The Truth Will Set You Free from Unnecessary Ceremony

Ben Cohen, manager of the Swift team at Apple, speaks of their core design goal of making the Swift programming language ceremony-free.

Chinese characters have lots and lots and lots of ceremony, especially compared to _Pīnyīn_.https://t.co/vPLUThxUYp pic.twitter.com/aDOlKOIbWt

— Troubadour WW (@troubadourww) June 25, 2022

3-Line Material on the iPad Page Updated

The 3-Line Material on the iPad information page has been updated with references to the new iPads that were announced today by Apple, including the iPad mini.

3-Line Material on the iPad Page Created

The new 3-Line Material on the iPad information page is now available. It lists reasons why it is advantageous in general to use the 3-line, etc. files in their native electronic format, rather than always just printing them out on paper. It also discusses why the iPad in particular is a very good device to view and use 3-line material on, and it contains many specific tips on how to use 3-line, etc. files on the iPad.

3-Line Material on the iPhone and the iPod touch Page Significantly Updated

The 3-Line Material on the iPhone and the iPod touch page has been significantly updated. It now lists reasons why it is advantageous in general to use the 3-line, etc. files in their native electronic format, rather than always just printing them out on paper. It also discusses why it is desirable to be able to view and use 3-line material on the iPhone and the iPod touch specifically, and it contains many specific tips on how to use 3-line, etc. files on these devices.

How to Download the PDF Files on an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad

Instructions have been added to various download pages re how to download the PDF files on an iPhone or an iPod touch using GoodReader for iPhone, and how to download the files on an iPad using GoodReader for iPad. These instructions will be added to more of the download pages as time allows.

3-Line Material on the iPhone and the iPod touch Page Updated

The 3-Line Material on the iPhone and the iPod touch page has been updated. It now has a new section entitled Downloading Files.

Standard Mandarin 2 Released

Standard Mandarin is a computer program created by Br. Joel Hansen that helps people to learn Mandarin pronunciation. The Links file has included a link for Standard Mandarin for a long time, and now a new version, version 2, is available. So, this updated description for Standard Mandarin will appear in the next update to the Links file:

http://www.standardmandarin.dk/

The official home of Standard Mandarin, a Windows / Mac OS X program with audio, visual, and text aids to help with pronunciation. Be sure to fill out the form on the website for requesting a download link, and mention that you learned about the site from this Links file so that you will be emailed a link for a free download.

Note that Standard Mandarin is now at version 2.x.

More information on Standard Mandarin can be found at http://www.standardmandarin.com/. However, make sure you go to http://www.standardmandarin.dk/ to fill out a form to request a link for a free download, mentioning that you learned about the site from the Links file, as mentioned above.

“iPads Are Magnets For Chinese People”

...is the title of a new post at tiandi.info. Here’s the text from the news feed:

Well, in the Chinese field, we should go to where the Chinese people are, right?

To obtain the login information for tiandi.info, request e-mail notification of news regarding available resources, or if you have any questions or comments, you may e-mail me at waynerj@shaw.ca, providing information such as what group or congregation you’re with, who referred you to this site, etc.

PDF Annotation (Notes & Highlighting) Page Updated

The PDF Annotation (Notes & Highlighting) page has been updated with screenshots of the current version of GoodReader for iPad, with its revised annotation controls. (The screenshots show annotations applied to a Watchtower PDF downloaded from jw.org.) Also, captions have been added to the GoodReader for iPad screenshots, and the following paragraph has been added to the page text:

Annotations made to a PDF file in GoodReader on an iPhone, iPod touch, or an iPad are autosaved.

Computer Literacy

...is the title of a recent post at tiandi.info. Here’s the description from the news feed:

[Computer literacy]…is like learning to ride the “bicycle for our minds”.

That quote is from Steve Jobs, the famous founder and leader of Apple Inc., and the post features video footage of his younger self uttering it. Of course, since it’s at tiandi.info, the post will discuss how learning to ride this “bicycle for our minds” can help us in the Chinese field.

To obtain the login information for tiandi.info, request e-mail notification of news regarding available resources, or if you have any questions or comments, you may e-mail me at waynerj@shaw.ca, providing information such as what group or congregation you’re with, who referred you to this site, etc.

