SignText Video Instruction in Quicktime

Tue Oct 17 12:06:52 UTC 2006

When I first got interested in SignWriting, it was
when the SWDOS program was all that was available.  I
downloaded it, looked at it, and felt so completely
overwhelmed that I gave up.  When I came back, it was
to the SignPuddle, not yet SignText.  It was no longer
overwhelming.  I could SEE what I was doing, whereas
on the SWDOS, I could not.  On that, I saw my regular
keyboard, and had no idea how to make it into a
signwriting keyboard. There was no "Lessons in
Signwriting: book then either...

It does feel slow, but thats because I'm still not
always certain exactly what I'm doing.  I really need
to try to write a little everyday to build up
confidence and speed...  I go into the layers with
rotations because I need to see what my options are
and pick just the right one.  I don't always know
--without seeing choices--  which symbol I need.  I
also sign while I'm writing--  still "sounding out" 
(Feeling out? :-) what I'm doing, which makes my
coworker who shares the office laugh at me... 
::grin::  

cherie

--- Valerie Sutton <signwriting at MAC.COM> wrote:

> SignWriting List
> October 16, 2006
> 
> Steve - You are doing so much for us! I am most
> amazed and grateful  
> for the drag and drop system you have created for
> us...It is a  
> miracle how fast I can create a sentence...has
> anyone noticed how  
> fast I created that sentence in the video? I do not
> bother with going  
> down layers most of the time but get the upper
> symbol and then use  
> the command keys to rotate and flop the symbol and
> also I use the  
> Fill Key to change the palm facing...that is very
> very similar to the  
> way it would be typed in SignWriter DOS - those
> special command keys  
> are exactly taken from our typing system in
> SignWriter DOS, so I  
> think that if Ron could really study the way I
> created that sentence  
> in the video, you will see that I was using keys
> with the mouse, that  
> are exactly the same as in SignWriter DOS special
> command keys...
> 
> the dragging and dropping is much faster than I
> believe people  
> realize, because of the combination with the special
> command keys  
> with the dragging and dropping and in the long run,
> I believe that  
> SignPuddle is at least equal to the speed of
> creating sentences with  
> SignWriter DOS right now...we could time me creating
> a sentence with  
> SWDOS and SignText and I bet the SignText would be
> at least equal...
> 
> So look at the video again to see how much I use the
> command keys...
> 
> teaching people to type directly in SignWriting
> symbols with  
> SignWriter DOS never went well because most people
> pasted from the  
> dictionary and never learned to really type
> directly...
> 
> That is why it is so important to create sentences
> directly in  
> SignText without pasting signs in from
> SignPuddle...creating the  
> signs without pasting is better for the grammar of
> the language  
> because the writer puts more unique facial
> expressions in  
> automatically when they are not being forced into an
> exact sign from  
> a dictionary..
> 
> Val ;-)
> 
> 
> 
> On Oct 16, 2006, at 6:00 PM, Steve Slevinski wrote:
> 
> > Hi Ron,
> >
> > The keyboard is very important for SignWriting and
> will return.   
> > Hopefully there will be another version of 
> SignWriter someday.   
> > Interestingly enough, Val has already designed a
> keyboard layout  
> > for the entire IMWA.
> >
> > In the future, keyboarding will be included in
> SignPuddle.  It will  
> > probably start with adjusting the placement of
> symbols and the  
> > special commands like rotate and fill.  Full
> keyboarding will take  
> > some time because of technical issues and
> priorities.  It is also a  
> > special skill that few took the time to master.
> >
> > But just imaging writing a complete SignWriting
> document with only  
> > the keyboard.  It's fast and natural.  I'm sure
> Val and Stefan  
> > could explain it better than I.
> >
> > I can't imagine writing English using the mouse. 
> The keyboard is  
> > so much more powerful.  But then we'll need
> training material for  
> > touch typing and SignWriting.  Maybe even an
> online tool that  
> > teaches touch typing interactively.  So much to
> do...
> >
> > Regards,
> > -Steve
> >
> > Ronald Dettloff wrote:
> >> Dear Valerie,
> >>    Thanks for explaining about the font sizes.
> Great!  Regarding  
> >> the hot-keys: a better explanation would be
> remember how you could  
> >> use your keyboard to go into the different layers
> of a sign. I  
> >> think that is quicker the the amount of time
> needed click through  
> >> the various layers until you find the right
> symbol. For example I  
> >> would like a set of keys to move a sign around,
> manipulate the  
> >> sign, or call out for the touch, dynamic or
> movement signs. That  
> >> way all my fingers and the mouse could be used.
> We lost a lot of  
> >> advantages when we went to windows. I think it
> might be a good  
> >> idea for you to allow people to make suggestions
> for the keyboard  
> >> and then Stephen could incorporate them into
> SignPuddle.
> >>   Thanks for asking,
> >>
> >> Rev. Ronald H. Dettloff, 20880 Ten Mile Road, St.
> Clair Shores, MI  
> >> 48080
> >> Other Web links:          
> http://theshoreschurch.org/ME2/ 
> >> Audiences/Default.asp
> 
> 

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