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FUTO Swipe – A new swipe typing model

swipe.futo.tech

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Re: FUTO Swipe – A new swipe typing model

#31

Post by mft_ »

madspindel wrote: post #10

Must say it's a little bit lame that they are boycotting iOS. I will not change phone just to use this app but it would be nice to be able to replace SwiftKey with this.

I assume it would be feasible for someone else to write an iOS keyboard relying on this model?

Re: FUTO Swipe – A new swipe typing model

#32

Post by jordand »

I used the FUTO keyboard for a few months but ditched it as the word suggestions were either odd or random (one example: I'd write 'Jordan' and it would always suggest 'Peterson' as the next word), and I'd got a weirdly passive aggressive prompt saying I should really purchase a license. Went back to the de-Googled Android keyboard in GrapheneOS

Re: FUTO Swipe – A new swipe typing model

#33

Post by mzajc »

rkagerer wrote: post #26
HiPhish wrote: post #7

For anyone wondering: the library uses the GPLv3 (good) while the Android keyboard uses the Futo License (shit). - https://gitlab.futo.org/keyboard/swipe-library/-/blob/master... - https://github.com/futo-org/android-keyboard/blob/master/LIC...

What's particularly objectionable about the Futo License? Is it this part? you may not remove or obscure any functionality in the software related to payment to the Licensor in any copy you distribute to others.

The clause you cited as well as the "Termination" section and the non-commercial restriction make it a non-free license. Besides the direct issues with that, it also means all software covered by this license is unsuitable for FOSS-only distributions like Debian or F-Droid. It's not entirely clear to me if the license is copyleft; derivative works have similar problems if so.

As an aside, Eron Wolf, the billionaire behind FUTO, has some rather... out of touch views[0] on the meaning of open source, and seems very committed to diluting the term to mean something closer source-available by removing the most of the rights granted (as defined by FSF, OSI, DFSG and others).

[0]: https://gitlab.futo.org/eron/public/-/wikis/Thoughts-on-Open... - please keep in mind that the RMS quote at the top is taken out of context; he is arguing for more freedom, not less

Re: FUTO Swipe – A new swipe typing model

#34

Post by zem »

eikenberry wrote: post #23
zem wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm pretty sure there is no way for them to supply an ios version without having to go through some sort of apple approval process. hardly boycotting to say that you're not about to put up with that crap.

Don't they have to go through a Google approval process for (official) Android? I'm not sure I see this as a big win unless they are strictly supporting GrapheneOS and other de-Googled Androids.

they do, but it's on fdroid too - at that point the play store is simply a nice to have. if google does anything they don't like they can just say okay and keep publishing on fdroid, they have not lost whatever efforts they have invested into android. apple has absolutely no way to just publish an app and let people install it, which at least to my mind delegitimises them as a viable platform. I'm pretty sure if I made open source mobile apps they would be android only, people would be free to take the source and release an ios version under different branding.

Re: FUTO Swipe – A new swipe typing model

#35

Post by Mashimo »

jawns wrote: post #5

I'm curious how it compares with Microsoft SwiftKey. Obviously, that's not an open-source app, but it would be an interesting benchmark.

I'm also a heavy SwiftKey user, but donated some money to futo last year in hopes they improve the keyboard.

SwiftKey got annoying with pushing Ai image Gen and sometimes pop-ups.

Re: FUTO Swipe – A new swipe typing model

#36

Post by blopker »

I've been using this keyboard on and off for a while now. I've always switched back to gboard, however this update made me convert full time. It's really good.

There are a few issues, like it randomly capitalizes words in the middle of sentences. Also, it doesn't seem to take context into account when suggesting words, so words that clearly wouldn't follow the last word will often show up.

It's not as good as gboard yet, but close enough that I'm going to stick with it.

Note that if you have a more powerful device, you can get larger models for voice and larger dictionaries from their site. They make a noticeable difference.

The only fundamental issue I have with it, they seem to be ideologically opposed to adding a GIF search, which I miss occasionally. https://github.com/futo-org/android-keyboard/issues/293#issu...

Re: FUTO Swipe – A new swipe typing model

#37

Post by popcar2 »

Awesome. I've been using FUTO keyboard for two years now and it's the best free & private keyboard I found, but swiping has been really bad for all these keyboards which was such a pain because I use swiping a lot.

Nice to see the hour of swiping I did adding to their dataset actually helped. I'm using it now and it feels as good as the Google keyboard.

Edit: It is sending me a little that it keeps swiping "whats" instead of "what's" though, hopefully they fix that later.

Re: FUTO Swipe – A new swipe typing model

#38

Post by Vingdoloras »

After experiencing Nintype on iOS many years ago, I can't use any other swipe keyboard anymore. I'm stuck using the stock keyboard for typing, and sometimes (rarely) swiping a word or two when I din't have two hands available. Swiping (with one finger) when holding my phone with both hands just feels unnatural and sluggish. I wish Apple had just bought/sherlocked Nintype and integrated it into the stock keyboard.

Re: FUTO Swipe – A new swipe typing model

#39

Post by sheept »

amelius wrote: post #25

On the one hand snapping to the nearest English word is useful. On the other hand it will prevent our language from evolving.

I can't speak for this keyboard, but at least on Gboard, if you type out a word a few times, it'll be stored in its suggestions dictionary and you'll be able to swipe type it.
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