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  Activity Installer - Version 1.01                                 README.TXT
  Copyright  2005-2007, Nol DANJOU                                  May 2007
  All rights reserved.

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About Activity Installer
------------------------

  Activity Installer allows you to install a local activity for MSN Messenger 
  6.0 (and later) or Windows Live Messenger. Currently, only one activity is
  available, it is called "Instant Translator" see below for more information.

  The Activity Installer simply downloads and copies a small configuration file
  to the MSN Messenger folder on your hard drive. Only one local activity can 
  be installed at a time.

  The configuration file of the activity is installed locally so it won't show
  when you click the Activites button in MSN Messenger.

  The application appears as an assistant and simply involves clicking the few 
  Next buttons and the Finish button.

  

About Instant Translator
------------------------

  Instant Translator allows on-the-fly translation of all incoming messages.
  This may come handy when you have to chat with people on the Internet who 
  don't speak the same language(s) as you do. You won't have to copy and paste
  text from a computer-aided translation website anymore.

  After running the installer, close any currently opened conversation and 
  reopen it to take changes into effect. Then to start the Instant Translator
  activity, click the Actions > Start Instant Translator menu in the
  conversation window.
  
  The Instant Translator applet like all Messenger activity applets runs on a 
  web server and this one is hosted on my website at noeld.com.

  Instant Translator is based on the Microsoft Messenger Activity SDK and uses
  Altavista's Babel Fish Translation (http://babelfish.altavista.com/translate.dyn) 
  website for the translation.



Instant Translator Options
--------------------------

  Two options are currently available:

  * Show translation only

    When this option is checked the text sent by the other party is replaced
    by the translated text and the original text does not appear at all, only
    the translated text does.

    When this option is cleared, both the translation and the original text 
    are displayed in the conversation window.

    The original text actually comes from the remote party while the 
    translation comes from the local Instant Translator. Both or more parties
    can use his or her own Instant Translator to translate the text to their
    respective languages.

    Note: due to the limitations of the current Messenger Activity SDK, the
    translated text is sent to all the parties in the conversation.


  * Enable translation from

    This option is checked by default so that on-the-fly translation is enabled.
    You can temporarily stopped the instant translator without closing it just
    by clearing this option.

    Select the languages to translate to and from in the drop-down kist below.


  
Notes about security
--------------------

  Since the Instant Translator uses an ActiveX control (Microsoft XMLHTTP) and 
  requires access to an external website (Altavista) you may receive diferent
  security warnings upon the reception of the first message.


  * "Translation failed: Access is denied" error

    If you get this message in the Status textbox of Instant Translator then
    you need to configure Internet Explorer to allow cross-domain data source:

      - in Internet Explorer, click the Tools > "Internet Options" menu
      - click the Security tab
      - click the "Internet" zone
      - click the "Custom Level..." button
      - in the "Security Settings" dialog box, under Miscellaneous > "Access 
        data sources across domains", tick Prompt
      - click OK to apply the changes

    I recommend you to revert this setting back to disable for further security 
    when you don't use the activity anymore.


  * Warning message from Internet Explorer

    If you receive the message below, simply click Yes to allow Instant
    Translator to access the Altavista website.

      Internet Explorer
      -----------------------------------------------------------------
      This page is accessing information that is not under its control.
      This poses a security risk. Do you want to continue?
      -----------------------------------------------------------------
      Yes | No.

    You will have to click Yes for every instance of Instant Translator that
    you open. Always click No if you get this message anywhere else than in
    Instant Translator.



History
-------

  * May 23, 2007 - Version 1.01 (build 5.3)

    - added a digital signature
    - added support for possibly other activities at a later time
    - fixed an issue in Instant Translator activity that led to an infinite
      loop when opened at both ends of the conversation
    - fixed some issues with accentuated characters in Instant Translator


  * September 22, 2005 - Version 1.0 (build 2.1)

    - Initial build.



Latest versions 
---------------

  The latest version of the Activity Installer is always available from my 
  web site:
  
    http://noeld.com/programs.asp?cat=video#activity



Contact details
---------------


  E-mail:

    webmaster@noeld.com


  WWW:

    http://noeld.com
