Korean Language XP Operating System

December 13, 2006 10:44 AM

Korean Language XP Operating System Can I buy a "Korean Language XP Operating System" here in the USA ? I want to get a Laptop in Korean Language. Where can I get one ? I called Dell and they did not have one in the USA. From what I understand one has to buy it from Korea itself. Thanks.
posted by endlessknot to computers & internet (7 comments total)

Directly from Microsoft?
posted by loiseau at 11:46 AM on December 13, 2006

In college, my Korean roommate obtained Korean Windows 98 from a friend of his in the local Asian student society.

I would encourage you to find an Asian student group at your closest university and ask them, or query the owner of your local Asian grocery. You'd be surprised what relatives send U.S. residents and could probably get a copy of the software shipped to you for a minimal finder's fee.
posted by parilous at 11:49 AM on December 13, 2006

You could also get something called Windows XP MUI (for multilanguage user interface), which will allow you complete control over OS localization features. Try Googling it, or look on eBay. Prices might be at a premium, though, since I believe Microsoft tries to sell the MUI versions only to OEMs.
posted by mr_roboto at 11:51 AM on December 13, 2006

It looks like MUI comes with Windows XP Pro.
posted by b1tr0t at 5:34 PM on December 13, 2006

b1tr0t writes "It looks like MUI comes with Windows XP Pro."

I don't think so. I have pro installed on this computer, but the regions and languages control panel dialog isn't consistent with what you'd expect for a MUI system. Specifically, the first dialog box shown on this page should have an option for "Language used in menus and dialogs" in an MUI system. That option isn't there in my install, though everything else is the same. It's worth noting that a standard install of XP pro gives you the ability to switch the input language to Korean easily, so if input language is all you're worried about, you don't need the Korean version. You need either the Korean version or an MUI version if you want the menus and dialogs to show up in Korean, though.

OK; I just asked a friend who has installed the MUI pack on top of a standard XP Pro install, and he said that it introduced performance issues; really slowed it down. My friend got the MUI pack through the university that we both work for, so if you have a university affiliation, that might be a way to go. Again, if text input is all you're interested in, that's supported in the standard English XP Pro distribution; the Korean version (or MUI) just gives you Korean menus and dialogs.
posted by mr_roboto at 5:50 PM on December 13, 2006

now that you mention it, I was thinking of IME rather than MUI.

Probably best to get a Korean loc'd version of XP, if the perf issues are legitimate then the only use for MUI is preliminary localization testing.
posted by b1tr0t at 6:04 PM on December 13, 2006

Confirming MUI pack does not come with XP, and ships on several CD's, and is stupid expensive if you can get it.

The IME will allow you to type in Korea/Japanese/Chinese if you install East Asian Languages and add Korean as an alternate input language (Locations in Control Panel, if I remember correctly -- I'm on a Korean XP install at the moment) and view Korean websites and so on an English install of XP. This will not, however, help with most Korean applications, which are almost never coded to use fonts that will display properly on an English windows install. Microsoft has a tool called AppLocale that you can download to help with that, though.

Comedy Piracy Option: I have seen Korean XP installs on peer to peer networks in the past, if you want to go that way.

Keep in mind that (I think) you're still pretty much out of luck for typing Korean if you don't have a bilingual keyboard -- ie one with the keys marked with 한글 characters as well as roman. This could be worked around by finding a photo of one, I suppose and marking the keys up yourself or making a diagram for reference.

All in all, the best advice is to ask a Korean friend/acquaintance if you can borrow a CD. If you have a valid, paid-for XP key for your English version of XP to use, I can also confirm that that key will work equally well to install a Korean version of the same edition (ie key for Home will let you install Home, Pro for Pro).
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:52 PM on December 13, 2006