SignPuddle 2.0 is Live

[Steve Slevinski]

SignWriting List: Read and Write Sign Languages 
<SW-L at LISTSERV.VALENCIACOLLEGE.EDU>
On 4/18/12 9:32 AM, Ronald Dettloff wrote:
> What are the improvements or changes please?

Hi Ron,

I'm glad you asked.

For the casual observer, things have not changed a lot.  Here is the 
list of the superficial changes:
1) New Symbol Frequency
-- ISWA 2010 names

2) New Search by Group
-- Recursive search of signs and sign texts

3) Updated spoken language search
-- Terms and Titles, Text, Source, and Puddle Page

4) Horizontal Writing
-- SignMail and ColumnMaker

We can discuss any of these changes if you want.

The more significant changes to SignPuddle 2 are behind the scenes and 
not obvious in the user interface.  The initial release of SignPuddle 2 
is about stabilizing the data and extracting the knowledge.

For SignWriting, I have hand crafted the data format.  In the past, it 
was difficult to use.  Instead of writing a complicated programming 
routine, I decided to improve the format.  After I had a new format, I 
would try to use it.  If the change was an improvement, I've had to 
convert the SignPuddle data set and continue forward.  This process has 
repeated several times.

Searching has always been the last piece of the puzzle.  Until 
SignPuddle 2.0, I could not properly search SignWriting data.  I created 
a search demonstration within SignPuddle 1.6, but it never fully worked.

The end of last year I designed the final data format.  SignPuddle 2.0 
uses that format.  The Modern SignWriting (MSW) document describes the 
format and the processing available.  The open source project the 
SignWriting Image Server (SWIS) implements these standards.

I have taken all of the image processing and text processing available 
in SignPuddle and created MSW and SWIS.  This foundation will allow 
anyone to easily leverage the SignPuddle data without having to use 
SignPuddle code.  It takes some technical knowledge to configure a 
server and leverage the code, but it is a significant base from which to 
grow.  Installation will get easier as more tools build upon this work.

I am very excited to start work on the new SignMaker and new SignText in 
jQuery.  It will be fun to hook up the new searching techniques to 
create a really fantastic user experience.  I'm hoping to integrate the 
keyboard while still supporting the mouse.

Significant Changes
============
1) Standards document
-- Ready for review

2) Open Source project that implements the standards
-- Available on GitHub

3) SignPuddle data
-- Available in XML files

Happy Days,
-Steve
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