FAQ
In the following, it is important to understand that we have two kinds of users. One, which we will call the adviser, is somewhat computer savvy and uses a normal full powered computer, perhaps with lexicon for the programs like FieldWorks Language Explorer, Lexique Pro, or Toolbox. The other person, who we will just call the user, is the person running WeSay to enter data in his or her own language.
How do I translate the User Interface into a local language?
WeSay is easy to "localize". See the instructions here: LocalizingWeSay.
What does it take to run the software?
WeSay currently runs on Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and (probably) Windows 2000. It requires Microsoft .Net Framework 3.5, or Ubuntu Linux with Mono. It runs fine on inexpensive netbooks like the Asus Eees. Using the BALSA OS-on-SD-Card, it can be used on the rugged One-Laptop-Per-Child XO machines.
How will WeSay exchange data with "full strength" desktop applications (e.g. FieldWorks Language Explorer)?
WeSay uses the LIFT format to store files. This can be read by Lexique Pro and FieldWorks Language Explorer (FLEx). It can export to Toolbox format. Here's more information on exchanging data with FLEx.
How do I get my Toolbox dictionary into WeSay
WeSay uses a different file format than Toolbox. It's called "LIFT" xml. This format is also supported by FieldWorks Language Explorer (FLEx) and Lexique Pro. If your dictionary is very simple, you may be able to convert it to LIFT using Lexique Pro. A bit more complicated, and you should use FLEx. Finally, the average 10 year old linguist-produced Toolbox dictionary will probably need days of cleanup. We suggest using SOLID as the first stage of that, and the FLEx SFM import as the second stage. Due to SFM's inherent inadequacies with respect to representing hierarchical data, this cleanup is often a "computer consultant" level job. This page has helpful recipes for doing this cleanup.
Will it run on the Mac?
It does not. If you are a programmer who would like to get it running for the mac, many people would be thankful.
What programming language are you using to create this software?
We are using c# .Net (on windows) with mono (on Linux) with Windows Forms GUI.
Where is the data stored?
WeSay data is stored in a folder, with the lexicon in a LIFT-format xml file, and other things (audio, images, etc.) in sub-folders. When you create a new project (on Windows), WeSay just puts it in My Docs/WeSay/<projectName>. You can move this anywhere you want.
WeSay purposefully down-plays the location of files, as we find that our target audience is most "safe" when they do not deal with the file system.
Some people have gone looking for the actual sample data files. On Windows, the sample data (Biatah) is installed in the "common application data" folder, which is in different places on different operating systems. On Vista, it is at c:\ProgramData\SIL\WeSay\Samples.
Will WeSay be able to handle my complex script situation?
That’s the plan. On Windows, WeSay uses Uniscribe. We've developed MultiScribe for those who need Graphite to render complex scripts. The user interface, which will be easily localizable without recompiling, can also use Graphite. So you can have a user interface in the national language which itself is a complicated complex non-Roman script, even if that script is not commercially interesting enough to be supported by such things as Window’s Uniscribe.
How is this licensed?
WeSay code is available under the permissive MIT License.
If you are just using the software, you don't need to care about these details. Just know that it is free to everyone.
