Lipikar

Pros

• Free to download
• Quick and easy to install
• Works with all Windows desktop applications that support Unicode
• Does not require keyboard stickers
• Fluency in English is not required
• Can be used with non-English languages. For example: Baluchi, Brahui, Dzongkha, Nepali, Sanskrit, Sinhala, Tibetan, Tulu and Urdu
• Also compatible with non-Roman script such as Cyrillic, Arabian, Georgian, Greek, Mongolian and Hebrew
• Any non-Unicode font already installed on Windows will also work
• Designed for professional use

Cons

• Some more complex languages and script are not available at this time. These include: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Kodagu, Lahnda, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu
• Currently only available for Windows, does not work on Mac
• More difficult to use with languages written from right to left

Lipikar is a Windows-based desktop authoring tool that allows users to type in their own language on a regular English keyboard. It requires only a basic familiarity with the English keyboard, and encourages users to think in their own language instead of English. The application may also be used without the keyboard, just by clicking on any character in the grid displayed on-screen. Lipikar makes use of an intuitive typing system that is easy to grasp. It is based on simple rules that enable users to type even the most complicated word accurately and quickly.

Lipikar works on all Windows Applications which support Unicode including: MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Internet Explorer and others. This allows users to send and receive emails, chat through any messenger, and create presentations, documents and blog posts in their native language, as well as post to social media sites. Since Lipikar is based on Unicode i.e. --the universal standard for representing text in different scripts-- it is not dependent on any particular font. Thus, any document created with this application can be viewed on any other device even if that device does not have Lipikar installed.

Lipikar is not dependent on Internet connectivity. It is an offline program that resides in the background of the Windows operating system. Since its system requirements are not high, it works on any computer running Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP. It supports both 32-bit and 64-bit devices. This allows users to complete work offline and access the Internet as needed or when and where it is available.

Once downloaded and installed, Lipikar is easy to use. Just start the app and select any installed font. A grid of all the characters that can be typed will be shown on the screen. Clicking on a character will copy it to the composing area. Additionally, the software can map a font’s available characters onto a graphical representation of a keyboard, which can then be saved for future use. Once the message has been composed, just copy and paste it into a word processor for additional formatting. Users can also access the features available in Lipikar by saving your work in the software’s native format, or as a plain text file.

Pros

• Free to download
• Quick and easy to install
• Works with all Windows desktop applications that support Unicode
• Does not require keyboard stickers
• Fluency in English is not required
• Can be used with non-English languages. For example: Baluchi, Brahui, Dzongkha, Nepali, Sanskrit, Sinhala, Tibetan, Tulu and Urdu
• Also compatible with non-Roman script such as Cyrillic, Arabian, Georgian, Greek, Mongolian and Hebrew
• Any non-Unicode font already installed on Windows will also work
• Designed for professional use

Cons

• Some more complex languages and script are not available at this time. These include: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Kodagu, Lahnda, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu
• Currently only available for Windows, does not work on Mac
• More difficult to use with languages written from right to left