Using Japanese Software on U.S. PC's and vice-versa

[Guest]

I'm trying to appease my Japanese wife, who wants to be able to send and
receive e-mail in Japanese, and correspond with friends in Japan who use
their cell phones as their e-mail method. We've tried the IME interface,
which worked with mixed results, depending on who sent the mail and how. She
thinks we can solve that by using Japanese Windows. So this brings me to
several questions for you expers out there:

1) Will using Japanese Windows XP solve the e-mail question?

2) Can I install Japanese Windows XP on a U.S. machine (i.e. are there any
unique formattings that will screw it up?)?

3) If I buy a laptop in Japan with Japanese Windows instlled, will I be able
to install U.S. versions of software (e.g. MS Office, games, video editting
SW, etc.) and will they work?

4) Can I install Japanese WIndows on a U.S. PC partitioned so that U.S.
Windows is on a different drive wihout having the machine go unstable?

Your thoughts on this would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

J

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I'm trying to appease my Japanese wife, who wants to be able to send and
receive e-mail in Japanese, and correspond with friends in Japan who use
their cell phones as their e-mail method. We've tried the IME interface,
which worked with mixed results, depending on who sent the mail and how. She
thinks we can solve that by using Japanese Windows. So this brings me to
several questions for you expers out there:

1) Will using Japanese Windows XP solve the e-mail question?

It shouldn't be necessary. What E-mail software are you using? All you
should need is installation of the necessary fonts/language support.