Abstract: The invention relates to the entering, displaying and processing of text of various human languages consisting of multi-byte characters when the text is entered by means of a touchscreen terminal keyboard into a programmed computer system. The computer system includes an operating system and other software providing means for converting inputs from the touchscreen keyboard into displayed characters and a keyboard definition file for processing by the computer system to provide the touchscreen keyboard on the display. The keyboard definition file includes means for specifying a national language and means for supporting inputs of multi-byte character language. A touchscreen support module functions in conjunction with the converting means and a keyboard input module functions in conjunction with the keyboard definition file.