PDF Annotation (Notes & Highlighting) Page Updated

The PDF Annotation (Notes & Highlighting) page has been updated to include information about Adobe Reader X, the new version of Adobe Reader that brings a significant new feature re annotation compared to previous versions.

Also, some screenshots have been added of GoodReader for iPad, showing annotations applied to a Watchtower PDF downloaded from jw.org.

Much of the rest of the text has been revised as well.

PDF Link Navigation Page Revised

The PDF Link Navigation page has been revised.

Pinyin Tones Tool for Windows

A brother recently contacted me regarding a little program he wrote for typing pinyin (along with those pesky vowels with the funny tone symbols) on Windows computers. It is free for personal (non-commercial) use, like that of ours in the Chinese field.

Here is his web page for this program:

Pinyin Tones Tool

I plan to include the above link in the next update of the Theo. Chinese Links file.

An Early iPad User in the Chinese Field Shares His Experience So Far

...in this new post at tiandi.info. I expect the iPad to have a major impact on how computer-based resources for the Chinese field are used in the days ahead, and this post provides some specific information regarding the current state of iPad usage in the Chinese field.

To obtain the login information for tiandi.info, request e-mail notification of news regarding available resources, or if you have any questions or comments, you may e-mail me at waynerj@shaw.ca, providing information such as what group or congregation you’re with, who referred you to this site, etc.

The iPad is So Easy to Use...

...that a cat can use it, as shown by this new post at tiandi.info. It’s just one more reason I expect it to have a major impact on how computer-based resources for the Chinese field are used in the days ahead.

To obtain the login information for tiandi.info, request e-mail notification of news regarding available resources, or if you have any questions or comments, you may e-mail me at waynerj@shaw.ca, providing information such as what group or congregation you’re with, who referred you to this site, etc.

tiandi.info Map Now Uses the Google Earth Plug-in

The Map of Chinese Protogroups, Groups, and Congregations at tiandi.info has been enhanced with Google Earth Plug-in technology. This allows the current map file to be viewed, zoomed into, etc. right on the web page without having to be downloaded and opened in the Google Earth program. Of course, this option is still available for those who want the bigger view and other additional options offered by the full program.

A static screenshot of some Google Earth Plug-in content. The content on the Map page at tiandi.info is live and interactive, and it is bristling with placemarks representing Chinese protogroups, groups, and congregations all around the world.

An example of the power and resolution of Google Earth and the Google Earth Plug-in is that thanks to precise directions from a sister in the Nairobi Chinese Group in Kenya, this group’s placemark on the Map now points to the exact building in which it meets, the Nairobi Bethel Kingdom Hall.

To obtain the login information for tiandi.info, request e-mail notification of news regarding available resources, or if you have any questions or comments, you may e-mail me at waynerj@shaw.ca, providing information such as what group or congregation you're with, who referred you to this site, etc.

2009-02-19 Links File Update Released

Following not long after release of the new version of the 3-lines site and coming just before the God’s Love book starts to be studied at the Book Study, the 2009-02-19 Links file update has been released. Those of you who are on the list to receive email updates have been sent an email with directions on how to obtain this updated file. If you have not received this email update and would like to, email me about receiving the update and getting added to the mailing list.

I recommend that the included directions.html file be read first. Besides including instructions and examples on how to use the Links file, this file also discusses its redistribution.

The Links file is used by downloading its zip file from the web page linked to in the email, extracting it with the supplied password, saving it to a drive, and opening it in a modern web browser like Internet Explorer 7, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, or Opera. After you open it, you may want to bookmark it or add it to your Favorites for easy retrieval later on.

New and updated resources are listed under the *** NEW *** and *** UPDATED *** index headings.

New resources this time around include:

• Cantonese 3-line material (Jyutping, Sidney Lau, and Yale romanisations) for the God’s Love book
  


• The New Fields New Challenge web site, with instructional material used by language-learners in Aberdeen, Scotland
  


• The Spanish version of tiandi.info

Among the sites that were updated:

• The 3-lines site has been moved to 3lines.org, and it has received a design refresh. Also, as noted in previous posts, God’s Love book audio files and Spanish 3-line files are now available from there.
  


• The “door to activity” site has been moved.
  


