I have written this article to spare my readers the efforts I made to search, test, research, retest, test on different machines and different operating systems to find the best answer to this question. If the question had been asked 20 years ago, the answer would have been - 'you need a Marathi typewriter and training on how to use it'. If the question had been asked 5 years ago, the answer would have been - 'you need a Marathi font, Marathi keyboard, and training on how to use it'.
Today there are many answers to that question. The second answer is still valid. A more advanced answer is - 'you need a unicode compliant text editor and a Marathi font'. I have done a lot of search on this subject, and I believe I have a simple solution.
The need is to type emails in Marathi for those who are Marathi speaking ones, and to type in Office software, mainly word processors and spreadsheets. With the circulars from the state government and the civic body, the need for the latter became pressing. My solution is to use a freeware, PramukhIME. It is available today at this address. It works in Notepad in Windows, and in Word processors if you have Java Run Time Environment installed. You may be using Microsoft Office, with which it is compatible. If you want a good free office suite that works too for this purpose, use Kingsoft Office, available today at this address. PramukhIME also has a free plugin for Mozilla Firefox browser. You can switch between English and Marathi with two left mouse clicks when typing an email or writing a blog, like this: अगदी सोपे आहे ना? It needs no training, because the typing is phonetic, i.e. you have to type using a standard English keyboard, spelling Marathi words as you pronounce them. I appreciate the efforts made by developer of PramukhIME, Mr. Vishal Monpara, and his free gift of its use to whoever wants it. Whatever I have written about Marathi is applicable for a host of other Indian languages too.
Update: 19-8-2013
I got a message from the developer that he has brought version 2 of his software. It is still free and has a number of features added to make it more functional.
It is available pn his website at the following address.
http://www.vishalon.net/PramukhIME/Windows.aspx
I liked it as much as the first version.
Today there are many answers to that question. The second answer is still valid. A more advanced answer is - 'you need a unicode compliant text editor and a Marathi font'. I have done a lot of search on this subject, and I believe I have a simple solution.
The need is to type emails in Marathi for those who are Marathi speaking ones, and to type in Office software, mainly word processors and spreadsheets. With the circulars from the state government and the civic body, the need for the latter became pressing. My solution is to use a freeware, PramukhIME. It is available today at this address. It works in Notepad in Windows, and in Word processors if you have Java Run Time Environment installed. You may be using Microsoft Office, with which it is compatible. If you want a good free office suite that works too for this purpose, use Kingsoft Office, available today at this address. PramukhIME also has a free plugin for Mozilla Firefox browser. You can switch between English and Marathi with two left mouse clicks when typing an email or writing a blog, like this: अगदी सोपे आहे ना? It needs no training, because the typing is phonetic, i.e. you have to type using a standard English keyboard, spelling Marathi words as you pronounce them. I appreciate the efforts made by developer of PramukhIME, Mr. Vishal Monpara, and his free gift of its use to whoever wants it. Whatever I have written about Marathi is applicable for a host of other Indian languages too.
Update: 19-8-2013
I got a message from the developer that he has brought version 2 of his software. It is still free and has a number of features added to make it more functional.
It is available pn his website at the following address.
http://www.vishalon.net/PramukhIME/Windows.aspx
I liked it as much as the first version.
