 | |
 Intelligent Input Bus (IBus) | |
| Original author(s) | Peng Huang |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Peng Huang |
| Initial release | August 2008 |
| Stable release | |
| Repository | |
| Written in | C, Python |
| Operating system | Unix-like |
| Available in | Multilingual |
| Type | Input method |
| License | GNU LGPL v2 or later |
| Website | github |
The Intelligent Input Bus (IBus, pronounced as I-Bus) is an input method (IM) framework for multilingual input in Unix-like operating-systems. The name "Bus" comes from its bus-like architecture.
The main goals of the IBus project include:[ promotion? ]
The draft Specification of IM engine Service Provider Interface [2] document from the Northeast Asia OSS Forum [3] Work Group 3 recommends bus-centric IM framework architectures with a bus implementation (similar to dbus). According to the specification, SCIM-1.4 is not considered suitable for further development as it is developed in C++, which usually causes ABI transition problems. [4]
Since then, succeeding projects like IM-BUS (led by James Su) and SCIM-2 (led by Zheng Hu) were started. However, both projects are suspended. Therefore, Huang Peng from Red Hat established the IBus project to prove the idea of IM-BUS by using Python, D-Bus and GLib rather than implementing the functions recommended by CJK OSS forum. In spite of that, IBus has already gained community acceptance, and FreeBSD and many Linux distribution such as Fedora and Ubuntu already have IBus in their package repositories. IBus became the new default input method framework in Fedora 11, [5] and replaced SCIM in Ubuntu 9.10. [6]
IBus is developed in C and Python, thus avoiding the C++ ABI transition problem of SCIM <1.4.14.
IBus provides most of its functionality through services. There are three kinds of services:
IBus employs D-Bus to communicate among ibus-daemon, services, and IM clients such as terminal emulators, editors and web browsers. ibus-daemon manages all clients and services by receiving registrations from services, and sending D-Bus message to corresponding services and IM client.
It implements XIM protocol, and has GTK and Qt input method modules.
ibus-m17n is an IME that uses input methods and corresponding icons in the multinationalization database, abbreviated to the numeronym "m17n". Unlike ibus-table which supports plain tables, m17n input methods also support states, whose labels are displayed on the IBus panel (language bar). M17n input methods also support surrounding text, consequently, languages such as Thai and IMs such as plain Zhuyin that require this feature are supported through ibus-m17n, as is pinyin with diacritics for the four tones.
ibus-table, developed by Yu Wei Yu, is an IME that loads tables of input methods which do not need complicated logic to select words. [14] Many structure-based Chinese input methods such as Cangjie and Wubi are supported this way.
Officially released IM tables: [15]
Several input methods allow the use of Chinese characters with computers. Most allow selection of characters based either on their pronunciation or their graphical shape. Phonetic input methods are easier to learn but are less efficient, while graphical methods allow faster input, but have a steep learning curve.
Advanced package tool, or APT, is a free-software user interface that works with core libraries to handle the installation and removal of software on Debian and Debian-based Linux distributions. APT simplifies the process of managing software on Unix-like computer systems by automating the retrieval, configuration and installation of software packages, either from precompiled files or by compiling source code.
The Cangjie input method is a system for entering Chinese characters into a computer using a standard computer keyboard. In filenames and elsewhere, the name Cangjie is sometimes abbreviated as cj.
An input method is an operating system component or program that enables users to generate characters not natively available on their input devices by using sequences of characters that are available to them. Using an input method is usually necessary for languages that have more graphemes than there are keys on the keyboard.
Simplified Cangjie, known as Quick or Sucheng is a stroke based keyboard input method based on the Cangjie IME but simplified with select lists. Unlike full Cangjie, the user enters only the first and last keystrokes used in the Cangjie system, and then chooses the desired character from a list of candidate Chinese characters that pops up. This method is popular in Hong Kong and Macau, the latter in particular.
The Stroke Count Method, Wubihua method, Stroke input method or Bihua IME is a relatively simple Chinese input method for writing text on a computer or a mobile phone. It is based on the stroke order of a word, not pronunciation. It uses five or six buttons, and is often placed on a numerical keypad. Although it is possible to input Traditional Chinese characters with this method, this method is often associated with Simplified Chinese characters. The Wubihua method should not be confused with the Wubi method.
