Running under Windows 2000 the JDK is unable to get the Indic characters from the keybaord in the Hindi locale. This seems to have something to do with the JVM running as an ANSI application. Characters get converted based on the current ANSI code page-- but there isn't an ANSI code page for Indic scripts. So when the hi_IN locale is selected on Win2K, the devanagri characters come through as question marks.