[Uim] [Docs] Terminology problems

[Jan Willem Stumpel]

Martin Swift wrote:

> [ I'm terribly sorry about this horribly long email and hope
> that it doesn't scare too many readers from making it through.
> If anyone would like to get an abstract or discuss this live,
> please let me know. ]

I shall need some time to digest your long message, but I
especially liked your investigation of 'existing terminology':

> Uim:     Input method library 

> SCIM:    Input method 

> IIIMF:   Input method framework

> Anthy:   Conversion engine 

> Canna:   Conversion system

> FreeWnn: Conversion system

> scim-m17n: Input module scim-uim:  Input module

> PRIME:   Input Method Editor

This is not really an answer your post, but a side-line: Microsoft 
also uses the term "Input Method Editor", or IME, although I never 
found out what exactly they mean by it: "Japanese IME" is 
obviously a "method", but "Global IME" seems to be a "framework".

I never understood why IME means "Input Method Editor", because 
why is it an "editor"? I suspect that IME is really a Japanese 
abbreviation of "input method". In Japanese, abbreviations are 
made of kana; compare "pasokon", "wapuro", etc.; so "input method" 
would naturally become "ime". The term "IME" would then have 
entered international usage through Japanese. Perhaps the Japanese 
members of this list can throw light on this linguistic question. 
For instance, how is IME pronounced in Japan? eemeh or eye-em-ee?

Regards, Jan