keyboard layout configuration is confusing

[Rolf Leggewie]

I think it's safe to assume that most people have one keyboard attached to their computer. And even those who have more than one are unlikely to purposefully use different layouts. As such, it's safe to assume that the strong default is keyboard layout is an attribute of the machine and not the input method. But there are several places where keyboard layout is configured and that is confusing, compounded by the fact that input methods are mixed in with these settings.

Problem 1: IME are added in System Settings - Text Entry - Input sources to use

It's not an intuitive place to change either keyboard layouts or IME.

Problem 2: Mixing of keyboard layouts and IME in configuration interface

Why are keyboard layouts mixed with conversion engines like IME? I can see no reason for that. "Input sources" as a name is not very helpful in clearing that up and it seems the poor choice of words hints at a poor design choice.

Problem 3: configuration in several places

There's at least "System Settings - Text Entry - Input sources to use" and than at least anthy has its own keyboard layout configuration. I believe I came across others. That's weird and besides, anthy currently ignores the choice made there anyhow (see my other regression bug report)

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Thank you for your bug report. Unity is the desktop shell, it doesn't have anything to do with keyboard configurations. You report lists different issues, that makes it not easy to manage. The issues also seem design discussion rather than bug report, you might want to read https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LanguageAndText for specifics

[Rolf Leggewie (r0lf)]

OK, if it's not a bug in unity then please assign it to the right package. The problem is in essence just one: "keyboard and IME configuration is confusing". Problem 1 to 3 are just examples of that.