Russian mnemonic keyboard layout is missing letters in Windows 8.

Question

I work as a translator and need to constantly work with both Spanish and Russian keyboards on my computer. I just purchased a new laptop with Windows 8 and I find that the russian mnemonic keyboard layout is missing 5 letters of the cyrillic alphabet. Also, when I press two specific keys, the letters do not appear, but if I press these keys twice, the letters appears suddenly twice.

I have tried installing my own customized keyboard layout from the Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator, but it does not work with Windows 8, only with older versions.

This incomplete russian keyboard is a huge impediment to my work, as I am not able to type normally and it makes it impossible to work efficiently.

I have tried to find out how to downgrade to Windows 7, but it seems that I cannot do this unless I have Windows 8 Pro, plus a Windows 7 license (which I don't because this is a new computer with Win 8 installed in it).

Could you please let me know if there is a solution? I want to return this computer and get my money back, so I can buy one with an older version on Windows. I cannot work with this one, since the product is not complete and correct. I find it very upsetting and frustrating to buy a product that is expected to be better, only to find that it is worse and does not work.

I do not have the original package, I threw it away as I did not expect this keyboard failure to happen, and now cannot return it. 

How can I return this computer? Is the fact that the keyboard layout is not complete not a reason for me to be able to get my money back for it, since the product has defficiencies?

Answer 1

Thank you for the hints. It works in Window 8 :)

Esther

Answer 2

I've now been writing with the phonetic driver for a while and indeed, I've gotten faster than I ever was with translit. Thanks for convincing me :)

Answer 3

Typing in Russian just got a whole lot easier! Спасибо, Charles!

Answer 4

Thanks for the comprehensive answer.

You're probably right --- it must be easier to type having a separate key for each letter.

However, yes, I am very used to translit (not least because I have typed this way from the DOS days, then on IRC etc --  way before I even started to use cyrillic, and it naturally translated to translit style. Also, I have "latin thinking", so я in my mind will always be "j + a".. It's a hard habit to break, even if it means an extra keystroke.

What's so much better about Translit is the instant feedback I guess -- writing with Win8 method you don't have a visual cue that it's pressed, and furthermore, because you don't see the letter you don't even realize it's one of those where you have to press space. I guess for a writing mind it's a two-way link with the machine, we expect for cycle to complete by receiving visual confirmation, and keep on checking what we are writing, and it may even help to develop the thought, to progress with the sentence.

I am sure one can get used to Win8-style, but it goes against my natural typing instinct...

Спасибо за ссилки, обязателно загляну, далше так жить нерзя!

Answer 5

Yes, current Windows 8 metod is too strange - no one types this way in say Greek or Czech.

On the other hand, translit.ru way is also tedious and hard for many - you probably just have forgotten the time when you just started -

it's not straightforward, it has Exclisions from its own Rules of "correct" combinations, etc. - even the author of translit.ru openly accepts that - strange "special rules":

http://translit.ru/help/faq/#question11

You can look at a short page with real people responses - people who just started to use translit,ru - not yet having many years of experience:

(in Russian) http://winrus.com/convert.htm

This method of using special program to let you obtain Cyrillic by converting Latin combinations, is a very old method, but progress does not stop :) so many people who used translit.ru for years (like you) have moved to a new, much simple and much logical way (since Windows XP it does not require a user to be an expereinced use), though similar -

press F for Ф, G -Г, А-А, О-О,... - this method was discussed above in this thread -

not a "special program" (which brings us to Windows 95 times), but just an alternative, Phonetic layout for the regular, system typing software -

there is no 3rd party program or site that could be simpler, more logical, error-free as System software for keyboard input.

It's why for example, http://AATSEEL.org stopped to recommend the toold like translit.ru about 10 years ago and started to recommend Phonetic layout for Russian and it's why it have been used for years in the labs of Russian studies at Harward, Princeton, Berkley, UCLA

:)

Russian phonetic layout is very similar to translit.ru - only 8 letters are typed differently but instead:

• no more worries about "special cases" like "vyuchil", "major",...
• you type YOURSELF (as people type Greek or Polish) instead of a 'smart' (sometimes too smart) program that build words on your behalf

:)

If you are curious about Phonetic layout under Windows XP,2003,Vista,Windows 7/8:

instruction/description and one can download a layout s/he likes

• in English - http://phonetic.WinRus.com

   Images of pre-made phonetic layouts - http://winrus.com/print_e.htm

• same in Russian (little bit more detailed) - http://phon.WinRus.com

   Images of pre-made phonetic layouts - http://winrus.com/print_r.htm

People build Russian phonetic layouts using freeware - Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator - MSKLC:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/goglobal/bb964665.aspx

:-)