Foxy, P2P Taiwanese Style - 3. Configuration

Do not automatically start Foxy at boot time

1. Click on the round gears on the lower left of the Foxy window to open the options pane.
   
2. Clear the box (開機時啟動 kai1 ji1 shi2 qi3 dong4) Automatically start at boot time.
3. Click (確定 que4 ding) Accept.

Change where Foxy downloads files

1. From the Options Window Click (瀏覽 liu2 lan3) Browse
2. Select the Folder
3. Click OK
4. Finally click (確定 que4 ding4) Accept to close the options window.

Shutting down Foxy

When foxy is minimized it stays in the system tray. Right click on the green Foxy icon to open the context menu. Select (結束 jie2 shu4) Exit to shutdown.



Thank you for reading my series on Foxy. If there is anything you would like to know about Foxy, please leave me your comments.

Foxy, P2P Taiwanese Style - 2. Searching

Part one introduced how to install Foxy. Part two is going to show you how you can download mp3s.

If Foxy is not already running, go ahead and start it.

Step 1 : Getting to know Foxy

1. (主頁 zhu3 ye4) Main Tab: Mostly advertisements
   
2. (搜索 sou1 suo3) Explore Tab: Search results are shown here.
   
3. (下載 xia4 zai3) Download Tab: A list of all files downloaded or currently downloading
   
4. Search Bar

Step 2: To start a search

1. Select the (搜尋 sou1 suo3) Explore tab
   
2. Enter a search term. I chose to search for pop star (王立宏 wang2 li4 hong2).
3. I only want to search for (音訊 yin1 xun4) audio.
4. Click (搜尋 sou1 xun2) Search.

Step 3. Starting a Download

Searching may take a while. If there are any results, they will be shown below the search bar on Explore tab. To download an item, select the item from the list and then click (下載 xia4 zai3) Download.



Step 4: Downloads

To listen to your new song after you have completed the download. On the left, click the (下載 xia4 zai3) Download tab. Then double click the file to play.



Now you know how to search for and download files with Foxy P2P. Hope you all can successfully download to your heart's content. Part three is going to introduce more features and some of the important configuration options.

Please leave comments below.

Foxy, P2P Taiwanese Style - 1. Installing

Foxy is Taiwan’s most popular P2P application. Not only is it free, it’s also fast and easy to use. For those of you who love Mandarin music, Foxy is going to give you a whole new way to fill up your hard drive space. And it’s not only music that’s available but also videos, documents, and software.

Since Foxy is only available in the Chinese language. These articles hope to help those who want to use it. Part one of this series is going to show you step-by-step how to install foxy. It will also teach you what you need to do before you can install Mandarin language software on an English install of Windows. Part two is going to deal with how to search and download files. Finally, Part three will introduce some of the more advanced settings that Foxy has.

If you don't have a Chinese version of Windows XP you can still intall Foxy. Microsoft has a great article on how to enable International Language support. Follow the article and add Language support for East Asian Languages (You need your Windows XP CD for this). Also set the language for non-Unicode programs to Chinese (Taiwan). Obviously, if you want to search for Mandarin music, it also helps to have a Chinese input method installed. Optionally, if you don't want to see any strange ????? marks when using Foxy, set your Standards and Formats to Chinese (Taiwan).

Now that your computer is ready for Mandarin language software, download Foxy. Once you fnished downloading, start the installer and follow the steps below.

1. Welcome to the Foxy Installer. Click (下一步 xia4 yi2 bu4) Next.



2. Accept the License. Select (我同意 wo3 tong2 yi4) I Agree. Then click (下一步 xia4 yi2 bu4) Next.



3. Select where to install Foxy. Just click (下一步 xia4 yi2 bu4) Next.



4. Choose the program group on the Start menu. Click (下一步 xia4 yi2 bu4) Next.



5. Choose extra tasks:

1. Check to create an icon on the quick launch bar.
   
2. Check to create an icon on the desktop.
3. Uncheck to not set "my homepage to www.sinami.com".
4. Uncheck to not "install the Match toolbar".

6. Prepare to Install. To install click (安裝 an1 zhuang1) Install.



7. Finished. Click (完成 wan2 cheng2) Finish.

1. Check to start Foxy now.

In Part two, you will learn how to search for and download files using Foxy. If you have any questions please write your comments below.

Happy Installing.

Learning the Zhuyin Fuhao Keyboard

Chinese Ability: Beginner
Computer Ability: Intermediate

Anyone who has learned Chinese in Taiwan long enough knows what Zhuyin Fuhao (注音符號) is. They are those small letters printed next to the Chinese characters in children's books. You may have also seen your Taiwanese friends using them to input Chinese characters into their computers.

Learning to type using the Zhuyin Fuhao input method isn't any more difficult than learning to type in English, all you need is the right motivation and a little practice. It also helps if you have bought a keyboard in Taiwan that already has the symbols for Zhuyin on it.

If you don't have Zhuyin Fuhao on your keyboard, you can buy stickers and apply them yourself. Stickers can be found at some 10 NT dollar stores in Taiwan as well as 3C, Nova, and Guang Hua Shang Chang. Stickers can be bought for about 65 NT dollars.

I learned how to improve my zhuyin typing skills using the Flash games at http://www.kiec.kh.edu.tw/typing/index.asp. It has flash games for teaching both the English keyboard and the Zhuyin keyboard.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and look for the pink numbers. Games numbered 22, 23, 24, and 25 are going to teach you, row by row, how to type in Zhuyin. Game 22 teaches the A row, 23 teaches the Z row, 24 teaches the Q row, and 25 teaches the 1 row. Game 28 is a great way to review the entire keyboard at one time.

To play the games make sure your Chinese keyboard is not selected, you need to be in English input mode. Click the link for the game you want to play. The game's starting screen will display a big red KaiShi (開始) button. Don't be a afraid to click that button to start.

Once the game starts, at the top of the page, there will be a red circle with a zhuyin character inside and at the bottom there will be a picture of a keyboard. The keyboard at the bottom will show you where that character is located. As soon as you see the zhuyin in the circle press the key on your keyboard. The game is timed. The more keys you can press within the time limit; the higher your score will be. (Tip: As you get better try not to look at the on screen keyboard for help. )

If your computer does not have Asian language support you may have difficulty getting to the flash games. Here are direct links to each of the games.

Game 22, Learning the A row
Game 23, Learning the Z row
Game 24, Learning the Q row
Game 25, Learning the 1 row
Game 28, Full Keyboard review