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I used to use ATOK as the Japanese input system for Windows.
Since ATOK can be used on a newly purchased Mac, I could use it as it is, but I am also interested in the macOS standard Japanese input system that can use live conversion.
So I tried using only macOS standard Japanese input system for over a month, so I would like to compare the difference with ATOK.
ATOK utilizing AI, a macOS standard Japanese input system that boasts live conversion
The feature of the macOS standard Japanese input system is live conversion.
Hiragana is automatically converted to Chinese characters without pressing the space bar or conversion key, allowing you to enter text in a flowing manner.
This live conversion is technically something that any manufacturer can implement, but I’ve never seen an example adopted by a manufacturer other than Apple. Is the right protected by a patent?
On the other hand, the feature of ATOK is the kana-kanji conversion using AI called “ATOK Deep Core Engine 2”. Context analysis has been strengthened compared to the past, and it is said to be strong against homonyms.
However, to use ATOK, ATOK for Mac [月額版]And ATOK Passport [ベーシック]324 yen / month (tax included), ATOK Passport [プレミアム]Then 540 yen / month (tax included) is required.
Since the macOS standard Japanese input system can be used for free, it can be said that it is not useful without the corresponding functions.
I have been using ATOK on Windows so far, but with the purchase of Mac mini, I tried using the macOS standard Japanese input system for a while.
I would like to compare the differences I felt there.
▼ Advantages of macOS standard Japanese input system
▼ Dissatisfaction with macOS standard Japanese input system
▼ Advantages of ATOK
▼ ATOK’s dissatisfaction
Advantages of macOS standard Japanese input system
First, I will explain the advantages of the macOS standard Japanese input system, and conversely, the inferiority of ATOK.
Live conversion that does not disturb your thoughts
The best thing about the macOS standard Japanese input system is live conversion.
This is a function that converts hiragana into kanji without pressing the space bar or conversion key, which is unique to the macOS standard Japanese input system.
For example, it works as follows:
When I first used live conversion, I was surprised at how comfortable it was to not have to press the space bar or conversion key that I had casually pressed.
Of course, the number of key presses is reduced, but since “typing a sentence” and “converting” are not separated as steps, you can continue to enter sentences without disturbing your thinking. You may like it, but it’s a feature you’ll want to try once.
By the way, if you get used to live conversion too much, you often forget to press the space bar when you have to use Windows, and the characters are fixed in the hiragana.
I’m dissatisfied with the comfort of live conversion, but I would like a Kanji conversion system that can perform live conversion on Windows as well.
Strong in English words
Even if you are writing Japanese sentences, you sometimes need to enter English words, but the macOS standard Japanese input system allows you to enter English words in hiragana mode.
For example, if you enter “iphone” with ATOK, it will be “Ipone”, but with the macOS standard Japanese input system, it will be like this:
Not only Apple products, but also any commonly used English words such as “Windows”, “English”, and “interesting” will be translated into English words.
As expected, even short Japanese such as “fun” does not come out with many conversion candidates.
However, especially for proper nouns, it is not necessary to switch between English input mode and Japanese input mode, so it can be said that it is a useful function for those who often write sentences with English words.
Many variations of date conversion
The macOS standard Japanese input system has many variations of date conversion.
For example, if you type “today”, it will come up until the day of the week:
ATOK candidates for this are:
ATOK is enough, but it can be said that the macOS standard Japanese input system supports more situations.
Dictionaries are shared with iPhone and iPad
Since the macOS standard Japanese input system is made by Apple, the dictionary is shared with the iPhone and iPad standard Japanese input systems.
This eliminates the need to add frequently used words to the dictionary on all devices.
ATOK can also share dictionaries with iPhone and iPad versions in the cloud, but I haven’t used it so far because ATOK for iPhone and iPad is not easy to use.
Dissatisfaction with macOS standard Japanese input system
Although it is a macOS standard Japanese input system with many excellent functions, there are some dissatisfaction points.
Learning is slow
The macOS standard Japanese input system is slow to learn. No matter how many times I convert it again, it doesn’t change the conversion priority.
For example, if you want to keep the hiragana instead of “good” for the input “good”, it will not learn at all as follows.
In the above video, the one entered once is not played repeatedly, but the one entered in kanji is corrected to hiragana by entering “good” five times.
In the case of ATOK, he learned in one shot. If you don’t learn this much, you will often have to reconvert it, ruining your live conversion.
Heavy movement
The macOS standard Japanese input system is heavier than ATOK. There is an impression that it is reflected on the screen with a slight delay from the key input.
It may be because of live conversion, but as far as I can see from the activity monitor, the CPU usage is lower than ATOK.
The Mac I’m using is an M1 Mac mini, so I don’t think it’s a CPU power issue.
I’m not sure why I have to press enter twice to confirm the conversion
In the standard Japanese input system of macOS, you have to press enter twice to confirm the conversion by default.
It’s okay to press it twice, but it’s hard to use because I’m not sure if it’s the first time or the second time.
In addition, if you type a long sentence, you often stumble when using it, such as not being able to move the location where you want to modify the conversion until you press the first time. Even if you look at Apple’s site, it is not clear why you have to press it twice, what is different between the first time and the second time, and it is difficult to use properly.
