[whatwg] inputmode feedback

[Ryosuke Niwa]

On Dec 6, 2013, at 5:30 AM, Michael[tm] Smith <mike at w3.org> wrote:

> [Maybe we should take this discussion off-list or talk about it some time
> soon over lunch or something. For now though, here are some comments.]
> 
> "Takayoshi Kochi (河内 隆仁)" <kochi at google.com>, 2013-12-06 19:53 +0900:
> 
>> Just for a data point, lots of Japanese banks still make user type in
>> half-width katakana.
> 
> OK, but anecdotally my limited experience as a user with Japanese bank
> sites is that the ones I use (Mizuho and Mitsui Sumitomo) don't require
> half-width katakana input anywhere.
> 
> Anyway, as I guess you know, bank sites as a class (along with airline
> sites) are notorious for doing a lot of stupid things that are really bad
> for user experience -- to the point where I think bank sites as a class
> should really be considered a counter-example of good design.
> 
>> Here are some random examples:
>> 
>> http://www.tominbank.co.jp/for_kojin/mobile/topics_hankaku-kana.html
>>> 「受取人名（半角カナ）」は、半角30字以内で入力してください。
>> 
>> http://www.shinkin.co.jp/okayama/ibandhib/bizib/02_faq/faq_07.html
>>> これらのカナ略語は*全て半角文字で入力*して下さい。
>>> 実際の振込画面から振込先の会社名を入力する際は、*全て半角カナで入力*してください
>> 
>> http://www.yamanashibank.co.jp/anser-web/B-KM-009/help.html
>>> 半角30文字以内で入力してください
> 
> I see. So I concede that unfortunately such sites do seem to exist. But
> instead of just accepting that, I think we ought to be asking why and doing
> some general evangelism to make it clear that's bad practice and also doing
> some evangelism with specific sites to try to get them to quit doing that.
> 
> What I would seriously like to see instead is an example of even one single
> good thoughtfully-designed site that's actually requiring half-width kana
> input for some good reason. Just one.

The problem with banking websites is that they tend to use old mainframe/database that stores data
in half-width kana in the backend, and maximum length, etc… are different between full-width and
half-width kana characters. e.g. it's hard to explain to the users that ガ is considered as two characters
(as it will consist of ｶ and ﾞ) when it's visually one character.

Unfortunately, I can't think of a good way to convince major banks in Japan to use full-width kana
in their databases and inter-bank transactions.

- R. Niwa