• materials and software for language learning and language teaching
• multi-lingual proofing tools
• multi-lingual wordprocessors
• multi-lingual operating sytems
• multi-lingual voice recognition software
• multi-lingual web design tools
• multi-lingual desktop publishing

Nowadays, there is a wide variety of materials available for learning languages. Modern materials and software such as  CD ROMs, DVDs, cassettes, and videos, provide colour, variety and sources of authentic input (examples of real language used by native speakers).  Traditional materials are mainly text-based and tend to focus more on reading and writing skills e.g. course books, work books, text books, graded readers, and grammar exercises - these can also be very useful.  All these materials are designed for language learners, but we should not forget that there is is huge amount of authentic material designed for native speakers which can be used for advanced learners, and adapted for those who are less proficient: books, magazines, newspapers, games, music, films, radio, and tv .

When selecting materials for language learning you should try to find those that match your:

• language level e.g. advanced level
• age group e.g. adult 
• reason for learning the language e.g. to improve your letter writing ability
• preferred approach e.g. like to do repetitive exercises
• mode of learning e.g. self-study
• price range e.g. £15 to £25
• equipment available e.g. using Windows 95+

Global Office - an enhancement to Microsoft Office 97/2000 for 100+ languages

Global Writer -  a word processor with a wide range of languages

JapAlpha(shareware), O. Thill 1999.
Learn Japanese ideograms -you're shown the characters and their roman transcriptions, then take a multiple choice quiz. Demo version has 100 hiragana, 100 katakana and 80 kanji plus 1,600 words; full version has 800 kanji and 14,000 words.

Japanese Verbs V1.0 (shareware), KiCompWare.
Windows program offering three kinds of flashcard, multiple choice and matching quizzes, plus a game-like tutorial. Verbs can be displayed in romaji, hiragana, katakana or kanji/hiragana, showing derivation and example sentences. There's also reference information on particles, adverbs and inflection. Demo version has only 60 (1000 when registered) verbs and 3 tutorial verb sets (of 70); registered version has around 1200 example sentences.

JWPV1.31 (freeware), Stephen Chung 1996.
Excellent Japanese word processor for Windows. Entry in romaji, hiragana, katakana and kanji, comprehensive dictionary (using Jim Breen's superb EDICT) and other quality WP functions. Three screen & printer font sizes. [10 parts].  There is now an automatic installation set for JWP which fits on three floppy disks, making it much easier to get started. Several extra fonts and a font creation program are also available. All these can also be downloaded from the Monash Nihongo archive.

JWPceV1.31 (freeware), Glenn Rosenthal 2000.
Japanese word processor - this is a totally re-written version of JWP (above), initially intended for use on hand-held Windows CE machines. However, it has grown to have most of JWP's features and a few extra: support for Unicode fonts, colouring kanji you don't know, and identifying the most common kanji for example, and it seems to work better on a network. 

Kanji for Fun! V1.0c (shareware), ComCul International 1994.
Kanji 'concentration' game (match the kanji to their English translations). Can also print out kanji list. Demo version includes the 80 kanji of grade 1. Includes Kanji Writer! v1.0 for practice drawing the kanji from the game. Both are based on a TrueType font per grade. (Windows)

Kanji Gold V1.0 (freeware), D. Hewgill 1998.
Windows flashcard program for all level 1 and 2 kanjis (around 6000 characters) showing meanings in English, hiragana or katakana. Kanji lists for study can be created or use provided lists. Uses font file and kanji databases from JWP/Edict; a version of the package is available without those large files for users of JWP.  Also available from Monash Nihongo archive 

Microsoft Office 2000 Proofing Tools - allows users to proof documents in 30+ languages

NJStar Japanese WP for Windows 95/NT (shareware), Hongbo Data Systems 1999.
Very comprehensive Japanese word processor with proper formatting features. Support for many entry methods; reads and writes JIS and EUC; includes extensive dictionary. The more expensive registered versions have extra fonts.  Also available from Monash Nihongo archive.

winCALLV1.0 (freeware), X. Jie Yang 1997.
Windows authoring program for developing Japanese courseware, which doesn't require a Japanese system.