Meta-question about FLEx

[Claire Bowern]

Given that we're talking about FLEx, I have a more general question for list members. FLEx is billed by those who like it as the new standard for language description software. But at the same time, this program seems to fly in the face of many of the ideals for language description software that fieldwork technologists have been advocating. I'm thinking of articles like Bird and Simons' "7 dimensions of portability for language documentation". Flex is not interoperable, it's not based on open source, it doesn't preserve material on import (e.g. time-alignment), it's impossible to use collaboratively, and it builds the descriptive model into the software in the name of 'ease of use for non-linguists', so it's not theory-netural (whatever that means anyway).
Does this mean that we've just given up on goals like interoperability, open access and collaboration? Or are we recognizing that the ideal software tool for language description just doesn't exist, and FLEx optimizes enough of the process that we are willing to live without the more abstract and intangible goals like interoperability?
Claire



On Oct 11, 2011, at 12:06 PM, John Hatton wrote:

> Hi Jeff,
>  
> You’ll be wanting to join the FLEx google group for most of your questions.  You can also search the large archives of past discussions there.
>  
> Beth answered your 1st question, I’ll take a swing at the second:
>  
> >2) Is there a way to import a vocabulary list in XML into FLEx?
>  
> You'll need to get it into the xml format which FLEx can import.  Specifically, FLEx imports LIFT xml (Lexical Interchange FormaT).  Depending on your format, that could be as easy as a series of find/replace operations in some text editor.
>  
> Now, back to the interlinear text issue… as Beth said, the ELAN—>FLEx feature is only in the alpha version of SayMore (as are the transcription and oral annotation features).  If you’d like to be a tester for that, let me know.  FLEx can currently only import two lines: the base line and the free translation.  That’s fine if your using SayMore or ELAN to just do transcription and translation, but if you’ve glossed words, for example, it can’t currently import those glosses.  As Beth said, the FLEx team would appreciate hearing of your needs.
>  
> John Hatton
> SIL International Language Software Development, PALASO, and SIL Papua New Guinea
>  
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: r-n-l-d at unimelb.edu.au [mailto:r-n-l-d at unimelb.edu.au] On Behalf Of Jeff Siegel
> Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2011 4:06 AM
> To: r-n-l-d at unimelb.edu.au
> Subject: Questions about importing into FLEx
>  
> Dear Colleagues,
>  
> I'm a newcomer FLEx and was wondering if anyone can answer these basic questions:
>  
> 1) What is the method of importing transcribed texts from Elan into FLEx?
>  
> 2) Is there a way to import a vocabulary list in XML into FLEx?
>  
> Many thanks,
>  
> Jeff Siegel
>  
>  
>