Traditional Chinese Input Methods

[channamasala]

There was a thread about getting a computer to write in Chinese using Pinyin awhile back that saved my butt. I can't find it now...roddy or someone, maybe it could be linked here? I've searched and browsed and done all that good stuff.

In the years since I've moved to Taiwan and started learning Traditional characters...I prefer them and would like to be able to write on my computer in them, as well as read them instead of getting a bunch of weird symbols. I've got Windows XP on a really crap computer. Help?

I'll accept simplified characters if I must but would really prefer to write emails etc. in traditional.

(And yes, I realize living in Taiwan that someone should be able to help me but so far nobody can make it work)

Thanks!

[889]

Search "IME" and one of the many threads should answer your question.

[skylee]

This thread might help -> http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/15134-input-pinyin-result-traditional-character

[mythia]

I know at least both google pinyi input system or ziguang pinyin input system are capable of switching between traditional and simplified with a simple click(or two...), and I expect most of today's hanzi input softwares can do the same. Hope that helps.

ps. the Chinese name of the softwares mentioned above are 谷歌拼音输入法 and 紫光拼音输入法 .

[muppetwonder]

There are three fairly easy ways I know of to input traditional characters in Windows XP:

(1) Install the Chinese Taiwan keyboard, then install the input method for this keyboard called, "Microsoft New Phonetic Input Method 2002a". In Chinese, 微軟新拼音輸入法. Then open the properties page for this input method, and in the Keyboard Mapping tab, select "Hanyu Pinyin". This allows you to use pinyin as an input method, but get traditional characters.

Disadvantage: The word and phrase look up is not as good as the equivalent pinyin input method in the PRC keyboard.

(2) Install the Chinese Taiwan keyboard, then install the Cangjie input method, or install a 3rd party Cangjie input method (http://www.chinesecj.com/newsoftware/). As far as I know, this was, or still is, the professional Chinese typist's preferred input method, because with practice you can achieve crazy rates of word entry; someone I know can type around 100 characters per minute.

Disadvantage: Steep learning curve, no word/phrase lookup.

(3) Install Google IME. Very good word and phrase lookup.

Disadvantage: Geared towards simplified characters, so the first time you want the traditional form of the characters/words, you have to hunt them down by hitting a few more keystrokes. It seems to learn your preference though so that over time, it gets a bit better.

IMO, all these options are superior to the Mac OS X input methods... very poor word/phrase looking. I don't know why they can't do better.

[imron]

Yes, the default input methods for OSX are horrible. However the latest version of QIM for Macs now has excellent support for sentence prediction.

[muppetwonder]

Actually, thanks to your article, I am trying out Fun Input Toy and QIM and both are far superior experiences. Thanks!