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Hi Stuart,<br>
<br>
I'm sure the IMWA can be formatted to save space. I've squeezed all of
the IMWA symbols into 450 files for SignPuddle 1.5 and the pocketpuddle.<br>
<br>
Part of the Unicode process should be to get an entire Unicode platter
of 56 thousand symbol markers for MovementWriting rather than the
existing 256 for SignWriting. A committee has decided that new
platters would not be opened until the existing platters were filled
first. Either sign languages in general, or movement writing
specifically needs to have a new platter opened and assigned. This
would be news! <br>
<br>
Movement Writing has symbol sets for Ax Chopping and skateboarding as
well as dance. We'll need symbol extension pack and subsets for the
IMWA. <br>
<br>
Sounds like an interesting project.<br>
<br>
For what it's worth,<br>
-Steve<br>
<br>
<br>
Stuart Thiessen wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:BDDEE443-7DA8-4E3B-8FB7-F217811B4179@passitonservices.org"
type="cite">Well, getting the symbols into Unicode requires a proposal
to the Unicode people detailing what symbols will belong at what
positions. To do that, we have to determine how the SignWriting will be
rendered. There are several components involved: the font itself, the
renderer, and the input method editor. The renderer is software that
tells the display how to create the writing on the screen. We will have
to determine how much responsibility is in the font and how much is in
the renderer. For example, should the font have the rotations or should
the renderer take care of that? Should the font have all the fills or
should the renderer fill it in for us? Also, it is my understanding
that Unicode allows us to have one codepoint for a character, but that
character can have multiple glyphs (symbols). So that would be another
aspect to consider. Once all of those issues are resolved, then we
would have a firm proposal to present to them for their approval.
Because SignWriting is not a simple linear alphabet like the Roman
alphabet, we will also have to deal with creating instructions for a
renderers so they will know how to display SignWriting text. All of
that is stuff I plan to research as part of my thesis. I have contact
with people who work with non-Roman scripts regularly and who have
contacts with the Unicode people so that should help. Also, Michael
Everson has been very supportive of the idea of SignWriting being in
Unicode.
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<div>As to your other question about SVG, it is my understanding that
SVG is an excellent format to have in place because it should be
possible to use the SVG to develop a font later on. So using SVG now
will make it easier later on when Unicode becomes a reality (or at
least I hope it will become a reality). :)</div>
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<div>Thanks,</div>
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<div>Stuart
<div>
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<div>
<div>On May 1, 2007, at 8:14, GerardM wrote:</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
<blockquote type="cite">Hoi,<br>
When it comes to Unicode, there are two questions relevant to me. <br>
<ul>
<li>How do we get all the SignWriting symbols in Unicode.</li>
<li>Will having the SignWriting symbols in SVG help the move of
the symbols into Unicode </li>
</ul>
I start off by stating that I am ignorant about SignWriting, but when I
look at the website I find fifty base figures that can be manipulated
in some fifteen ways. If I have this correctly, it means that all
symbols and UNICODE glyphs will be based on these. If this is true, it
may mean that we could start with a quality SVG and result in a glyph
that is acceptable for use in UNICODE. Obviously I do not know and I am
probably overly optimistic, but I am sure you will tell me if I am.. :)
<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
GerardM<br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.signbank.org/SignPuddle1.5/signtext.php">http://www.signbank.org/SignPuddle1.5/signtext.php</a><br>
</blockquote>
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</blockquote>
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