Japanese Prelector™ is an innovative new interactive computerised study system for students of Japanese. It has been specifically designed to improve the effectiveness of learning in two important areas of Japanese language - vocabulary and Kanji. It also functions as a powerful computerised dictionary, aids students in the formation of correct grammar, and assists teachers in arranging and controlling aspects of course content.
Well designed educational software can be an excellent tutor, because a computer is infinitely patient, and provides superb accuracy, speed and flexibility. The Japanese Prelector™ software is designed to exploit these features of computers, providing students with an excellent way of minimising study time whilst maximising their learning during that study. Interactive computer software also makes study more interesting by automating many simple and time consuming tasks, such as looking up words in dictionaries.
Development goals
The Japanese Prelector™ software was developed to be:
• inexpensive
• intuitively easy to use
• powerful and comprehensive
• fully adaptable to user requirements
• highly readable by using large, clear, handwritten style Japanese
characters
• operated on the most popular personal computers
Ease of use
Japanese Prelector™ is designed to be easy to use. This extends to it's simple and intuitive operation, the use of clear everyday language in error messages, special emphasis in the user manual on helping inexperienced computer users, built-in help screens for important on-line information, and flexibility and adaptability. It is suitable for all levels of Japanese language students, from first year students upwards.
A detailed user manual is included in each Japanese Prelector™ Pack, which has been written especially for the less experienced computer user. In addition to going through the basics of starting up and using a Macintosh, this manual explains in detail how to operate the software and get the most out of it. Over 100 pages of information in all, including a full reference list of Kanji and various other technical data for more advanced users.
You don't need your own computer to use Japanese Prelector™
You don't need your own computer to effectively use Japanese Prelector™, since it is compact and will run directly from a single floppy disk. This means that you can take your own floppy disk with your own customised exercises and vocabulary, and use it wherever a Macintosh is available. All special information such as your progress and the words you have learnt is stored as usual on that floppy disk during exercises. The small amount of disk space used by the Japanese Prelector™ program means about 4000 words of vocabulary can be stored with it on a single 1.4 Mb floppy disk. Of course, you can also install it on a hard disk drive if you have your own computer at home.
Low cost package
Japanese Prelector™ was designed from the outset to be a low cost solution to the difficult and time consuming task of learning Japanese vocabulary and Kanji. It comes complete with the necessary Japanese character fonts including all 1850 Kanji recommended for use in publications and periodicals by the Japanese Ministry of Education. The inclusion of fonts means that KanjiTalk™ (at significant cost) is not needed to operate Japanese Prelector™. User support services such as eligibility for software upgrades, technical support, eligibility for vocabulary list (computerised dictionary) upgrades and provision for user feedback are included as part of the purchase price. A nominal annual service charge will apply after the first year, to cover the costs of maintaining the service.
Maintaining Japanese language skills
Language skills gained through study can quickly become rusty if not regularly honed. Japanese Prelector™ provides an effective way to maintain these language skills in two key areas - Kanji and vocabulary. Since training is completely personalised and adapts to you alone, any loss of these skills due to a break in study is picked up automatically by the program during exercises, and words which had been forgotten will automatically be used in exercises more frequently.
Australian designed and developed
This product has been designed and developed in Australia for national and international distribution. Its primary goal from the outset was to provide students of Japanese, both in Australia and overseas, with a superior method of improving study productivity using the latest computer technology. The developers have put a very substantial effort into producing an effective product package and distribution strategy to achieve this goal, and rely on the support of registered users to help improve and expand Japanese Prelector™s features and abilities for the benefits of all users.
Computer system requirements
Japanese Prelector™ has been designed to operate on the widest possible range of Macintosh computers. Details below show the minimum system requirements.
Model from Macintosh Plus upwards
Operating system System 6 upwards
Display minimum monochrome
Memory usage 384k
Disk type Hard disk, Macintosh SuperDrive or Network Server
Disk usage 850k (plus vocabulary lists)
Note: System 6.0.7, 7.0 (tuned) and 7.0.1 (tuned) are stable and recommended, though Japanese Prelector™ will also operate on other System Software.
Enquiries
Information about quantity discount prices and site licenses is available on application. Volume purchases and enquiries by Schools, Colleges and Universities are most welcome.
For example, the discount scale for the MultiUser Edition (for educational institutions) is shown below:
Number of installations price per installation
-----------------------------------------------
1 - 2 $79.00
3 - 6 $65.00
7 - 15 $58.00
16+ $55.00
Also, a block of 10 or more Japanese Prelector™ Packs (for single users) can be purchased for $34.00 per unit. Simply send us 10 (or more) completed registration forms (with payment) at one time and this special discount price will apply. Packs can be despatched to the address on each individual registration form or to a central point (such as your school) - simply inform us of your delivery requirements.
We provide same day service - fax us if you want your order despatched immediately (Visa, Mastercard and Bankcard payment facilities are available).
What's included in the package?
Both the Japanese Prelector™ Pack (for single users) and the MultiUser Pack (for educational institutions) described on the Registration Form contain a comprehensive user manual, program disks with the latest version of software, one month of telephone support, a one year user service subscription (which includes a subscription to the 'JP News' newsletter containing information on updates, new version releases, user hints, etc, etc), and postage & handling.
Make sure that you have all the files which are included in the Japanese Prelector™ software package, since the software will *NOT RUN* if certain files are missing or corrupted - a fatal error will occur in that case. The compressed 'JP Archive' file should be used for distribution purposes, *NOT* the individual files (Note that a distribution fee not exceeding $8.00 is permitted). The files you should have in this archive are:
'Japanese Prelector™' application program
'Kanji' font file
'Brochure' Microsoft Word 5.0 document
'Bug Squasher Form' Microsoft Word 5.0 document
'Change of Address Form' Microsoft Word 5.0 document
'Notice' Microsoft Word 5.0 document
'Read me' TeachText document (this file)
'Registration Form' Microsoft Word 5.0 document
'Registration Form TT' TeachText document
'User Manual' TeachText document
'Vocab Lists' folder containing:
- 'Year 1 Sample' Japanese Prelector™ document
- 'Reference' Japanese Prelector™ document
'Vocab List Form' MacDraw document
Planned future enhancements
There are a number of new features which will be incorporated into future versions of the software, and which will significantly increase its power and flexibility. Registered users will have fully informed access to these new versions, as well as on-going user support. Planned new features include:
• Kanji selection by radical
• connecting sounds (such as spoken examples) with words
• integrated expression dictionary
• phonetic readings of Kanji can be added by the user
• Kana and Kanji stroke order lessons
• full JIS set of Kanji
• connecting pictures with words and expressions
• Kanji and vocabulary test facility for schools
• the ability to print out vocabulary lists
• further SmartSearch™ extensions
We hope you enjoy using Japanese Prelector™, and look forward to receiving your registration - this is the only way for you to gain the utmost from this study aid (which, incidently, took more than 2 years of development). Your registration not only gives you substantial benefits, it also helps support the authors and thus provides for the further improvement of this software for the benefit of all users. Your honesty and good will are very much appreciated.
We look forward to being of further service to you in the future...
