[inputMode] turning text prediction OFF

This is a request to add a modifier token to the "inputMode" attribute for turning text prediction OFF, in addition to the existing modifier token ("predict") for turning text prediction ON. 

It is suggested that the token is named "nopredict", but any name is OK. 


...Motivation

Today, the problem in Web (WAP) browsers in mobile phones is when text prediction is turned ON when the user is trying to type in text that cannot be predicted. The case when text prediction is turned OFF when it could have been used, is experienced by the user as a smaller problem; text prediction is just an optimization. 

It is worse if text prediction is ON at the wrong time, than if it is OFF. When text prediction works, it works very well, when it does not work, it is a disaster and very difficult to enter anything at all. So, it is better to turn it OFF too often, than to turn it ON when it does not work. 

It cannot be assumed that the default input mode for the browser is OFF. The default mode is typically inherited from a Setting made for the entire mobile phone; and once the user discovers how useful text prediction is, it is always ON. 

For this reason, the content author should be able to explicitly turn text prediction OFF for input data that almost certainly cannot be predicted: street names and numbers, stock quotes, application-specific keywords that are not real words, etc. For real text input, for which text prediction is perfect, the author should be able to explicitly turn text prediction ON. When uncertain, the author should leave it to the current user setting, and not specify anything at all.

--
Peter.N.Stark
@SonyEricsson.com

Received on Thursday, 28 February 2002 02:07:05 UTC