--- In qalam@yahoogroups.com, Michael Everson <everson@...> wrote:

> At 03:33 +0000 2005-08-31, Richard Wordingham wrote:
>
> >Quoth the man who under the Linnaean system would get his name

after

> >letters!
>
> I don't follow that.

It shows how important the context is. It was meant as an
unsolicited compliment, which is probably why you didn't understand
it. So, if we followed the Linnaean system, we would have 'GREEK
CAPITAL LETTER SHO (Everson)' - though presumably that would allow
for letter names to be changed!

> > > The brief is 340 characters.
> >
> >From whom?
>
> From me. The brief I have is to make a keyboard specification that
> will allow Vai users to access all of the Vai characters as well as

a

> set of useful punctuation and digits.
>
> >Does it need 30 items of punctuation?
>
> For optimal access to basic symbols used in arithmetic, in ordinary
> typography (quotation marks, dashes). And some internet-specific
> symbols (@, ~).

The curious thing is that Thai keyboards seem to manage without
them. It may just be that Thai is so larded with English names
(especially brand names) in Roman script that users rapidly have to
learn to type in both alphabets. Do laptops encourage the use of
Thai digits? I even have a quote from one Thai teacher - based in
Thailand - that he finds it easier to type in English! In a Vai
context, I presume we would also find the Roman alphabet intruding.

Opening and closing quotes are something that ordinary Western users
have learnt to live without. The main interest is not Vai
typesetting - unless the Vai script becomes an art script for
expressing Vainess, as may happen.

Richard.