Re: tlug: Kinput2 and Wnn6

[Frank Bennett <bennett@example.com>]

Okay, here we go.

Here's the response I got a few minutes ago from Omron Software.
I've provided interlineary translations:


  Frank Bennett $BMM!"(B
  $B;3Ln!w%*%`%m%s%=%U%H%&%'%"#S#P$H?=$7$^$9!#(B
  $B$O$8$a$^$7$F!#(B

Dear Frank Bennett,
I am Yamano, of Omron Software SP
Glad to meetcha.

  $B5.9;$N>pJs$"$j$,$H$&$4$6$$$^$7$?!#(B

Thanks for the info.

  > $B:#!"(BKinput2 $B$rC4Ev$7$F$$$k(B SRA $B$N@example.com=:,$5$s$+$i!"0J2<$NJV;v$OH?$C(B
  > $B$F$-$^$7$?$,!":#$N$H$3$m%o%6%o%6(B Wnn6 $B$N(BAI$B3X=,5!G=$r%5%]!<%H$9$k(B
  > $B$h$&$K%3!<%I$r=$@example.com$7$h$&$H;W$C$F$$$J$$$i$7$$$G$9(B($B$H$$$&$3$H$OEvA3(B
  > $B$N$3$H$G$9$,(B)$B!#%*%`%m%s$5$s$H(BApplixware $B$,$A$g$C$HNO$rF~$l$F!"@example.com(B
  > $BA=:,$5$s(B@example.com$B$H6&F1E*$K(B Kinput2 $B$N$h$jM%$l$?(B Wnn6 $B%5%]!<%H$r2DG=$K(B
  > $B$7$^$7$?$i!"Gd$j>e$2$K1F6A$"$?$($k$H;W$$$^$9!#(B
  > 
  > $B$=$N$h$&$JF0$-$O!"$b$7$+$7$F!"$"$j$=$&$G$9$+(B?

[This is a note from me, saying: "I just had a reply, reproduced
below, from Ishisone-san of SRA Co.  According to it, he doesn't
plan to go out of his way (no reason why he should) to provide
support for the AI learning features of Wnn6.  If Omron and
Applixware were to put their weight behind this a bit and
cooperate with Ishisone-san of SRA to produce a Kinput2 that
better supports Wnn6 (I see now that my Jse grammar breaks down
here, but that's most certainly off topic :), it would have an
effect on your sales figures. ... Is there a chance of any sort
of movement of this kind?"]

  kinpu2$B$K$F(BWnn6 $B$N(BAI$B3X=,5!G=%5%]!<%H$OFq$7$$$H;W$$$^$9$,!"(B
  Wnn6 $B$N(B xwnmo $B$H$$$&(B kinput2 $B%i%$%/$J(B XIM $BBP1~$N%/%i%$%"%s%H$r(B
  PC-UNIX$BHG$G=P$=$&$H9M$($F$*$j$^$9!#$3$l$rMxMQ$7!"(BApplixware $B$K(B
  $BF|K\8lF~NO$7$^$9$H!"(BWnn6 $B$N5!G=$9$Y$F$r;HMQ$9$k$3$H$,2DG=$K$J$j$^$9!#(B
  $B$D$^$j!"(BAI$B3X=,5!G=$b2DG=$G$9!#(B

It's unlikely that support for Wnn6 will be provided through
Kinput2, but we're thinking of producing a PC-UNIX version of our
"xwnmo" XIM client, which is functionally similar to Kinput2.
Using Applixware-J through this client, all of the facilities of
Wnn6 would become available to that process.  The AI learning
facility would be one of these.

  xwnmo $BIU$N(B Wnn6 for Linux/BSD $B$O(B $B:#G/$N(B 12 $B7n$K%j%j!<%9$9$kM=Dj$G$9!#(B
  $B?=$7Lu$4$6$$$^$;$s$,!"$b$&$7$P$i$/$*BT$AD:$1$J$$$G$7$g$&$+(B? 

We're planning to release the Wnn6 CD with xwnmo in December of
this year.  I'm really sorry about this, but can you hold on
until then?

  $B$J$*!"(Bxwnmo $BIU$N(B Wnn6 for Linux/BSD $B$G$O!"%M%C%H%o!<%/%i%$%;%s%9!"(B
  $B%^%k%A%f!<%6BP1~$K$J$j$^$9!#$G$9$N$G!"5.9;$N$h$&$J5,LO$NBg$-$$=j(B
  $B$G$N(BWnn6$B$NF3F~$G$ODI2C%i%$%;%s%9$G$+$J$j$*0B$/$J$j$^$9!#(B
  # $BEvA3$J$,$i!"4{%f!<%6MM$K$O%P!<%8%g%s%"%C%W%5!<%S%9$r9T$&M=Dj$G$9!#(B

The edition of Wnn6 with xwnmo for Linux/BSD will be available
with a network/multiuser license.  After once introducing Wnn6 at
a large [well, that's what it says :] site like yours, additional
licenses would be available at a considerable discount.  Of
course, we also plan to offer upgrades to users of the current
version.

  $B$48!F$$N$[$I$h$m$7$/$*4j$$CW$7$^$9!#(B

Thanks a lot.

  ---
  + $B%*%`%m%s%=%U%H%&%'%"3t<02qhttp://www.omronsoft.co.jp/

*****

And, er, that's it.  So it looks like the freeware sandwich that
is currently Applixware/Kinput2/Wnn6 is to be supplanted by a
fully commercial solution to the problem.  I don't state any
opinion here on whether this is a good or bad thing or likely or
unlikely to have happened.

But I'm glad that there's a solution in the works for our users.
This combination is going to show just what a pile of rocks
MS-equipped terminals are, and for once I am really looking
forward to the configuration work that will be required.

I'm going to go home now and get some sleep to try and shake this
cold.  Playing squash yesterday evening does not seem to have
been the correct medicine :)

Cheers,
-- 
-x80
Frank G Bennett, Jr         @@
Faculty of Law, Nagoya Univ () email: bennett@example.com
Tel: +81[(0)52]789-2239     () WWW:   http://rumple.soas.ac.uk/~bennett/
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