Switching to English mode with a simple hotkey

Created by: yookoala

Chinese user rarely only type Chinese with their computer. The below situation force user to quickly switch typing Chinese and English:

1. All terminal commands are English or roman character based character.
2. Most URLs consists solely of English characters.
3. When typing a email address in a Email content.
4. When mix using English and Chinese (common in HK).
5. When entering dash from a typing context.

Currently, the only way to switch is to switch the entire input method. Which is slow and sloppy in most case. iBus would freeze 0.1 - 0.8 second (from experience) in switching input method. Typing a sentence like "Mary 你今晚 dinner 去唔去" requires switching 3 times and a painful waiting.

Also, switching from English to Chinese (Cangjie) would involve waiting the engine to boot up to speed. There a occasion where key strokes are missed because the waiting time.

Solutions from other OS

Chinese input engine in Microsoft Windows has an "English mode". You may enable / disable the English mode by tapping the switch button in a typing context (e.g. typing in a browser's text area).

It is an "English mode" in the Chinese input method such that you don't fall out of the Chinese input method when typing English. And switching between the 2 mode is trivial and fast. This is actually a great solution to the problem.

MacOS has the same pain in the ass and provided no solution.