Frequently asked questions about DIALANG

Updated 23 April 2012

How much does it cost to use DIALANG?
Nothing!
DIALANG is free to use (but this may change in future)

How do I use DIALANG?
(1) You download the client software
(2) You install it on your PC
[You may need also to download and install an old version of Java]
(3) You start the client software and this connects to the DIALANG Test Server (different from the website server) via the internet to run the tests.
For more information about downloading, installing and running DIALANG, click the text "Technical Information" on the left.

Do I need a software licence to run DIALANG
No. You can use DIALANG without a licence.

How do I obtain a user-name and password?
DIALANG has no user-names and no passwords. No registration. No login. You start the client and do the tests.

What user data does DIALANG obtain and save?
There is no login to DIALANG. All users are anonymous, so DIALANG collects no user data. DIALANG does collect anonymous bulk statistics on the number of tests run per-language and per-skill.
Read more about DIALANG and cookies

Are there versions of DIALANG for other (non-Microsoft) operating systems - such as Mac & Linux?
No - there are no versions of DIALANG for Mac or Linux operating systems. Some people have reported running DIALANG on Linux using an emulator, and you may find information on the internet. Try searching for "DIALANG Linux" or "DIALANG WINE" etc.
In future we hope to have web-standards-based software, able to run on multiple operating systems via a web-browser.

Does DIALANG work with Windows 7?
Yes - we have tested this on 32-bit Windows 7 and it works.
We have not tested on Windows 7 64-bit, but some people have reported to us that this does work.
You may see a box like this when running DIALANG on Windows 7. The colour scheme correctly changes back when DIALANG exits:

DIALANG remembers and disables the tests I take on my PC. How can a second user take the same tests on the same PC?
Exit from DIALANG and then start DIALANG again. Then you can take the same tests again.

Is the DIALANG Mailing List working?
No - the Mailing List is not in operation at present.

Is there a CD-ROM version of DIALANG?
No - you have to download over the internet.

Are there different versions (revisions) of DIALANG?
No – there is only one version.

Is anyone updating DIALANG?
No - DIALANG is static at present. There is no resource to make any changes.

Can I install DIALANG on a local server?
No - you have to use the internet version.

Can I put a hyperlink to DIALANG on my web page to tell other people about it?
Yes - please link to "http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/researchenterprise/dialang/about.htm"

Can I use screenshots of DIALANG in material for my students?
Yes - you may do this, BUT:
(1) You must include "Copyright © DIALANG Consortium" to acknowledge the copyright holders; and
(2) You can show questions, but NO answers (correct or incorrect) from DIALANG.

How can I find out about the validity, reliability and calibration of the DIALANG tests?
See the book: "Diagnosing Foreign Language Proficiency" by Professor J. Charles Alderson ISBN 0-8264-9388-2 available from Amazon