Dayi is a system for entering Chinese characters on a standard QWERTY keyboard using a set of 46 character components. A character is built by combining up to four of the 46 characters, using a system similar to that of Cangjie, but is decomposed in stroke order instead of in geometric shape in Cangjie.
The Smart Common Input Method (SCIM) is a platform for inputting more than thirty languages on computers, including Chinese-Japanese-Korean style character languages (CJK), and many European languages. It is used for POSIX-style operating systems including Linux and BSD. Its purposes are to provide a simple and powerful common interface for users from any country, and to provide a clear architecture for programming, so as to reduce time required to develop individual input methods.
The pinyin method refers to a family of input methods based on the pinyin method of romanization.
OpenVanilla (OV) is an open-source text-entry and processing architecture designed to enhance the text-entry experience across different operating systems. Initially developed to address the need for alternative input methods on Applesystems and cater to Windows users transitioning to macOS, OV has since expanded its compatibility to include Microsoft Windows and Linux/FreeBSD environments through SCIM integration.
PulseAudio is a network-capable sound server program distributed via the freedesktop.org project. It runs mainly on Linux, including Windows Subsystem for Linux on Microsoft Windows and Termux on Android; various BSD distributions such as FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and macOS; as well as Illumos distributions and the Solaris operating system. It serves as a middleware in between applications and hardware and handles raw PCM audio streams.
The Zhengma Input Method is a Chinese language input method. The primary goal of Zhengma design is compatibility with different types of characters, scalability and ease of use, especially for people who are experienced with how ideographs are formed. For these reasons this input method is used more by scholars of the Chinese language or people who need to use both traditional and simplified Chinese. This input method is one of two stroke-based input method that are included with Microsoft Windows.
Google Pinyin IME is a discontinued input method developed by Google China Labs. The tool was made publicly available on April 4, 2007. Aside from Pinyin input, it also includes stroke count method input. As of March 2019, Google Pinyin has been discontinued and the download page tools
Bharat Operating System Solutions is an Indian Linux distribution based on Debian, with its latest stable version is 10.0 ("Pragya") which was released in March 2024.
The Chewing (酷音) input method is an intelligent Zhuyin input method. It is one of the most popular input methods among Traditional Chinese Unix users.
Google Japanese Input is an input method published by Google for the entry of Japanese text on a computer. Since its dictionaries are generated automatically from the Internet, it supports typing of personal names, Internet slang, neologisms and related terms. Google Japanese Input can be used on Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS.
Bengali input methods refer to different systems developed to type the characters of the Bengali script for Bengali language and others, using a typewriter or a computer keyboard.
Fcitx stands for Flexible Context-aware Input Tool with eXtension support, is an input method framework with extension support for the X Window System that supports multiple input method engines including Pinyin transcription, table-based input methods, fcitx-chewing for Traditional Chinese, fcitx-keyboard for layout-based ones, fcitx-mozc for Japanese, and fcitx-hangul for Korean.
Anthy is a package for an input method editor backend for Unix-like systems for the Japanese language. It can convert Hiragana to Kanji as per the language rules. As a preconversion stage, Latin characters (Romaji) can be used to input Hiragana. Anthy is commonly used with an input method framework such as ibus, fcitx or SCIM.
The Vietnamese language is written with a Latin script with diacritics which requires several accommodations when typing on phone or computers. Software-based systems are a form of writing Vietnamese on phones or computers with software that can be installed on the device or from third-party software such as UniKey. Telex is the oldest input method devised to encode the Vietnamese language with its tones. Other input methods may also include VNI and VIQR. VNI input method is not to be confused with VNI code page.
A new default input method framework under active development which is designed to overcome the limitations of SCIM.
Ubuntu has switched to IBus as preferred input method framework. Unlike the previously used SCIM, IBus is under active development and fixes a number of SCIM's design limitations.
Mozc is a Japanese Input Method Editor (IME) designed for multi-platform such as Android OS, Apple OS X, Chromium OS, GNU/Linux and Microsoft Windows. This OpenSource project originates from Google Japanese Input.
IBus-Table is the IM Engine framework for table-based input methods, such as ZhengMa, WuBi, ErBi, CangJie and so on.
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