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I thought I had it all sussed out. I was going to buy a computer from a local supplier - the one who supplied our current UK machine and ship it over to France. While looking for their web site I came across some reviews of their customer service - absolutely appalling, so I'm back to square one. I've been toying around with buying from Dell France but a few things are holding me back: AZERTY keyboard, English language software [not crucial] and most importantly support. I would be very grateful to hear of anyone's experiences of Dell France, especially concerning the three aspects that I have mentioned.

Patrick

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First of all, don't worry about using a French keyboard.Unless you touch type professionally it will take but a short time to get used to it. I use one and also a Qwerty one. It' like changing over from driving a R/H drive car to L/H drive and back again. If you are a competant driver it's no bother.

As for Dell, I don't own one so I can't say from personal experience but I have spoken to many who have them and they seem satisfied. Although, a friend who is a computer engineer tells me that all off the shelf computers get away with using the most inexpensive hardware, and I don't mean rubbish, whereas if you have a machine built, each piece of hardware only costs a few shillings??? more but are much more reliable. Please don't shoot the messenger!

The other thing is if you have one built you can usually get the engineer/technician to install English language Windows. It helps even if you speak/read good French.

Hope this helps.

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Hi,

     Dell.fr will let you configure exactly what you want, this includes a qwerty keyboard, OS in English and all other software. A friend of mine has had no problems with her new machine in the last 18 months but did have online support and tuition provided. They will howevr make you tick a box to say that you will not use your new Dell and it's software to create weapons of mass destruction.....honestly, at least beginning of 2005 they did. as Matchless said unless you are already a seasoned typist getting to grips with an azerty board will be no problem, I did see a guy back in the summer in Sarlat market selling a keyboard for non-typists that was simply laid out as ABCDEF  etc.

best of luck

Dave

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OK, so what if you are a professional touch typist?  I think the last time I looked at a keyboard whilst typing was about 30 years ago!!!  We're thinking about buying a new computer and this is something that has been bothering me about buying one here.  Of course I could always get someone to buy me a QWERTY keyboard in the UK and bring it over.  Sounds as though I may need to do that.  I can't imagine how long it would take me to get used to even LOOKING at the keys while I type, let alone find them if someone's moved them!
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I wouldn't call myself a pro touch typist but I don't look at the keys most of the time.  Most of them are in the same place, anyway.  But in the end you don't know how quickly you will relearn until you give it a go.

Dell can provide you with both a qwerty and a azerty keyboard, by the way.  As they are wireless now, there's no problem switching between the two.

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With XP it is easy to set up a couple of 'hotkeys' to enable you to change the keyboard layout between French and English, it helps to tap out all the keys when in the French mode so that you can printout where to find the accents and stuff but it does work and an Icon called 'language' will tell you the current setting, can become quite funny if you forget and you end up  ,qking q co,plete ,ess of your typing:::you see? 

good luck

Dave[:D]

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You can switch between keyboard layouts in XP with a single click if you enable the 'Language' toolbar in your bottom Taskbar (the row of icons at the very bottom of your screen). 

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THIS ENABLED:

Right click on the bottom Taskbar and you should see a menu.  Scroll up to 'Toolbars' and then left click on 'Language bar' to enable it.  You should now have a little pair of letters appear at the right of the Taskbar.  This indicates your current language setting for your keyboard - probably EN for English. Left Click on this pair of letters and see what language options you have.  If French is there then you can switch to it by clicking it.

IF FRENCH IS NOT IN THE LIST OF OPTIONS:

If it does not show French, right click on the pair of letters and then click on parameters.  This opens a menubox with two boxes.  The bottom one shows what languages you currently have installed.  Click on the box called 'Add' and add French to your keyboard options.  That's it.

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[quote user="Cassis"]

IF FRENCH IS NOT IN THE LIST OF OPTIONS:

If it does not show French, right click on the pair of letters and then click on parameters.  This opens a menubox with two boxes.  The bottom one shows what languages you currently have installed.  Click on the box called 'Add' and add French to your keyboard options.  That's it.

[/quote]

I have XP and these instructions don't work for me!! Parameters isn't one of my options, I have Settings though which gives me a list of 2 languages - English UK and English US - that's it. If I click on ADD, I just get other writing tools........

Anyone got any ideas??[blink]

Kathy

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[quote user="kathyg"]

[quote user="Cassis"]

IF FRENCH IS NOT IN THE LIST OF OPTIONS:

If it does not show French, right click on the pair of letters and then click on parameters.  This opens a menubox with two boxes.  The bottom one shows what languages you currently have installed.  Click on the box called 'Add' and add French to your keyboard options.  That's it.

[/quote]

I have XP and these instructions don't work for me!! Parameters isn't one of my options, I have Settings though which gives me a list of 2 languages - English UK and English US - that's it. If I click on ADD, I just get other writing tools........

Anyone got any ideas??[blink]

Kathy

[/quote]

Hi Kathy

I have Windows XP French - my translation of 'Paramètres' should have been 'Settings' rather than 'Parameters'.  Apologies for any confusion.

When you click on 'ADD' you should have the option of adding both languages and keyboard layouts.

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OK,

1.     Open the Control Panel

2.     Click on Regional and Language Otions

3.     Click on the 'Langauage' tab then 'Details'

4.     Click on the 'Settings' tab

5.     Click on 'Add'

6.     On the 'Keyboard Layout'box click the arrow to the right for a drop down menu of language layouts.

7.    Once selected click 'OK'

8.     Click 'Apply'

9.     Click on 'Key Settings' and select the keys that you want to use to change from UK to French layout.

10.   Click OK and close down the open dialogue windows.

11.   Right click on the Taskbar and select 'toobars' then tick 'Language Bar' you should now have a new Icon on the taskbar that will show you which Keyboard layout you are currently in.

Hope this helps you Kathy, if you still have trouble then PM me and I will make you up a word doc that I can send to you, OK? There may be other ways to do this but this is how I got it to work. Good luck.

[geek]

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Hi Kathy,

         once you are in French keyboard mode you normally have to use the 'shift' key to type the numbers along the top of the keyboard so in French mode just run through the numbers without using the shift key and you will find most of the accents and other symbols

1      =     &

2     =     é

3     =     "

4     =     '

5     =     (

6     =     -

7     =     è

8     =     _

9     =     ç

0     =     à

I typed them out and out printed small note to stick at the side of my screen until the day came when I could remember them. You could also go here and print the picture of the layout.

http://www.forlang.wsu.edu/help/kfrench.asp

good luck.

Dave

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