Question about pinyin/characters ! Please help!

[bogginrose]

Hello Everyone,

Excuse me if I am not using the right lingo in describing my question. I’m interested in creating a website that inputs Chinese Characters (typed on a Chinese orientated Windows OS) into English based data system which can display the Chinese characters in a fluid manner to both English viewers/Chinese viewers.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the Chinese user would write in pinyin, and that would be converted to Chinese characters. What complications are there in trying to create this system? As the website host, do I have to write my own code converting the pinyin to Chinese characters? Is there open source code somewhere available that I can adapt? Sorry for all the questions. I really would appreciate any response.

Also, just to clarify, for BOTH a Chinese and English user, is this method “ni3hao3” the standard/most widely used for non java/program (basically text) of inputing pinyin for conversion to characters? Is this true for both the Chinese User and English user? Or do the Chinese just stick with their Chinese oriented Windows OS for their conversion.

Thanks in advance!!!