SignText Video Instruction in Quicktime

[Valerie Sutton]

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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