| BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : AUGUST 2, 1999 ISSUE | ||||||||
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| INTERNATIONAL -- INT'L COVER STORY
Viewing Chinese Sites: A How To (int'l edition) Before you can surf Chinese Web sites, you'll need one piece of indispensable software: a Chinese character reader. Without it, your screen fills up with illegible symbols and characters that have absolutely no meaning. Fortunately, these character readers are widely available through the Internet and are packaged in many different versions -- depending on whether or not you're willing to pay for the software. Here's a quick rundown on three of the most popular viewers: NJStar www.njstar.com/ NJ Star software is the pick of the bunch. For starters, it lets you use a 30-day evaluation copy of its primary character reader -- NJStar Communicator 2.1 -- whereas some competitors only offer a watered-down version as shareware. Ease of use and compatibility with all types of software and its low price for its flagship product -- $99 U.S. -- make it the winner among Chinese character readers. Rich Win www.richwin.com/ or www.richwinusa.com/ (for U.S. users) Rich Win also offers a wide range of products, but its watered-down evaluation version lacks many of the features of its full standard version. The shareware version isn't compatible with Office 97, making it difficult for users who like to take notes while surfing the Web. And its full-bodied version is rather pricey at $179 U.S. Unionway www.unionway.com Unionway's reader is weaker that its competitors' products. Some characters do not appear and others appear to be incorrect, often making it difficult to use. Its main plus is its affordability: At $59 U.S., it's the cheapest of the three. But the extra hassle it creates may not be worth the money saved. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ BACK TO TOP |
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 RELATED ITEMS China's Web Masters (int'l edition) INT'L COVER IMAGE: China's Web Masters TABLE: The Heavyweights of Chinese Cyberspace Online Original: Viewing Chinese Sites: A How To (int'l edition) Online Original: ``We Are Building a Roof before the Foundation and Walls'' (int'l edition) INTERACT E-Mail to Business Week Online | |||
