[Uim] [Docs] Terminology problems

[Martin Swift]

Hi Jan,

On Mon, Feb 05, 2007 at 06:24:25PM +0100, Jan Willem Stumpel wrote:
> I am greatly in favour of creating a good terminology in this
> field; it would really be useful for users (and documentation
> writers).

Great. To what extent we can "create" a terminology for the field is
debatable, though. :-P

> The terminology that I prefer is:
> 
> -- anthy, canna/kinput2, ATOK are _input methods_ (for one
>    language -- Japanese in this case).
> -- m17n could be called an _input method collection_ because
>    it offers many different languages. I do not know (yet)
>    if m17n can be used by itself (outside a "framework" like
>    uim).
> -- uim, scim, IIIMF are _input method frameworks_ (that can host
>    many different input methods and input method collections,
>    enabling users to choose between many languages).

I'm not sure of the robustness of this. The line between an "input
method" and an "input method framework" may be difficult to draw.

In your terminology, a monolithic software that converted to a single
language is an "input method" while if it were modularized and catered
to multiple characters, an "input method framework".

What about modularized software that "could" be extended to use other
IMs but isn't and won't? Inversely, what about monolithic software
that clumps together various character conversions?

It seems more logical to me to use:

* "input method" for any software that offers a complete system of
  converting input.
* "conversion engine" as a part of a modularized "input method" that
  does the conversion.
* "dictionary" as the ruleset that a "conversion engine" uses.

I don't know if this makes sense or is practical but seems useful to
me as (from my reading up on IMs) some input methods switch conversion
engines (e.g. from Anthy to PRIME) and conversion engines could also,
in principle at least, switch between dictionaries (lookup tables) and
Anthy seems to have a personalizable dictionary feature.

In this language, Anthy would be a used by the "input method" uim as a
"conversion engine". Does uim delegate it's job to the "input method"
Anthy, or does uim use an internal part of Anthy (then better termed
"conversion engine")? If all uim does is delegate its job to other
input methods, then, yes, Jan's terminology of "input method
frameworks" might fit better.

> See http://www/jw-stumpel.nl/stestu.html

All I see is a redirect to
  <http://www.browsercast.com/custom/branded-wwwcom/affiliatereporting/searchboxes/searchstyle_www.html?action=search&afID=5589&keywords=%20jw-stumpel.nl%20stestu.html>

Cheers,
Martin

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\u270C