By the way, if you change the setting, you can confirm it with one enter.
Too much attention to Apple-related words
Perhaps because of Apple software, I’m too particular about Apple-related words.
For example, if you want to convert to “iPhone”, you cannot convert with “Aifon” and you have to enter “Aifon”.
ATOK can be converted either.
It’s nice to be able to convert Apple-related words that ATOK can’t convert, such as “iPad OS,” but I felt that it would be nice to have a little more flexibility.
Advantages of ATOK
Next, I felt that ATOK was excellent.
Powerful predictive conversion function
What I find useful when using ATOK is that predictive conversion is powerful.
For example, in writing this article, I wrote a lot of words “macOS standard Japanese input system”, but since “macOS standard Japanese input system” appears as a candidate just by typing “ma”, it is almost All written in predictive conversion:
The frequently used “Thank you.” Can be selected as a candidate just by “Yo”, so it is possible to significantly reduce the number of keystrokes.
The important point is that ATOK is learning without registering these predictive conversions and dictionaries. What’s more, the predictive conversion candidates learned on Windows are synchronized in the cloud and can be used on Mac.
The macOS standard Japanese input system can also perform predictive conversion, but it is difficult to use because no candidates will appear unless key input is stopped:
While ATOK performs predictive conversion in real time even if you continue to input keys, in the case of the macOS standard Japanese input system, predictive conversion cannot be performed unless you stop key input as shown in the above video.
For this reason, when I tried to use predictive conversion and stopped key input, I often did not get the desired candidate and wasted time, so I did not use predictive conversion in the macOS standard Japanese input system. ..
Powerful erroneous input correction function
ATOK has a function to correct erroneous input, but this function is very powerful.
For example, even if you mistakenly enter “consumption tax” instead of “so hizei”, it will be converted correctly by analogy.
I would be grateful if you could correct the erroneous input in various other situations and point it out.
Actually, the macOS standard Japanese input system also has a setting of “correct typos”, but I have never seen this work except for English words.
It may be fixed without knowing it, but it will be better to point out like ATOK.
Increase input efficiency with monthly reports
ATOK has a function called monthly report that reports the tendency of user’s key input.
In addition to the total number of characters entered in a month, this is a function that performs various analyzes such as the number of typos, the tendency of typos such as which key is easy to make a mistake, and the ratio of kanji / hiragana / katakana.
If you use this function, you will be able to understand the “habit” of key input and improve it.
Strong in the latest Japanese
New words are added to ATOK’s dictionary every day.
For example, on May 25th, a word like this was added:
I am grateful that I am strong in the latest Japanese, no matter what kind of sentences I make.
I tried typing “Aipefu” using the macOS standard Japanese input system, but “IPEF” was not a candidate.
ATOK’s dissatisfaction
Of course, ATOK also has some dissatisfaction.
I don’t feel that the conversion accuracy is particularly good
ATOK is a paid software that appeals to high conversion accuracy using AI, but I do not feel that the conversion accuracy is particularly superior to the macOS standard Japanese input system.
Of course, it’s accurate enough, but I do make mistakes, and I didn’t think the frequency was much lower than the macOS standard Japanese input system.
With the current technology, the conversion accuracy of Kana-Kanji conversion has reached a plateau, and is it in an area that requires some breakthrough?
There are functions that are only available in the Windows version
ATOK has features that are not available in the Mac version, but only in the Windows version.
For example, the predictive conversion is automatically turned off while using Zoom, and the learning is automatically turned off while using the incognito mode of the browser.
There is no choice but to give priority to the Windows version due to the difference in the number of users, but I would like the Mac version to implement full functionality as soon as possible.
Implementation of live conversion equivalent function is halfway
ATOK also has a function called “automatic conversion” that is similar to live conversion.
From this function, the name, it seems that you can do the same thing as live conversion, but in reality it is just a function that converts when you enter punctuation marks. Sentences without punctuation will not be converted automatically, so users will have to decide whether to use the spacebar or the conversion key each time.
If possible, I’d like it to work exactly the same as live conversion, but is the patent holding down the rights?
I decided to use ATOK
Based on these differences, I decided to use ATOK instead of the macOS standard Japanese input system.
The deciding factor is the difference between the learning function and the predictive conversion function.
The learning function of the macOS standard Japanese input system is too weak, and even if I try my best to correct it, it may not be possible to correct it, and the written text often fluctuates.
Also, if you use ATOK’s powerful predictive conversion function, you can reduce typographical errors and at the same time reduce the number of times you hit the keyboard and reduce fatigue. ATOK has many functions that could not be introduced in this article, and I felt that there were only paid software.
However, I would like ATOK to implement only live conversion.
It’s convenient, but sometimes it gets confusing when you have to use Windows.
On the other hand, I think that the macOS standard Japanese input system is also an excellent kana-kanji conversion system. The conversion accuracy is sufficient, and isn’t it enough for those who don’t type such long sentences?
Other Japanese input systems that can be used on Mac include “Google Japanese Input” and “Kawasemi 3”. If you include these in your options, you may be even more confused, but I would like to try them if you have the opportunity.
Source: ATOK for Mac, Apple
(Hauser)
Source: iPhone Mania