As for the use of Balabolka in a language other than English in addition the installing of the appropriate language file is required, I'm convinced that this fact discards the use of BalaBolka as a portable program on remote computers in most cases.
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It utilizes whatever is installed on the local PC in terms of language files. On English Windows, the English files are included. I would assume similar for other languages of Windows. And, as users will generally only be using a computer in their native language, they're just fine. If that is not the case and only English is installed by default on all Windows (which seems unlikely), we can just list the app as English only.
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Your assumption is clearly incorrect, because on Windows OS in languages other than English the appropriate language module for the use of Balabolka isn't installed by default. Insofar Balabolka should be declared in principle only for Windows OS in English as a portable program.
So, are you saying on Spanish Windows, NO language modules are installed?
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Of course I can't verify, if on all Windows OS in languages other the English the Microsoft Speech API (SAPI) voices are installed or not. But on a german Windows OS this module isn't installed definitely. Therefore I assume, that the same applies to other operating systems (other than english).
On the german Wikipedia website Speech Application Programming Interface I have informed me about the availability of the SAPI package on a Windows OS. In the second sentence of this article is explained, that only on an english, japanese or chinese Windows OS (starting with Windows 2000) such a SAPI package is installed by default. Accordingly it seems, that my above mentioned assumption is correct.
Do you have anything more official? I've found most stuff on Wikipedia pretty inaccurate. Especially technical information.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
In the article Microsoft text-to-speech voices is explained the usage of the by default installed text-to-speech voice regarding the different Windows OS.
Microsoft Sam is the default text-to-speech male voice for Windows 2000 and Windows XP. It is used by Narrator, the screen reader program built into the operating system. Important is the note, that Microsoft Sam is only an English voice.
Beginning with Windows Vista and Windows 7, Microsoft Anna is the default English voice. Microsoft Anna is a SAPI 5-only female voice and is designed to sound more natural than Microsoft Sam.
A Chinese voice called Microsoft Lili is available in Chinese versions of Windows Vista and later. It can also be obtained in non-Chinese versions of Windows 7 or Vista if the Ultimate Edition is used. This replaces the earlier male SAPI5 voice "Microsoft Simplified Chinese".
In summary, it can be noted that by default on all Windows operating systems only a Microsoft text-to-speech voice is installed in English or Chinese. Because of these statements it is clear, that Balabolka actually can be used as a portable program in very limited cases.
Essentially, it will work on all English computers, which is maybe 70% of our userbase. On PCs that are not English, users can install packs if it is their own PC.
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This is obviously not a conclusive and convincing argumentation.
Even if the program works on all English computers, will then the rest of the computers simply ignored? And your recommendation of installing the language pack on the own computer is also in contradiction to the definition of a portable program. And what is ultimately in the case, when I use Balabolka on a computer of an other user?
If we call it English only, it will work for English language users in nearly all of their standard usage patterns as English speakers almost never use a non-English computer. So, we call it English only. Or English only with caveats.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
The application is multi-lingual itself, it's the voices that are available on a user's computer that may not be. Accordingly, I would be hesitant to switch this to English-only, since the application itself isn't English-only.
I would think having a note stating that voices may need to be downloaded for some languages would make more sense.
Also note that i'm currently looking into adding the "Microsoft Speech Platform Runtime" which is supported by Balabolka, if it can be run properly from a drive.
As I have repeatedly tried to explain, it has not been subject of my post, whether the program is multilingual. I only wanted to point out, that on a computer with a non-english Windows OS the installation of a language module is required. And this necessary installation is in a clear contradiction to the definition of a portable program.
Right, I understand what you're saying, I was just pointing out that we shouldn't mark the app as English-only, since it IS multilingual.
So, if I understand correctly, on the system you've tested, there are NO sapi voices installed at all?
Gord Caswell wrote...
This statement is incorrect, as on any Windows OS a Microsoft text-to-speech voice is installed (see my article above with the subject "Microsoft text-to-speech voices"). For example is installed on my OS Windows XP the SAPI voice Microsoft Sam. But this voice is only in English. This makes it necessary, that I must download and install for my german Windows operating system the RealSpeak TTS engine in german from the Balabolka website, which is offered there under the section SAPI5.
This description of the use on only computers with an English Windows OS I find very appropriate. Perhaps it should be mentioned, that for users with a non-english Windows OS the installation of a language module is required.
So these users can decide themselves, whether they want install the required language module or not.
Balabolka Portable supports the Hunspell files located on the base apps' page: http://cross-plus-a.com/bportable.htm
I'm looking into the total size of these files, and if they're small enough, will add them to the package as well.
Or is there something else you're referring to?
Hunspell is a spell-checking program. The spell checker is not, however, been the subject of my post here.
I added the following to the app page: "Note that Balabolka can only use the voice engines installed on the local PC. English is installed by default on all versions of Windows, but other languages require local installation."
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Makes sense, nice and simple.