Subject: Ethiopic word-processing problem.

From: Margaret Hayon <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 09:40:12 +0200

I am having a technical problem with my Ethiopic word-processor.

I recently installed the Gamma UniType Biblical/Scholar program (produced by
Gamma Productions, California: their Website is <http://www.gammapro.com/>).
I am using it with Windows 3.11 (Hebrew Microsoft Windows for Workgroups)
and Word 6 (Hebrew version).

For the most part it is working well; however, I find that 2 particular
characters will not type into my document; and certain characters convert
into different ones when I press space-bar or Enter.  (possibly the keyboard
is confused and is treating these characters as if they were
contextually-determined?)    It's very annoying to have to keep an eye open
for them while I am typing, and have to go back and correct them!

I'd like to contact other users of this program - has anyone else had
similar problems?
I've sent several e-mails to Gamma's Support section, but so far received no
reply from them.

Margaret Hayon
49 Raanan Street,
Haifa 34385, Israel
e-mail address:  [email-masked]

---

From: Curt Niccum <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 13:24:55 -0500

>for them while I am typing, and have to go back and correct them!

There are several problems with Gamma's Ethiopic font. If you can be more
specific, perhaps I can help you with them. Their omission of the letter
"kwe" (despite their assurances to the contrary) makes the program virtually
useless. They are supposedly working on the problem, but I haven't heard
anything from them in about a year. Let me know if you have better luck.

As for your work, I would suggest you contact Getatchew Haile
([email-masked]) at the Hill Monastic Microfilm Library at St. John's
University (www.csbsju.edu/hmml/) or someone at the Ethiopic Manuscript
Microfilm Library in Addis Ababa. Both have over ten thousand Ethiopic
religious texts on microfilm (10 volumes containing indexes and descriptions
of many have been published). Getatchew is highly knowledgeable and could
probably give you the greatest assistance.

Apart from the software issue, I doubt if I could be of much help as I am
editing the Ethiopic text of Acts.

Curt Niccum