About OpenAdaptxtTM
OpenAdaptxtTM is an open source community project focused on the development of an open, next-generation text input platform and standard, enabling OEMs, solution providers, developers, linguists and end users to improve the quality and effectiveness of text input experiences on all types of connected devices and applications. It is the first commercial-grade and truly global (supporting 50+ languages) open source effort in this direction. OpenAdaptxtTM supports many OSes like Android, MeeGo, Windows, Linux and can be easily ported to new platforms.
At KeyPoint Technologies, we launched the project by contributing technology and language assets developed for our flagship, best-in-class Adaptxt® prediction and error correction engine. We are actively inviting members of the open source community, hobbyists, hackers, linguists, OEMs and application developers to participate in the project and accelerate its development.
Why Open Source?
Users, OEMs and application developers have long been suffering from the tyranny of proprietary solutions and business models in the text input space. The leading proprietary solutions have been very slow in innovating and are more interested in protecting their software licensing gravy trains than helping consumers achieve what they need to from their connected devices. The OEMs and solution providers have additionally been burdened by huge licensing costs leaving little to no budget for innovating and differentiating with the text input experience on their devices or applications. Acknowledging the major shift towards adoption of open and open source software in connected devices, we believe that an open source de facto standard for text input is the way forward.
By releasing our established Adaptxt® text input platform as open source software and launching a transparent community project around its development, we give all the players in the ecosystem a technically better and strong, open platform for innovating and differentiating without the costs associated with developing one on their own. We would like to see everyone leveraging the openness of the platform and re-using the savings from sharing development costs to raise the plane of innovation within the input space to a much higher level. We also believe that the collective efforts of the community combined with our ongoing contributions to the project will mean OpenAdaptxtTM itself will progress at a much faster pace and in many new directions than we alone can achieve.
OpenAdaptxtTM is already a truly global project with support for 50+ languages. But, we think this is just the start. There are a lot of niche languages and regional dialects that are currently underserved from a text input perspective because there has not been a strong business case for proprietary input solution developers or OEMs to invest in those languages and support them. We hope OpenAdaptxtTM can become a platform for plugging this painful gap. We would definitely love to see a Sicilian or Klingon dictionary come out of this initiative!
The ongoing pressure on OEMs to reduce Bill of Materials (BOM) cost is immense. Adopting OpenAdaptxtTM is a great way to lower costs as there are no licensing royalties to be paid. OpenAdaptxtTM is completely free for commercial use as well and OEMs can save up to 75% of their input related costs. Ongoing development/maintenance costs are also going to be shared and therefore much lower for everyone involved.
We believe open source simply creates better software and better products. When everyone collaborates passionately, quality wins! We think the openness also contributes to making software more secure and amenable to integration.
Last but not least, we are strong believers of freedom. Users, OEMs, developers, everyone should be able to choose what empowers them the most. With OpenAdaptxtTM, they retain full control and never again have to get locked into one solution or vendor.
OpenAdaptxtTM Logo |
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The logo for OpenAdaptxtTM is a Lotus. We adopted this as we like the way a lotus feels open and yet still connected. We believe this captures the essence of OpenAdaptxtTM. We also felt that the culture and language diversity that OpenAdaptxtTM empowers is embodied well in the ethnic qualities of the lotus.
Come in, we're open now!