The Indian Language Kit offers two different layouts--Inscript and QWERTY--for each of the three Indian language scripts it presently supports (Devanagari, Gujarati, and Gurmukhi). An additional layout, Nepalese, is also provided for the Devanagari script only. Choose the layout according to the script and language you are using.
Inscript
The default layout--Inscript--is available for all three scripts. Inscript uses the ISCII (Indian Script Code for Information Interchange) character set and is used for "normal" or phonetic typing. It is generally accepted as the standard Indian language keyboard layout as defined by an Indian standards organization in the Indian Government. It is optimized to be the fastest form of keyboard input for each script.
Using the Inscript layout, the computer combines these characters to form the large number of conjuncts used in Indian languages. This means that when you are typing in an Indian language, you do not have to search for the correct half-character sets to form a conjunct. When you type a certain sequence of consonants and vowels, the computer automatically generates the required character. Using the Inscript layout you can type the words according to how they sound, rather than how they finally appear on your screen. The computer automatically reorders vowels and consonants to produce the desired words in all three languages.
The default (Inscript) keyboard layouts for all three Indian language scripts also support the Roman script when you hold down the Option key.
QWERTY
The QWERTY keyboard layouts place Indian language characters on a QWERTY keyboard, in positions that correspond to Roman characters with similar pronunciation. They also provide a set of Roman numerals in the Option position. QWERTY is used primarily for Romanized typing.
Note: The QWERTY keyboard layout is used in the United States and displays the top-left keys on the keyboard in that order--Q W E R T Y. The Indian Language Kit currently does not provide a way to customize the layouts for AZERTY (French), QWERTZ (German and Swiss-French), QZERTY (Italian) or any other transliterated layout. Instead, use the Typing Tutor, included in the CD-ROM disc, to learn the Inscript keyboard.
Nepali
The Nepali keyboard layout is used only with the Devanagari script and is compatible with the mechanical keyboard layout used in Nepal. The Nepali layout was added for Nepali users used to the traditional Nepali typewriters and is simply a rearrangement of the other Devanagari layouts.
Layout Installation
If you install all the keyboards in the Indian Language Kit, they appear in this order in your Keyboards menu:
- Devanagari
- Devanagari QWERTY
- Nepali
- Gurmukhi
- Gurmukhi QWERTY
- Gujarati
- Gujarati QWERTY