Chewing (Input Method)
Encyclopedia
The Chewing input method is an intelligent Zhuyin input method
. It is one of the most popular input methods among Traditional Chinese Unix users.
Chewing was a project established by Lu-Chuan Kung (龔律全) and Jeremy Kang-Pen Chen (陳康本), sponsored by Tsan-sheng Hsu (徐讚昇) from Academia Sinica
.
Their research result (the program) is published under the GPL.
Chewing core team extends their work and actively maintain the project.
, namely, Wang-Xin (忘形) by Eten
, Microsoft New Zhuyin (微軟新注音), and Nature Zhuyin (自然注音).
Since Zhuyin-based input methods are the most popular among Traditional Chinese computer users, an intelligent Zhuyin method is a necessity for Unix-like systems in order to attract more users. There was a similar input method, bimsphone (詞音), which was bundled in XCIN. However, it does not have convenient API
for further development.
Original chewing (the one developed by Gong and Chen) is no longer maintained, only works with XIM, nor does it have generic API for input frameworks. Jim Huang, et al. form the Chewing core team and extend Gong and Chen's work. Thus the chewing core team renames the project as "new" chewing (新酷音) to differentiate from the original one. Nevertheless, its English name is still "chewing".
On these systems, the chewing package is usually split into two parts:
libchewing, which handles the actual character selection logic; and
input framework interface for display and preference setting.
For examples:
There are also chewing input method for Windows (win32-chewing) and MacOS (SpaceChewing via OpenVanilla
).
Input method
An input method is an operating system component or program that allows any data, such as keyboard strokes or mouse movements, to be received as input. In this way users can enter characters and symbols not found on their input devices...
. It is one of the most popular input methods among Traditional Chinese Unix users.
Chewing was a project established by Lu-Chuan Kung (龔律全) and Jeremy Kang-Pen Chen (陳康本), sponsored by Tsan-sheng Hsu (徐讚昇) from Academia Sinica
Academia Sinica
The Academia Sinica , headquartered in the Nangang District of Taipei, is the national academy of Taiwan. It supports research activities in a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from mathematical and physical sciences, to life sciences, and to humanities and social sciences.Academia Sinica has...
.
Their research result (the program) is published under the GPL.
Chewing core team extends their work and actively maintain the project.
Motivation
Chewing was inspired by several other propriety intelligent Zhuyin input methods under Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, namely, Wang-Xin (忘形) by Eten
E-TEN
E-TEN Information Systems Co., Ltd. was an electronics manufacturing company based in Taiwan, specializing in sophisticated handheld devices such as smartphones....
, Microsoft New Zhuyin (微軟新注音), and Nature Zhuyin (自然注音).
Since Zhuyin-based input methods are the most popular among Traditional Chinese computer users, an intelligent Zhuyin method is a necessity for Unix-like systems in order to attract more users. There was a similar input method, bimsphone (詞音), which was bundled in XCIN. However, it does not have convenient API
Application programming interface
An application programming interface is a source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other...
for further development.
Original chewing (the one developed by Gong and Chen) is no longer maintained, only works with XIM, nor does it have generic API for input frameworks. Jim Huang, et al. form the Chewing core team and extend Gong and Chen's work. Thus the chewing core team renames the project as "new" chewing (新酷音) to differentiate from the original one. Nevertheless, its English name is still "chewing".
Goals
- Split the logic and view.
- Support multiple operating systems, and input framework.
- Provide a universal API for input framework and further development.
Supported Systems
Chewing has been adopted by various input frameworks in Unix-like systems.On these systems, the chewing package is usually split into two parts:
libchewing, which handles the actual character selection logic; and
input framework interface for display and preference setting.
For examples:
- ibus-chewing for IBusIntelligent Input BusThe Intelligent Input Bus is an input method framework for multilingual input in Unix-like operating systems...
. - iiimf-chewing for IIIMF.
- scim-chewing for SCIMSCIMThe Smart Common Input Method platform is an input method platform containing support for more than thirty languages for POSIX-style operating systems including Linux and BSD....
. - uim-chewing for uimUimuim is a multilingual input method framework. Applications can use it through so-called bridges.- Supported applications :...
.
There are also chewing input method for Windows (win32-chewing) and MacOS (SpaceChewing via OpenVanilla
OpenVanilla
OpenVanilla is a free, open-source text-entry and processing architecture, and includes a collection of popular input methods and text processing filters. It serves as a bridge between input methods and the operating system...
).