LREC 2010 conference and future SignWriting software

[Nedelina Ivanova]

Hi from Iceland.

 I could make it to Malta. I met Tim and Maria and it was great to have a
talk with both of you.
It is true that SignWriting was not visible in Malta. As you say, you did
not know about the conference ... I was thinking, is such kind of
information given on SLLS (http://www.slls.eu/index2.php5)? But you have to
be a member to get access to all the information, isn´t it?

Best regards
Nedelina

On Thu, May 27, 2010 at 3:57 PM, Valerie Sutton <sutton at signwriting.org>wrote:

> SignWriting List
> May 27, 2010
>
> Thank you, everyone, for your discussions about the LREC 2010. I feel many
> of you have missed the point a little...So let me explain from my point of
> view.
>
> SignWriting software development presentations dominated the LREC 2004 in
> Lisbon. You can see the majority of the papers presented at the LREC 2004
> were using SignWriting for software development. I created a special web
> area for all the papers and the whole proceedings and even the group photo:
>
> LREC 2004
> http://www.signwriting.org/forums/software/lisbon/index.html
>
> HamNoSys presentations were there too, in 2004, but in that conference,
> SignWriting had more presentations.
>
> So when it comes to conferences, these things wax and wane...sort of like a
> tidal wave or a snowball effect...and SignWriting will dominate at the LREC
> conferences in the future...I am sure of it!
>
> Meanwhile, in 2010, behind the scenes, Steve's software development with
> SignWriting, which we are soon to announce, is so totally fabulous for
> people who write sign languages on a daily basis, for writing real
> literature and encyclopedia articles in the facial expressions and
> handshapes and movements and role shifting of sign languages, that it is
> really not correct to compare our work with anyone else's, including
> HamNoSys, since the HamNoSys system's goals are different. HamNoSys cannot
> write sign language literature. There is no comparison because the goals of
> the two systems were never the same. HamNoSys is not a system designed for
> writing for everyday use like SignWriting is...and therefore I feel it is
> wrong to even compare the two systems, since our goals are different.
>
> Why was SignWriting not present at this current LREC 2010? Because we
> didn't even know about the conference until all the papers had already been
> submitted and accepted...and besides...our organization doesn't have the
> funds right now to pay our own way to Malta from the US, and meanwhile our
> work is free on the internet for everyone to use, and we are making huge
> strides forward now with really cool software for people who read and write
> sign languages on a daily basis, and that has nothing to do with any other
> system...
>
> So this is more a choice as to when we present our work at conferences, and
> not a statement as to whether one system is better or not...or more used or
> not for that matter...
>
> Meanwhile, there are other linguistic-based software projects that DO use
> SignWriting, and also three different Avatar projects, so SignWriting is
> used for these other areas too, but those projects were not represented at
> this particular conference...One of the current linguistic projects using
> SignWriting has recently submitted a grant to fund it, so it is just getting
> started with using SignWriting for their linguistic database. If that
> project succeeds, it may influence other linguistic programs in the future
> to use SignWriting too, and Steve's new software development will help that
> process along.
>
> Remember Maria, that you did not know about the 2010 conference yourself,
> until it was too late to submit? If it were not for Shane, who informed us
> about the conference (thank you Shane!), I don't believe we would have known
> about it...and that is ok...there are conferences in the future where
> SignWriting will be present again...too bad not in Malta though!
>
> I am giving you all big hugs and just know that great things are coming...
>
> And may I ask...was Tim Grove from the UK, and Nedelina Ivanova from
> Iceland, able to fly into Malta, and did you meet each other? I hope so...I
> was thinking of all of you the whole time...I know the volcano in Iceland
> made flying difficult...
>
> Val ;-)
>
>
>
> On May 27, 2010, at 8:10 AM, Steve Slevinski wrote:
>
> > MARIA AZZOPARDI wrote:
> >> Dear Steve, Val and all the list,
> >> I attended the LREC 2010 and I must say I was slightly disappointed at
> the
> >> very low use of SignWriting in Computer Sign Language linguists. There
> >> were some researchers that told me they considered SignWriting, but
> opted
> >> for HanNoSys. It would be ideal if SignWriting were used, I thought, but
> I
> >> probably can't understand the technicalities, as computers are not my
> >> area.
> >> Could you explain why the situation is so.
>
>


-- 
Nedelina Ivanova
Sign language researcher

The Communication Centre for The Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Sudurlandsbraut 12
108 Reykjavik
Iceland

www.shh.is
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