Thread: Russian Keyboard?

здравствуйте! I'm Xmpt, a current 2nd year learner of Russian. I know all the letters and sounds, and I have a pretty big vocabulary already. However, after this year I won't be able to continue my study in school, hence I joined this site. I like this language a lot and it's fitting to my background, since I'm part Russian :P

Anyway! I would really like to know if there is a software program (or download) that would enable my keyboard to use Russian letters instead. I don't like using translators or the "Pick-and-click the letter" option.

Thanks in advance

If you're using Windows and you have the language pack installed, you can activate the language bar (which will then attach itself to the taskbar) so that you can easily switch between Russian and English. This can be accessed through the "Regional and Language Options" icon under your control panel.

The standard layout of the Russian keyboard takes some getting used to (especially if you don't have a keyboard with the characters printed on the keys). If you don't have a Russian keyboard, you could find some Cyrillic decals to put on your keys (I'm trying to do this now, in fact), or remap the keys phonetically.

This might help, too:
http://winrus.com/kbd_e.htm

you can just buy a russian keyboard from ebay, alot cheaper than the "Language shops" that just take keyboards that come for nearly free with russian computers and sell them to USA/UK people for like $70.

they will usually all have english letters on too then you can just switch between profiles via windows.

ё1234567890-=
йцукенгшщзхъ\
фывапролджэ
ячсмитьбю.

Ё!"№;%*()_+
ЙЦУКЕНГШЩЗХЪ/
ФЫВАПРОЛДЖЭ
ЯЧСМИТЬБЮ,

If your keyboard is laid out like mine, when you get the taskbar Aleph-One mentioned, just type out the above, cut it out and keep it in your field of vision while typing until you memorize it. It may help to skip a space in between letters!

Ahh thanks guys. I'll definitely try all the advised things

Follow one of the links on the top right of this page:

http://shininghappypeople.net/rwotd/

I use a Phonetic Keyboard.. and sometimes Windows 7 On Screen keyboard xD
http://winrus.com/screen_e.htm