What Chinese Input Type Do You Use?

What input type do you use on your computer? I use MS-IME on the computer but it seems like even CJKOS input on my Palm is better (faster, easier to use). I noticed that there is a lot of different input software available. Can anyone recommend some?
 

mihobu

秀才
I find that MS-IME in WinXP Pro is quite functional and relatively easy to use. Not sure what version it is, but it works quite will in both simplified and traditional Chinese. Haven't used CJKOS, though, so maybe I'm missing something!

白梅克
Michael Burkhardt
 
i use IME or NJStar (I think NJStar is actually better since they have a very useful dictionary function enabled as you type). I dont think many people use NJstar, but its worth it..
 

lmcjipo

榜眼
I use whatever is included with the Windows operating system (and Microsoft Office) although I did download the Google Pinyin Tool, I haven't installed it or used it.
 

chao-ren

进士
Does any one know with pinyin input methods is it possible to turn to the next “selection” of characters without using the mouse click?

I use both Google's Pinyin Method and NJStar's Pinyin Input editors. Both are equally easy to use. Google's has a slightly better predictive input than NJStar in my opinion. I think NJStar calls its own "predictive input" 联想。But somehow Google seems to be able to automatically select the right combination of words or characters faster than NJStar. Occasionally I am even surprised the required character in NJStar does not show up even when you have typed the pinyin correctly and repeatedly. Happens for example with this character 角 when you type: "jue"。(This may be because this character has two different pinyin. But if so or for any other reasons, NJStar should have corrected for this by now.) So for most inputs especially normal SMS messages, speech, vernacular prose(白话文) Google does the job faster. I never turn on the "continuous 联想” option, which is an option within NJStar because I don't really understand what it means or what is the subtle difference between this and the normal 联想 only.

I think my copy of NJStar(legal) is probably still slightly buggy. Anyway, if the first character of a combination fails to show up, and it is not there after you use the mouse to "turn" through the second and third selection sets - wasting a lot and a lot of time, then I assume something is wrong or I have typed the wrong pinyin spelling. Anyway I used "continuous 联想” a few times but it seems to be the same as having 联想 by itself as far as I am concerned! If the character you want does not show up, it will not show up whichever type of 联想you use. The manual is also not too clear on what is suppose to happen. (Are You listening NJStar?)

Availability of a dictionary is another thing altogether. This should hardly be used to justify an input method. I think input methods should be judged solely on ease of use, accuracy, speed, and not whether a dictionary can provide explanations to the character you've typed.

Since Google Pinyin Input Method only produces Unicode characters, it is not possible to use it to type characters into NJStar word processor itself. Apart from this defect, you can Google's Input Method to input Chinese just about anywhere, e.g. emails, browsers, Notepad, MS Word etc... Installation is also problem free on any language version of Windows.Very easy to assign a special key combination e.g.. Ctrl+Shift + 3 to "engage" or "exit" the input method. If you are using certain applications e.g.MSWord which automatically provide double-byte spacing it is probably convenient to set the the startup configuration as 半角.

Finally getting back to my original question: In Google Pinyin Input "Settings" panel I found a place where you can supposedly assign the Ctrl keys or the Shift keys to enable you to page up or down the next set of possible character selections. But strangely I cannot find any help on this from the Goggle help pages!! This way your hand does not have to leave the keyboard and have to grab the mouse to click the arrow paging buttons. But somehow this assignment of keys in Google does not seem to produce the desired end result.

I am surprised NJStar which has had a pinyin input method for years, has not thought of assigning a special key for "paging" through the possible character selections. The other thing useful about Google's input method is that you can extend the "input bar" so that each selections of possible characters can be 5 or 8 or as long as you want!

There is only one drawback with pinyin input methods: You can't possibly find the character if you don't know how to sound it. In Google Pinyin input method, you can switch to a "Strokes" input method by adding the letter 'u.' http://tools.google.com/pinyin/


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祝你端午节快乐!
 

gato

状元
How using "page up" and "page down"? That work with 拼音加加, which is the IME I use. Search for 拼音加加 on google if you are interested.
 
Hello Chao Ren,

I have been using Google Pinyin Editor for about 3 months now and I absolutely agree with you that its prediction is awesome. The dictionaries that it uses for predicting not only include a lot of noun phrases and chengyu but also include a lot of proper nouns. Of course we can thank Sohu for this since it is there code that Google "accidently lifted" from Sohu's Sogou Pinyin IME.

Anyway, before using Google Pinyin Editor I used several other Pinyin Input Method Editors and almost all of them, as well as Google Pinyin Editor, have been the same. Just use the greater than and the less than arrows on your keyboard to cycle through the selection of predicted words or characters. This way, as you were hoping for, you don't have to lift your fingers off the keyboard when selecting what characters/words to input next, thereby saving a lot of time when typing long messages or essays.

