Activating input method globally

[Reiner Steib <reinersteib+gmane@imap.cc>]

Hi,

the manual says that `set-input-method' sets the input method buffer
locally:

,----[ (info "(emacs)Select Input Method") ]
|    To choose an input method for the current buffer, use `C-x <RET>
| C-\' (`set-input-method').
`----

It doesn't mention how to set it globally (AFAICS).  What is the
recommended way to achieve this?  I think this should be documented.

The best I could think about was adding `set-input-method' to
`text-mode-hook':

(add-hook 'text-mode-hook
	  (lambda () (set-input-method "german-prefix")))

Background: This question popped up several times in German speaking
Emacs/Gnus-related newsgroups.  Some users use an American keyboard
layout, but want to type German non-ascii characters (cf. `M-x
describe-input-method RET german-...').

Bye, Reiner.
-- 
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      (o o)
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