GMSWord 1.0


Purpose of GMSWord

Among the writings systems of Southeast Asia deriving from the Pallava script (*), some are already taken into account by the Unicode standard (Burmese, Dehong Dai / Tai Neua, Khmer, Laotian and Thai), even for some (Thai in particular) by the major operating systems editors (Microsoft, Apple) because having a commercial reality.
(*): Writing of South India (3rd-5th centuries) from which result most of the writings systems of Southeast Asia.

The GMSWord software has for vocation to help in the computerization of the most under-resourced (the least endowed) of these Southeast Asian writings, as well as that of the languages which use them (see Méthodes pour informatiser des langues et des groupes de langues « peu dotées » (in French), on pages 126-128 and 152-154). These writing systems are in particular the Cham, the Tai Dam, the Tai Khao, the Tai Deng, the Tai Yo, the Lai Pao, the Mon, the Khamti, the Shan, the Tai Mau, the Laotian Tham, the Isan Tham, the Lue, the Lanna and the Kheun (see Michel Ferlus' paper (in French): Langues et Ecritures en Asie du Sud-Est, The 21st International Conference on sino-tibetan Languages and Linguistics, University of Lund, Sweden, 1988).

GMSWord finds its justification in the fact that the re-use of a computer program can get a considerable saving of development time with regard to a new development made from scratch. In the case which interests us, GMSWord benefited from the software LaoWord (see Lao Software) and the expected scale saving is estimated at approximately 75 % (see Méthodes ..., on pages 118 à 121).

Languages and writing systems

The writings systems taken into account in this first version are:
  • the Khmer
  • the Lao
  • the Tham


    • Others will be added in the next versions (please contact us if you wish to add a writing system).

    Miscellaneous items

    1) Uniscribe

    Uniscribe is the part of Windows which calculates the visual rendering that a sequence of characters has to produce.
    For example, with the Khmer US keyboard, the sequence ' k ' + ' not + ' = '+' of + '=' + ' r ' + ' w ' + ' x ' will correspond to the following characters.

    From this sequence, Uniscribe will do what's necessary to produce the following result.


    From a practical point of view, Uniscribe appears to be a file called usp10.dll. If the version installed on your PC is too old, you will have to update it. As it mainly addresses the Khmer, we invite you to find the necessary information on Internet, for example on the KhmerOS Web site.

    In case of trouble with your Uniscribe, please contact us.


    2) Versions of Word

    GMSWord 1.0 runs under Windows 2000 and above. Its different languages are usable with different versions of Word as detailed in the following table.

    Word Khmer Lao Tham
    2000 - x x
    XP x x x
    2003 x x x


    GMS Software Web site

    The GMS software Web site is intended to make meet together the persons wishing to contribute to the computerization of the Southeast Asian languages. If you want to participate in this effort (to add a new writing system or a new language in GMSWord, to report an error, to finance a project), join us there.


    GMSWord 1.0: The Khmer

    Read the detailed documentation for Khmer

    Credits and copyright

  • Keyboards:

  • Fonts:



    • GMSWord 1.0: The Lao

    Read the detailed documentation for Lao

    Credits and copyright

  • Keyboards:

  • Fonts:




    • GMSWord 1.0: The Tham

    Read the detailed documentation for Tham

    Credits and copyright

  • Keyboards:

  • Fonts:


    • © 1996-2006 - Vincent BERMENT (GMS Software)
    IDDN.FR.001.320001.000.R.P.2006.000.20800