Re: Bopomofo keyboards in Taiwan

At 09:27 -0400 2005-08-31, Peter T. Daniels wrote:

> > I helped to encode Cherokee, by the way, as well as
> > Canadian Syllabics, and now Vai.
>
>Yet you insist that they access these softwares via English.
>
>How can you not see the contradiction?

What hardware keyboards do you expect them to have access to?

What computer software do you expect them to have access to?

Would you like to assist the Vai and help to
design a non-QWERTY-based keyboard layout that
can access all the characters required?

> > >Doesn't the memory of the Gaeltacht come creeping up on you?
> >
> > Is dócha nach bhfuil mórán eolais agatsa faoi sin.
>
>My, my, aren't you clever.

Yes, despite what people say.

>Arabic-Vai computing would be more useful than English-Vai computing.
>See the table you again deleted.

I saw it.

>Bidirectional text processing already exists, so
>it doesn't matter how "complex" it is, and
>knowing to push some button to switch between
>Arabic and Vai doesn't seem any more complex
>than knowing to push some button to switch
>between English and Vai.

Actually doing text-processing mixing RTL and LTR
scripts is a pain in the ass, is what I was
trying to say. English-language-based computers
and software will likely be easier for most Vais.

In any case, in making a Vai keyboard for Arabic
hardware, one would map the alphabetic deadkeys
to the engraved Arabic keyboard, then. It's still
an alphabetic approach.

> > > > Assuming access to the basic alphabet (which EVERYONE in Liberia has,
>> >> insofar as the road signs are written in Latin script), it is not
>> >> outrageous to suggest that Vai people, who are as smart as anyone
>> > > else, can be taught to type t + a for ta and t + i for ti.
> > >
>> >You really are a cultural imperialist.
>>
>> That'd be laughable, given my work record, except
>> that it's just another pointless little jab, so I
>> guess it's not very funny.
>
>None is so blind as he who will not see.

Truer words were never spoken.

You know what? I know some actual Vai people. And
they are happy with my work. Ain't that something.
--
Michael Everson * http://www.evertype.com