Saqqara Technology


InScribe 3

InScribe 3 is the next generation of InScribe software that introduces new ways of working with Ancient Egyptian texts and supports new standards such as Egyptian Hieroglyphs in Unicode 5.2.

As a Word Processor for Ancient Egyptian, InScribe 3 offers a textually richer type of document than software such as InScribe 2004 based on the Manuel de Codage approach.

There are considerable changes from InScribe 2004 so to make matters less traumatic for InScribe users, InScribe 3 will come with a copy of InScribe 2004SE - a much enhanced update to InScribe 2004 designed to work well alongside InScribe 3.

Some internet oriented features originally planned to be a part of InScribe 3 are being relocated to InScribeX Web. This makes it much easier to keep up with the ever changing landscape of the Internet.

It is envisaged that many InScribe users will migrate to a mode of working using the three-way combination of InScribe 3, SE and Web.

Development is at an advanced stage but is currently on hold until 2004SE is released. See InScribe Beta Program for what is planned between now and release and InScribe 3 Preview for some illustrations.

Background

Originally planned for a 2008 release, it proved impossible to provide a satisfactory upgrade path to users of InScribe 2004, the leap proved simply too large. Therefore some of these '2008' features have been added to the new edition of InScribe 2004 - InScribe 2004SE - a significant upgrade in its own right which nevertheless has a small learning curve and little or no impact on work in progress that uses InScribe.

New Features at InScribe 3:

  • Unicode 5.2 Egyptian Hieroglyphs. Unicode 5.2 is the first version of this key International Standard to support Egyptian Hieroglyphs and the official publication is expected October 2009. The 5.2 repertoire is based on a 'Gardiner Set' of 1071 hieroglyphs.
  • Expanded (over 3200 glyphs) hieroglyphic font conforming with the EGPZ specification for hieroglyphs in the Unicode Private Zone. See www.egpz.com for the EGPZ 1.0 specification and hieroglyph list. This expansion beyond Unicode 5.2 is essential for certain work with Egyptian.
  • Egyptian transliteration with Unicode 5.1 support for Alef and Ayin. Coptic and Greek script and transliteration support is also to be included.
  • User interface improvements. For instance, features such as bold and italic text are now treated using familiar word-processing techniques, while retaining the connection with Manuel de Codage (MdC) notation.
  • New methods of working with other applications. InScribe remains the only software for Egyptian Hieroglyphs interoperable with word processing software like Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, and OpenOffice/StarOffice Writer. Hieroglyphs in Unicode open up new ways of working with Ancient Egyptian.
  • Word list support enabling simpler text input and richer modes of use of the software.
  • InScribe XML (INSX) file format. This new XML file format opens up additional ways of working with InScribe texts.

InScribe3 will be supplied on CD-ROM and requires Microsoft Windows 7, Vista or XP (& variations such as Tablet, x64 and Media Centre editions). Virtual PC for Mac or other virtualized Windows systems can also be used so long as these are Windows-compatible.