[Uim] A proposal of unified input method C API.

[James Su]

Hi,
  I had registered a new project unified-im-api on sf.net. They will 
review my register request within two working days. I'll inform you as 
soon as it got passed.

Regards
James Su

YamaKen wrote:

>James,
>
>I want to paricipate with the discustion because the API will be
>published whether uim deveplers are involved or not.
>
>I suggest that create new dedicated English mailinglist because
>many issues are waiting to be discussed. scim list is not
>comfortable to host such a lot discussion.
>
>I'll suggest many specification changes such as
>following. Whether the API will be used as primary client API
>for uim or not, uim cannot adopt the API without such
>specification changes.
>
>- License
>- ABI-safe extensibility (uim need this)
>- Embedded playform capability (i.e. eliminate desktop assumptions)
>- Core/Optional feature separation
>- Key event specs
>
>I think that creating new project on sf.net such as
>unified-im-api to host the mailinglist and header files is
>useful and appropriate for the API. How do you think about it?
>
>At Fri, 17 Dec 2004 09:26:46 +0800,
>suzhe at tsinghua.org.cn wrote:
>  
>
>>Hi,
>>  - Yes the API may be changed in order to add some features or fix some 
>>bugs.
>>  - There is a maillist for this API, which is on yahoogroup. But it's 
>>for Chinese developers only. Anyway, you may discuss this API on scim's 
>>maillist.
>>  - I'll maintain this API. Actually this API is part of Chinese Linux 
>>Standard, and I'm a member of this standard group, in charge of this API.
>>
>>  For the feature of surrounding, we considered it some time ago. But 
>>because it's hard to implement in some framework, eg. XIM, IIIMF, SCIM 
>>etc., and this API is designed for all possible frameworks. So we must 
>>ensure that at least the major frameworks can support this API.
>>
>>Regards
>>James Su
>>
>>TOKUNAGA Hiroyuki wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 16:55:10 +0800
>>>James Su <suzhe at tsinghua.org.cn> wrote:
>>>
>>> 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>> Please have a look at the attached header file, it's a standard
>>>> input method C API which is included in Chinese Linux Standard
>>>>(I'm a member of it). All members in this standard group have promised
>>>>to support such API (including Sun, redhat, Novell/SUSE, ThizLinux,
>>>>SW-Linux, etc.)
>>>>
>>>> This API does not provide any library, and does not need to link 
>>>>against any external libraries. It's just a pure C API which uses 
>>>>function pointers to realize the communication between input method 
>>>>modules (IME) and input method manager (IMM, eg. uim, scim, etc.). So 
>>>>it'll have good binary portability and very easy to deploy.
>>>>
>>>> Sorry that there is no english documentation yet, though a chinese
>>>> doc is available.
>>>>   
>>>>
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>I don't have a time to comment about concrete API for now, but I have
>>>some questions.
>>>
>>>- Is there a plan to change this API?
>>>
>>>The API of stantard_im.h seems lacking some features. (i.e. surrounding
>>>text.) Is adding/modifying to the API possible?
>>>
>>>- Is there a mailing list or something to disscuss about this API?
>>>
>>>- Do you have a will to maintain the API? (Or can I maintain?)
>>>
>>>Of course stable API/ABI is quite important thing, but an evolution of
>>>software is also important. Sometimes the evolution of a software need a
>>>modification of API. If no one maintain the API, we can't use that with
>>>peace of mind.
>>>
>>>As a conclusion, I think that to make unified input method API is hard,
>>>but worth. We should go toward this direction.
>>>
>>>
>>>Regards,
>>>      
>>>
>
>-------------------------------
>YamaKen  yamaken at bp.iij4u.or.jp
>
>  
>