forum SignWriting List Forum
  Message 212  |  Previous | Next  [ Up Thread ] Message Index
From:  Neil Bauman
Date:  Tue Jun 16, 1998  4:42 pm
Subject:  Re: Sinister SignWriters and mixed up keyboards


Hi Valerie:

>The Fingerspelling Keyboards require "no new typing skills". If you can
>type English or another spoken language, then you can type with the
>Fingerspelling Keyboards - when you type"A" you get the symbol for "A" in
>fingerspelling etc. - it is easy to type.

I have a question here. Do you really map the new symbol to the Ascii
character or to the physical key. The reason I'm asking is that about 3
years ago I changed over my keyboard from the standard Qwerty layout to the
Dvorak layout and after typing Qwerty for about 35 years I had to learn to
type all over again. Now I can only type using the Dvorak layout--and the
only two keys that are the same are the letters A and M.

For those who are interested, the Dvorak layout is much easier on your
hands. For example in an 8 hour typing session, a steno's fingertips would
move about 16 MILES. However if she typed exactly the same things using
the Dvorak layout, her fingertips would only have moved 1 MILE--that a
saving of 15 miles a day in carpel tunnel problems, etc. Your fingers do
most of their typing just using the home keys. So it is faster and
supposedly more accurate--but my brain still gets my fingering mixed up
although I have my old speed of 80 to 100 words per minute back.

>To type with the Sign Keyboard, you "need to learn new typing skills",
>because the symbols flop, rotate, change palm facing etc and you have to
>learn how to type those details. But a skilled SignWriting typist can type
>quickly - it is simply a new skill to be learned.

And in this case, if you have arranged the symbols in a logical sequence on
the keyboard, my Dvorak layout would in effect, randomize them LOL. I'm
just curious at this point.

Talk to you again.

Neil


Neil Bauman
Box 1233
Three Hills, Alberta CANADA T0M 2A0



  Replies Author Date
213 SW Keyboard Design Valerie Sutton Wed  6/17/1998
215 Re: SW Keyboard Design Neil Bauman Fri  6/19/1998

  Message 212  |  Previous | Next  [ Up Thread ] Message Index