ATOK

ATOK (エイトック /ˈetoku/ or /ˈeɪtɔːk/) is a Japanese input method editor (IME) produced by JustSystems, a Japanese software company.

ATOK
Developer(s)JustSystems
Initial release1983
Stable release
ATOK for Windows (Tech Ver.31) / February 1, 2018[1]
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android
TypeInput method editor
LicenseTrialware
Websitewww.atok.com

ATOK is an IME with roots from KTIS (Kana-Kanji Transfer Input System) come with JS-WORD, the Japanese word processor software for PC-100 in 1983,[2] but it now supports a variety of platforms including macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS.

Once ATOK meant Automatic Transfer Of Kana-kanji. Now, it means Advanced Technology Of Kana-kanji Transfer. It is occasionally taken to stand for Awa-TOKushima, site of the headquarters of JustSystems, or Alphabet TO Kanji.[3]

Functions

Functions vary between versions for different platforms, and the following list is not exhaustive.

  • Search kanji from phonetic input - both using romaji keyboard and kana keyboard.
  • Search kanji by radical.
  • Drawing pad for handwriting recognition.
  • Reverse retrieval of phonetic input - both to kunyomi and onyomi.
  • Text templates for standard phrases, address labels and Japanese emoticons.
  • Real time auto-completion of text - both Japanese and English. (Example: type "fun" and you immediately get a list of words starting with "fun": function, fun, fund, funk...).
  • Character information, JIS and Unicode codes, pronunciations, related characters.
  • Japanese date formats.
  • Character palette for input of special symbols, accented Latin, Russian, etc.
  • Customizable input keys and keyboard shortcuts for the different functions.

Versions
ATOK 8 running in MS-DOS of PC-98 computer

As of April 2019, the latest version for Windows is 31.1.6; for macOS, 31.0.3; for iOS, 1.6.2; and for Android, 1.8.15.[4] They are available via the ATOK Passport subscription and an annual subscription which comes with Ichitaro.[5] Linux, OS/2, Palm OS, Pocket PC, and Windows CE are no longer supported.[6]

KTIS and ATOK was originally a component of JustSystems' word processor software. Ichitaro released in 1985 allowed the use of ATOK 4 in other MS-DOS applications of the PC-98 platform. ATOK 7 was bundled with Ichitaro 4, and was available as a standalone product in 1992.[7] In DOS era, ATOK was spreading with Ichitaro despite competition from VJE, Matsutake, and some other softwares. Windows 3.1, the first retail version of Japanese Windows, bundled the Microsoft IME (MS-IME) input method. MS-IME 97 contained notable improvements, and was bundled with a new retail box of Windows 95 and Office 97. The difference between ATOK and MS-IME went smaller.[8]

In 2008, JustSystems began a subscription service, ATOK Passport.[9] ATOK 2017 was the last version to be physically shipped as boxed software.[1]

Sun Microsystems chose ATOK as their input method when running under the JP locale in Solaris 10 and above, enhancing Sun's already strong Japanese language support.[10]

For embedded systems, JustSystems has developed +ATOK. Some Japanese mobile phones, PDAs, video game consoles (PSP, PS3 and Wii), digital video recorders, automotive navigation systems come with +ATOK.

See also

References
  1. 劉, 尭; 若杉, 紀彦 (2017-12-05). "【速報】新ATOK、パッケージ版廃止で月額制のみに ～新バージョンは2018年2月1日提供開始". PC Watch. Impress Corporation. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
  2. 国友, 正彦 (1989). "最新日本語入力FP対決 ATOK 7 VS VJE-β Ver.2.1". ASCII (in Japanese). 13 (9): 249–256. ISSN 0386-5428.
  3. "日本語入力システムとは". ATOK.com. 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
  4. "個人向け製品の新元号への対応状況". JustSystems. 2019-04-19. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
  5. 井上, 翔 (2018-12-04). "ATOK for Windowsに「漢字の絞り込み」と「地名変換」を強化した新バージョン　月額版は2019年2月1日から配信". ITmedia PC USER. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
  6. "サポート製品一覧". JustSystems. 2018-08-23. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
  7. "先進の日本語システム「ATOK」の進化". JustSystems. 1998-10-23. Archived from the original on 1999-02-02. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
  8. Abe, Keisuke (2002-08-24). "日本語入力プログラムの歴史(MS-DOS～Windows)". Retrieved 2019-05-11.
  9. 三柳, 英樹 (2011-11-08). "「ATOK Passport」提供開始、Windows/Mac/Android向けATOKが月額300円". INTERNET Watch. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
  10. "ATOK for Solaris ユーザーガイド". Documentation. Sun Microsystems. 2006. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
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