LREC 2010 conference and future SignWriting software

[Timothy W. Grove]

Sorry to be the last one replying from LREC2010, I've been trying to get 
to grips with the new ISWA2010 this week. (How's that for an excuse to 
be unsociable?!! I didn't realize that there were as many additions and 
changes from ISWA2008...)

Sorry too that this list didn't hear about it sooner but thanks so much 
for publishing the info; it gave me the chance to meet some really 
wonderful people. My family really enjoyed our stay in Malta and we are 
already thinking about when we might return. Friendly people and 
beautiful weather, although when I stepped out of our hotel on Monday 
morning and found myself splashing about in puddles (the kind filled 
with rain water and not signs :-) ), I realized that it must be time to 
return to Britain!

Best regards to all,
Tim

Valerie Sutton 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.
>>>       
>
>
>   
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