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Well, here's my 2 cents worth. <br>
<br>
The ultimate ideal is something that uses Unicode and SWML. In my
opinion, this is the future of SignWriting when/if we can find the
resources to get it all figured out. This is not today ... yet.<br>
<br>
The next best deal is something that uses SWML or SWML-S. Stephen is
already headed toward tools that work with this so I like this
approach. Anything that can get us away from a dependency on spoken
language to express sign language is good. This assumes no one is
coding SWML by hand. I am assuming there is a graphical input editor
that allows entry of SW which is then converted to SWML or SWML-S for
the webserver to convert to SW later.<br>
<br>
The next best after that is something based on glossing or a modified
version of it. This could be something like <SW>ME GO
STORE</SW> or whatever. <br>
<br>
Basically, what I am thinking is this: The goal needs to be a simple
way for people to post dynamic SW. That means that I can just tell the
webserver that I want to post this sentence in SW and when the user
adjusts their browser, the SW adjusts with it. And that it is easy to
edit if I want to change it. I don't want to have to fire up SW-DOS and
then convert to SW-JAVA and then take a screen shot, and then use my
graphics program to move the signs around and then save that as an
image that I post on my website. Right now, that is pretty much what I
do.<br>
<br>
What Stephen has done with the email is a step I haven't really looked
at, but it is a glossing approach and there are some questions in my
mind on how to set up facial expressions with the same sign or use
Parkhursts' approach for some facial expressions where you "bracket" []
the phrase with facial expression(s). How that would work in a glossing
approach is something I am just not certain so that is what has held me
back on that.<br>
<br>
I would like to be able to edit it simply .... this could mean:<br>
<br>
- Editing the SWML-S in a web-based editor using the SignMaker program
or some other program.<br>
- Editing my original document in SW-DOS or SW-JAVA or SW-Edit and
having a program that converts these formats to SWML-S which can then
be interpreted by my webserver into displayed SW.<br>
<br>
I think the 2nd option is more ideal to me because it allows us to
leverage existing tools in conjunction with the web-based media. And it
allows us to work offline for some of us who do not have always-on
internet or the technical skills to set up an offline webserver to use
the web-based tools. If I understand correctly, Antonio already has
some code that converts sgn files to SWML. So that is part of the work
right there. It is not to minimize the good work that Stephen is doing
with the web-based tools. This is a great step forward. I am just
thinking of some who may not be able to work on-line, so having some
kind of interface to existing off-line tools would be a good idea.<br>
<br>
I think, at some point when it fits the plans, the SW-TIGER should or
could use the SWML Dictionary format so that SignPuddle and SignBank
and SW-TIGER can share dictionaries. The same could be true for data
files ... Emails from SignPuddle and data from SW-TIGER could share
information based on the document version of the SWML.<br>
<br>
For the actual display, I am thinking that for those of us who have
Perl or PHP, we could run the code off our own servers. We could give
the code the location of local dictionaries and remote dictionaries.
Then, the code could pull from the local webserver first, then search
other dictionaries as needed to post the SW. If not, then it would
display whatever the default is for when there is no dictionary entry.
The use of the language code could identify which dictionary to pull
from.<br>
<br>
If people who have no Perl or PHP, maybe there could be a way to
develop a "secured" code that can be run with permission. So the
webserver calls the function from another webserver that has PHP or
Perl and also has that function, and then the function authenticates
itself and if permission is granted, then it will retrieve the
appropriate information. How that would work, I am not certain. Again,
I haven't thought it through to that much detail. Maybe there is a
simpler approach. Maybe security isn't a detail, and we can just leave
them open as a published API as such. Maybe some sites that don't have
Perl or PHP might have server side includes which could allow for
calling a remote function on another server. I don't know.<br>
<br>
These are some of my thoughts. They are not necessarily thought out to
the greatest detail, but this is how I am thinking at the moment.<br>
<br>
Please ask for clarification if my thoughts are not coming across well
enough.<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
<br>
Stuart<br>
<br>
Stephen Slevinski wrote:<br>
<blockquote cite="midNAEOKJKHILHAJGBAFDIGIEHOCIAA.slevin@pudl.info"
type="cite">
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<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">Hi Stuart,</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"></span> </div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">I've thought of writing such a library, but I am
not sure of the interest.</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"></span> </div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">There is the broader topic of what is the best
way to use SignWriting on websites. There are several approaches we
could use.</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"></span> </div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">HTML Hardcode </font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">Send yourself an SW email using the online
images checkbox. Copy and paste the HTML code.</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"></span> </div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">PHP Function</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">Requires PHP installed on server. This would be
the </font></span><span class="951554518-08102004"><font
color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">translate function you
describe. Pass the langauge and the gloss. Should also pass the style
(horizontal or verticle), or use two functions.</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"></span> </div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">Other CGI</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">Same as above, but in ASP or Perl or ...</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"></span> </div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">Javascript</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">Create a Javascript function that would generate
the SignWriting. This would not require any special installation on
the server. This would require Javascript on the client.</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"></span> </div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">Gloss vs SWML-S</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">Should these functions accept gloss or use
SWML-S?</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">For dictionary entries that were created with
the new SignMaker, I can output SWML-S. For the other sign entries I
can not. The ASL dictionary needs to be almost completely rewritten,
over 3000 signs.</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"></span> </div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">Gloss can be used immediately, but SWML-S is the
superior solution. SWML-S will properly display verticle writing with
the head in the center. (I can even include lanes.)</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"></span> </div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">SWML-S can be built from the dictionary, but
does not depend on the dictionary. In a few months, I hope to have a
working version of Movement Writer available as a Java Applet that will
output SWML-S. </font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"></span> </div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">Anyway, there are many options, but what is
needed and what will be used? I'm willing to write the code, not
because it is possible, but because it will be used.</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"></span> </div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">Seriously, who needs what? Speak up and you may
get it.</font></span></div>
<div><span class="951554518-08102004"><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2">-Stephen</font></span></div>
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