Input Unicode Malayalam – Comparison of Phonetic & Inscript methods

Phonetic Inscript
Learning Not required Required to know the keys
Labeling keyboard in the language Qwerty key board inbuilt Required until learning blind typing
Knowledge of script Not needed Necessary
Knowledge of keys' layout Learn Qwerty Learn the key-letter position
Technique Encoding method Get what key you type
Required to Install Google Transliteration SW Inscript Keyboard & Font
Typing Type the spoken language in Type as in the language's typewriter
english script [ie: manglish] and the [ie: malayalam] all charecters are
software converts it to the script of available. Consonents on the right
the malayalam language or any and Vowels on the left. Type the
other Indian Language selected consonant first and then the vowel
[ക േ4 ര ള 47]
As you type think the language in In English In Malayalam (forget qwerty)
Type “keralam” to get "േകരള7" Type "ക േ4 ര ള 47" ie: malayalam
keys (which on the qwerty would be
“ksjNx”) [Appears strange but not
after you learn the malayalam
keyboard]
Activate Windows Not needed Necessary
Webfriendly Good Excellant
Rename files in Language Not possible Possible
Key Combinations More Less
Key strokes More Less
Speed of typing Slow Fast
Possibility of error More Less
Single letters Confusing Accurate
കടകര7 Confusing Accurate
ചBലകര7 Confusing Accurate
Word Almost Ok Accurate
Help Available None

INSCRIPT Keyboard Layout

When it comes to the use of computers, the options available for data entry are a major concern. For the
data entry in Indian languages, the default option is INSCRIPT (INdian SCRIPT) layout. This layout uses the
standard 101 keyboard. The mapping of the characters is such that it remains common for all the Indian
languages (written left to right). This is because of the fact that the basic character set of the Indian
languages is common.

The characters of Indian language alphabets can be categorized into Consonants, Vowels, Nasals and
Conjuncts. Every consonant represents a combination of a particular sound and a vowel. The vowels are
representations of pure sounds. The Nasals are characters representing nasal sounds along with vowels.
The conjuncts are combinations of two or more characters. The Indian language alphabet table is divided
into Vowels (Swar) and Consonants (Vyanjan). The vowels are divided into long and short vowels and the
consonants are divided into vargs.

The INSCRIPT layout takes advantage of these observations making the design simple. In the Inscript
keyboard layout, all the vowels are placed on the left side of the keyboard layout and the consonants, on the
right side. The placement is such that the characters of one varg are split over two keys.