What Chinese Input Type Do You Use?

[thealienresident]

One thing I discovered with the Google IME is that when writing with traditional characters like they do in Taiwan, some characters that the Taiwanese use are actually simplified characters. Thus, it becomes impossible to write certain characters with this IME.

For example, the word 台灣 (which means Taiwan) is commonly used in Taiwan. But this cannot be written with the Google IME, because it consists of a simplified character (台) and a traditional character (灣). Instead you have to write 臺灣, which the Taiwanese hardly ever use. This is the same with many other words involving the character 台.

With the Microsoft IME, this was never a problem.

 

[chao-ren]

For example, the word 台灣 (which means Taiwan) is commonly used in Taiwan. But this cannot be written with the Google IME, because it consists of a simplified character (台) and a traditional character (灣). Instead you have to write 臺灣, which....

In other input methods such as CE-Star or my favorite stroke input method= Q9 (九方），the pinyin input for the same character offers 台 as a choice on the traditional or complex character side. This character is not treated as a "simplified" character equivalent only.

Also the alternative "stroke" method offered by Google's pinyin IME (when yo have to first type 'u' to get into this mode) is also too "sparse" or almost unusable if the character is too complex eg.try finding this character 湾 (wan) using the 'u' stroke method.

The instruction for using this 'u' input method also seems so vague giving only the following types of strokes :

具体使用方法为：先按"u"进入笔划输入模式，然后用使用代码h（横）,s（竖）,p（撇）,n（捺）,z（折）,d（点）依次输入该字的各个笔划。其中，n和d是相同的。例如，您希望输入"谷"，则可以依次按下"upnpnszh"。

We know also that the upward dot is also sometime referred to as 提 (ti) and also WHY is the n and d interchangeable or 相同 as suggested by the instruction? If so why bother giving two different code terms or 代码? :idea: :wink:

 

[chao-ren]

installing Sogou's version of pinyin input ?

Several months ago after trying out Google's pinyin input, I tried installing Sogou's famous "imitation" :shock: :lol:

The problem with Sogou's of course was that the present version cannot be installed under English OS Windows.
Other than that, everything is about the same - how you toggle the activation mode,how to input etc..-. Anyway if you are still interested in installing Sogou's Pinyin input because of the different cool looks you can install (i.e.skins).. now you can but you need to install the latest Beta 3.2 version:

升级日志
2007.7.2 3.0公测第二版(3.0Beta2)发布
新增功能
1. 细胞词库，可自由上传下载、在线升级的细分化词库功能；
2. 支持鼠标选词；
3. 支持google拼音输入法用户词库格式的导入；
功能改进
1. Unicode版本，支持繁体、英文、日文等非简体中文的Windows系统；
2. 输入法词库核心较大改进，输入法反应速度进一步提升；
3. 增加了迷你状态栏皮肤；
4. 增加了输入窗口上的右键菜单；
5. 去掉了默认的搜狗酷字快捷键，防止误点击；
Bug修复
1. 修复了Vista下IE7不兼容的问题；
2. 修复了Vista下不能升级输入法的bug；
3. 修复了Word2003下使用插入特殊符号时崩溃的bug。

 

[thph2006]

I tend to use the Chinese handwriting input method on my WinXP Tablet PC quite often. Is this sort of input available on plecodict compatible platforms? Which ones? Is other software required to make it work?

Chinese handwriting input is quite important to me since my Chinese character recognition capability is very weak. If I come across a street sign, document, menu, etc. with hanzi characters I don't recognize I can handwrite them into the computer and get a translation. Input of whole sentences would be even better than single character if possible. What do you guys recommend?

My ideal feature set:
China/Us capable smart phone
Chinese handwriting input + pinyin IME + standard English characters
plecodict
mp3 playback (I have over 18GB of Chinese learning mp3's)
camera

 

[chao-ren]

Re:NJStar Wordprocessor Users

Has anyone notice a difference when you use Google's Pinyin IME to type Chinese characters into NJStar WP and the characters all get garbled if the platform is XP but not if it is Windows Vista? My question is why is that? Same Google's IME on both OS platform, same NJStar WP 5.2 or latest version, but just that Windows is different? Thanks for answer..

 

[dustpuppy]

Is there a pinyin input method that can show me an english definition of the chinese word i'm selecting ?
the reason for that is that I know many words only with their pinyin pronounciation.

So what i'd like to have is something like google pinyin, which also shows me a quick english definition to make sure I picked the right character

thanks !

 

[goldyn chyld]

QIM for Mac.

 

[Stump]

Re: installing Sogou's version of pinyin input ?

Several months ago after trying out Google's pinyin input, I tried installing Sogou's famous "imitation" :shock: :lol:

The problem with Sogou's of course was that the present version cannot be installed under English OS Windows.

Really?
I thought Google copied Sogou... The issue of using it only with chinese-version of windows seems to be fixed as it works for me.

I use Sogou, it's fast, has a good DB, and it will record the words I usually use (MS-IME did too but not for traditional chinese). Easy switch from simplified to trad (CTRL+F).
However now I try to use the MS Bopomo input more fluently. I think it can be faster to use and the good thing is it forces me to remember the tones (you have to input the character's tone with the 注音如法).

I will probably switch to cangjie when I can get my hands on a TW keyboard.