Hope this helps!

Darrol
 

Shadowdh

状元
I use sogou and its the bees knees... I also like the google one (suspiciously familiar after using sogou) dont really like the ms one as much as its much more limited I feel but that could be because I am not using it properly...
 

lmcjipo

榜眼
I've started to use Google Pinyin and I like it. The only thing is that randomly tries to establish an internet connection. According to the documentation that I read online, it is because it is trying to update its "database" of characters/phrases thereby pre-emptively "guessing" what you are trying to type.
 

chao-ren

进士
Thanks for answering my above question. It seems I'm new to pinyin input. But both <greater than> or <lesser than> or [page down and up] keys works for Google's pinyin IME and NJStar pinyin input -- incredible.

I have one more question: Is it possible to install both Sogou pinyin method and Google pinyin at the SAME PC and selectively use either one? I managed only to make Google's work well as an alternative IME under Windows. Couldn't seem to invoke the same Sogou input panel to even start up. There appears to be some sort of bug. Don't know why. Anyone know? Maybe I must uninstall Google's so Sogou's will work.

Thanks again for your answers..
 

Shadowdh

状元
Yes you can install and use both on the same pc (well laptop) as I am using both and switch between each... with sogou I did have to adjust some of the settings (I found what to do on chineseforums.com I think) you just need to change something in the language settings...
 

Dan_78cj5

举人
more questions on input methods

three related issues on input methods, any help?

1) How do you set the default input method for the language bar, or within the language. I am using the CHinese version of WIndows XPSP2 and most programs the default language that starts is Chinese, yet I am still more often than not trying to type English, just annoying to change it 75% of the time. Also within the CHinese language on the bar it has about 5 input methods, one of them being MSPY 微软拼音输入法3.0版, which is the one I prefer, but a different one is the default.

2) Any good way to input characters by handwriting on a laptop (that is not touch screen tablet)? I prefer the handwriting input on PLECO but on my PC I am limited to pinyin, any decent handwriting input software for the laptop?

3) DOes anyone use a typing input method other than complete pinyin 全拼 such as BoPoMoFo or 双拼 two stroke pinyin? I am interested in learning one of these typing systems. Does anyone know where you can get keyboard stickers for these typing systems? especially the 双拼?

Thanks,
Dan
 

gato

状元
Double Pinyin

3) DOes anyone use a typing input method other than complete pinyin 全拼 such as BoPoMoFo or 双拼 two stroke pinyin? I am interested in learning one of these typing systems. Does anyone know where you can get keyboard stickers for these typing systems? especially the 双拼?
I use pinyin PlusPlus, or 拼音加加, for its double pinyin IME. It's the easiest to use I've found.
http://dir.jjol.cn/Pyjj/

See here for more about double pinyin:
http://www.chinese-forums.com/showthrea ... post104454
Double pinyin (双拼)
 

ipsi

状元
Dan: In regards to 1), I think the following should work:

Right-Click on the language bar which shows the IME that is currently active. Select "Settings". Not sure about the Chinese translation, but it should have a "(E)" beside it.

Then at the top you should see an area that says "Default Input Language". Given that you've got MSPY3.0 as the default, you should see that in a box. Click it, and it should provide a list of all installed IMEs. Just select your English one, and it should be good :) That will change it for all programs, though.

As to the problem of MSPY not being the default, my best recommendation just to remove the ones you don't want, I'm afraid :(.
 
Strokes" input method with Google Pinyin??

Really? How do i get that function?? I downloaded Goole Pinyin, entered "u" ...and just got "u". Where do I add "u"? What is suppoded to happen?

>>>"..There is only one drawback with pinyin input methods: You can't possibly find the character if you don't know how to sound it. In Google Pinyin input method, you can switch to a "Strokes" input method by adding the letter 'u.' http://tools.google.com/pinyin/...
 

vrixon

举人
Character IME

Not sure what you are using it for, but for simplicity I use the IME provided with Windows (Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0) ... and just type pinyin and select the characters from the list provided.

I also assigned IME selection keys (CTRL-SHIFT-1 to select Chinese and CTRL-SHIFT-0 to select my English IME) using the Language Toolbar.

Pretty easy and I can walk you through it dialogue by dialogue if you like.

VaughnR
 

goulniky

榜眼
I've been using the Google IME since s.o. posted the link here, it's great, very easy to switch temporarily between Chinese and English but there doesn't seem to be anyway to enter pinyin with tones. There's also a stroke entry option, when you know how to write the character but not its pronunciation, a bit awkward but useful
 
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