this post was submitted on 15 Nov 2023
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Hello, could someone recommended a keyboard for android that is a bit smart in predictive typing? I used to like swiftkeybefore it was bought by microsoft. Not that swiftkey itself was much better but I was not so privy conscious at that time.

I recall swiftkey would require access to your texts and emails to train itself to your predictions.

Is there some similar foss keyboard where all the data then remains local?

I know swiftkey has an incognito mode, but then it stops learning from your typing.

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[–] [email protected] 42 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Florisboard

The developer has hit a bit of a roadblock reworking a back-end system and is requesting help, but it has a great feature set already and is super customisable.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I just had the time with it, honestly. So many things are broken, like spelling and dictionary integration. I know the dev is reworking some things, but even the last release doesn't work very well. Respects privacy, sure. Works well, naw.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Just installed last week, and the dictionary integration with two different languages works fine for me. Autocorrect is not yet supported, if I remember correctly.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Prediction on dictionary, and prediction in general is broken. You essentially can't type out anything aside from the base diction without getting crazy suggestions. Kind of a deal breaker.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I haven't tried it yet and indeed I just read his post from 3 weeks ago on how to get back on better tracks. I will give it a try but I couldn't see from its description that it would go beyond its focus on privacy, at least for the moment

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Currently florisboard doesn't have prediction nor autocorrect prediction.

Due to complications in the development of that feature (either too heavy to run or not smart enough for prediction...) and the development of the app got stuck, until maybe recently where it seems to get some dev attraction on some topics.

Tho the prediction is still stuck. So you won't have yet prediction or smart things in this keyboard.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Florisboard git > discussions (in the menu should be after pull requests)

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Well what else do you need tho, it has glide typing, incognito move and auto correct is in development although would take a while. It's not perfect but it's already very much a fully decked out keyboard or it will be once suggestions are added.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Well my question was specifically about smart prediction (beyond autocorrect). I have found scores of privacy friendly keyboards. The one I have been using for a year is from simplemobiletools (they have a full suite of apps and I use most of them ie contacts, gallery, notes...) but I miss the prediction feature. As you say even autocorrect is not yet supported in florisboard...but that wouldn't be enough for me. Personalised dictionary based on typing would be a start, but swiftkey goes beyond, it proposes the next words before you type them

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It is also in the works along with auto correct... You really should try the keyboard first before coming to that conclusion. I am not saying it has everything now but don't assume the developer isn't planning to add more, that's not a good assumption.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Given the project has been paused more than a year, I'll wait and see