pro and maybe I'll not need the "azerty" anymore when it will arrive.

Well, the address of a store selling "azerty" still welcome.

[tombkk2007]

Yes, i agree.

An address of a store selling "international" keyboards would be great.

It is not about mapping the keyboard by the use of software.

The keyboards sold here in Thailand just lack a very important key: The one left to the "Z" which is very important for my job. It is the "< >" key.

I have been using a German keyboard for 20 years now. So it is hard to work efficiently without this key.

I have been to IT Mall at Fortune Town. No luck. At least you get some keyboards without any thai characters which helps you not to get confused.

There must be a dealer selling these keyboards.

Any ideas?

[meadish_sweetball]

I buy mine when I go back to Sweden myself, or make sure I know if any people I know are coming here, in which case I will ask if they can fit it in their luggage.

No luck finding a Swedish keyboard here, but obviously French is a large enough language that somebody will think of importing them.

[lotus eater]

Hello

In my case it's FRENCH but the question is relevant for German, Spanish, Korean, etc.

A few years ago, I found French keyboards in the store on the top floor in Panthip. It was Thai made. Good material. Nowadays, in this store, they have only Spanish and Korean.

Where can we find a wide choice of Non English and Non Thai keyboard in Bangkok? At least French?

Thank you

G~

i have a brand new french keyboard to fit an ibook which i might bring back with me from paris in august - if that's any good for you let me know.

[lopburi3]

Could you buy on Ebay by any chance? They aren't that heavy to mail.

[thai4u]

until you buy the french keyboard.. use this website:

http://gate2home.com/?language=fr&sec=2

The best solution is just ask one of your friends or family in france to send it to you.. cheap and easy mon ami..

[tjo o tjim]

It is vaporware, but an interesting concept for a "universal" keyboard:

http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus/

They've been taking pre-orders for about two years... I guess the US$1,500 price tag got in the way

Each key has a tiny display in it that can be configured through software.

[MarkBKK]

It is vaporware, but an interesting concept for a "universal" keyboard:

http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus/

They've been taking pre-orders for about two years... I guess the US$1,500 price tag got in the way

Each key has a tiny display in it that can be configured through software.

Wow. That idea's still with us! I had a customer in the '80s who was interested in something like this, but it was far too expensive ...

[tombkk2007]

I cannot believe but I found a German keyboard at Panthip Plaza 2nd floor.

The trick is to ask everybody. Suddenly somebody answers "Mi khrap".

So, now I got a German keyboard manufactured by a Thai company called "Siam United High-Tech" (http://www.suhkeyboard.com/). 400 Baht.

The only downside is the fact that the keyboard is PS/2 which is not supported by my laptop computer.

So I had to buy an ACTIVE PS/2 to USB Adapter (another 400 Baht). It had to be an active adapter since only these are recognized by the computer (I don't think that the keyboard supports the passive way).

Now everything works fine but ONE important thing:

One key is not supported by the adapter. It is the German key "><" which can be found at the lower part of the keyboard next to left SHIFT. There is simply no signal going to my computer. So if anybody knows something about that please let me know.

So, for foreign keyboards try Panthip, for the adapter IT City at Fortune Town is ok.

[PeaceBlondie]

Pardon me if it's covered above, but I need my standard keyboard (bought in Thailand) to be configurable in Spanish as well as English and Thai. I know where the keys change, and how to put the accent mark above the vowels, enya, etc. Does one of the software programs, mentioned above, just download from the internet? I tried to reconfigure my Windows XP, but couldn't find an option.

Thanks. It's really difficult to write the Mexican embassy and having to say "anus" when I mean "year."

[Crossy]

Thanks. It's really difficult to write the Mexican embassy and having to say "anus" when I mean "year."

Yes I can see that would be a problem :D

Try START > SETTINGS > CONTROL PANEL > Regional and Language Options > Languages > Details > Add - and then choose the language and keyboard layout to suit

Assumes Win-XP hope it works.

[PeaceBlondie]

Thanks. It's really difficult to write the Mexican embassy and having to say "anus" when I mean "year."

Yes I can see that would be a problem :D

Try START > SETTINGS > CONTROL PANEL > Regional and Language Options > Languages > Details > Add - and then choose the language and keyboard layout to suit

Assumes Win-XP hope it works.

Thanks anyway; I tried. I have Start. After that, I have an option for control panel, but not for settings. There is an option for Set Program Access and defaults, but that didn't work. I went to the Control panel, and the next close option was Date, Time, & Language Options. There, the next obvious option was Add Other Languages, but Spanish was not available. Instead, I chose a similar option leading to the same place. The first choice (for opening the computer) only gives Thai and English. The details do not list Spanish.

In other words, I could not find an option, nor was keyboard ever mentioned. I do appear to have Windows XP; boyfriend says it's the Home Edition. Thanks, but so far, no luck. I'm still afraid to ask for a "non-immigrant one anus visa."

[Naam]

Thanks. It's really difficult to write the Mexican embassy and having to say "anus" when I mean "year."

que coño PeaceBlondie it's quite easy to generate "foreign" letters/characters with a standard keyboard.

to create "ñ" hold down "alt", type on the numeric pad 164 and release "alt" key. google for ASCII and you will find all kinds of codes for different characters and signs such as: ♪♫♀☼☺☻♥♦♣♠•◘◙♂↕§▬↑↓→←↔▲▼#äüöéâàåçêëèïîì.

addendum: don't type "añus" type "año" or plural "años"

Edited September 13, 2007 by Dr. Naam

[PeaceBlondie]

aค is what I get ค

Sorry, Dr. Naam, my keyboard isn't even making an enya. Also, there is an accent mark for every vowel; I don't want to go through five extra keystrokes when the keyboard should be configurable to put in the accent/grave with a single extra stroke.

Now that you mention it, I vaguely recall that 164 trick from previous keyboards/operating systems; aroba (@) was another one that could be done like that.

Thanks, anyway. I'd say "gracias" but again, can't find the right keys.

[Crossy]

PB. Have a poke around here http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/DrIntl/faqs/Locales.mspx should point you in the right direction

[Oleg_Rus]

I tink the easiest way is just to print out keyboard layout on the film, cut and stick it. Will take some time (.) but you can make as many keyboards as you wish, plus there would be no any an*s problems (*) that big.

Nohestly - how lazy one have to be to suffer from blgarian keyboard in Zimbabwe while trying to write a letter in english with thai home adress ?

Another way...

purchase a simple keyboard (eng only), write letters with red marker (15bath for CD/DVD labels), if you're unhappy - wipe it with any solvent (don't use vaselin or any industrial lubricant), when you done - spray it gently with 3M glue in a can. Let it dry - enjoy! The rest of the can pass to local junkies

[PeaceBlondie]

Crossy, I went to the Microsoft URL you provided; thank you. However, it does the same thing as what you suggested earlier. It guides me through Windows XP settings that don't exist on my computer, but I apparently end up in any event at a details option that lists Asian languages but no Spanish.

I've researched the ASCII websites from Google and none of them say how to install Spanish, or even what the keystrokes are for enya, aroba, or the vowels with the grave marks.

Oleg, I don't need to stick film on my keyboard. I need to teach my keyboard how to print characters.