• The pinyin God’s Love book 3-line material download page has seen regular updates, which are expected to continue.
  


• WM-Dict version 2.0 recently became available.

Password Reminders Reminder

For now, in view of the worldwide situation regarding the Links file resources, it still seems prudent to require passwords to access the resources so that they will only be accessed by those in or seriously considering joining the Chinese field.

If you are experiencing problems with the passwords, please see the reminders in this post:

Password Reminders

http://linksnews.blogspot.com/2009/02/password-reminders.html

Password Reminders

The passwords can be tricky. It is all too easy to leave out a space, use a lowercase letter instead of an uppercase letter, etc. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• When entering passwords, please use the method described in the note at the beginning of the Links info:
  
  • Note: The passwords are case-sensitive, and some of them use unusual symbols. To enter a password, it is highly recommended that you copy it (select the complete password, NOT including the quotation marks, if any, then type Ctrl+C, or Cmd+C on Macs) and paste it in the password entry field (click in the password entry field, then type Ctrl+V, or Cmd+V on Macs).
• One of the issues the above method of entering the password will overcome is the impression some may get that there is not enough room in the entry field to enter the complete password. This is just how it may look, depending on how wide the zip program draws the password entry field. Actually, that could have no real bearing on how long a password can really be entered. If the zip program really does not accept the entire password, then upgrade to the appropriate zip program recommended on the Chinese Links File page.
• If your software automatically selects the quotation marks along with the password when you try to select the password, try the workarounds mentioned here.
  
• Make sure you are using the right password. Generally, each resource has its own separate password. The password in the Links email is only for the Links file zip file. The Links file in turn contains the various passwords for the various resources listed.
• If you are still having problems, try downloading again whatever files you are having problems with. Sometimes downloads don't get completed properly and end up being corrupted.
  
• If you use the built-in zip file handling software of recent versions of Windows, including XP and Vista, note that it treats zip files like folders and by default leaves a zip file’s contents inside it. With regular zip files this can be a convenience, but with password-protected zip files like the ones we use, it will require you to enter the password every time you want to access the file(s) inside. To get around this annoyance, double-click on the zip file in question and use the Extract all files button in the resulting Windows Explorer window to do a one-time extraction of the file(s) from the zip file into a regular folder on your hard drive. Or, you may just install and use a regular zip file program like the one recommended on the zip file’s download page (http://www.7-zip.org/).
• On Macs, a program like StuffIt Expander that supports password-protected zip files must be used for such files. However, on recent Macs, by default, even if you have StuffIt Expander installed, if you just double-click on a zip file in the Finder, the Archive Utility app gets used instead, and it does not support password-protected zip files—you will just see an error message that says “Operation not permitted”. You need to make sure you use StuffIt Expander to extract the zip file contents, perhaps by dragging the zip file onto StuffIt Expander, or by right-clicking on the zip file and selecting Open With | StuffIt Expander. To set StuffIt Expander to be the default program for opening zip files:
  • In Finder, select a file with the extension .zip.
  • Type Cmd+I to open the Info window for the zip file.
  • In the Info window’s Open with: section, select StuffIt Expander, press the Change All... button, then press the Continue button in the dialogue box that results.

If the above suggestions don't solve your problem, I suggest you find someone in your area who is familiar with computers to help you.

WM-Dict Version 2.0 Now Available

The creators of WM-Dict recently announced:

We are happy to announce the release of WM-Dict --- Version 2.0. This new version has many changes. The Windows Desktop Version and the Windows Mobile Version have both been nearly entirely rewritten. It is - in comparison to v1.3 - much faster and offers nice new features. We invite you to watch the video "Overview of WM-Dict v2.0"-Video, recorded by Chris. It can be found at our website http://sites.google.com/site/wmdict/.

Here are their directions for obtaining download information:

Since WM-Dict is available not only to our brothers, we would appreciate if publishers who newly register on our website (the restristration form is at http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pVpFMjgkCYuu584WbQGjzHQ) would

• Choose "Theocratic education" as the reason why they would like to use WM-Dict.
• Also, it would be very appreciated if they would use the "Other" field in order to write the name of their congregation and some privileges they have in the congregation (like elder, ministerial servant, regular pioneer, publisher etc.).

That way we will recognize them as our brothers and sisters.