Michael Everson wrote:

>
> At 13:25 -0400 2005-09-02, Peter T. Daniels wrote:
>
> > > >Explain why it is unrealistic for a person who uses a syllabic writing
> > > >system to expect do data input in that writing system?
> > >
> >> Haven't we gone over this? There aren't enough keys. You're going to
> >> have to use some sort of deadkey system if input is to be by the
> >> keyboard.
> >
> >Why does input have to be by keyboard?
>
> Provision of keyboard input certainly precedes provision
> voice-recognition software. And mnay millions of people find it very
> convenient. Would you like to give up keyboard input, yourself, in
> favour of voice recognition software?

Hunh?? Which left field did that come out of????

> > > Pressing two keys, whether they are T + A or some other
> >> non-latin-alphabet-based deadkey configuration, to get Vai syllable
> >> TA is "input in the writing system", since the immediate reward is
> >> seeing the syllable on the screen.
> >
> >You continue to not comment on the handwritten input being discussed by
> >others.
>
> I'm interested in keyboarding. Would you like to give up keyboard
> input, yourself, in favour of handwritten input?

I have already taught myself to touch type. (Though I probably couldn't
pass the test that would have been given in those high school
classrooms.) It's faster for me than handwriting. But with the scheme
you've been describing, it's not at all clear that typing Vai on a
47-key keyboard would be faster than writing it.

> > > If they are using a computer they will be using the alphabet.
> >
> >Continuing to repeat it does not make it so.
>
> Please show me a computer user in the world who does not have to use
> an alphabet for at least some purposes.

I've never seen a Chinese computer. I know that there are a number of
non-alphabetic Chinese entry methods, and I don't doubt that Chinese
computer engineers are clever enough to make computers that don't
require use of an alphabet.

> >It sure would be nice if other languages could be spared the creation of
> >jargon that appears to be endemic to computer engineers.
>
> Unfortunately the computer interface has cultural elements that just
> *have* to be dealt with. Even terms as (apparently) simple as "Do",
> "Undo" and "Redo" can cause real trouble (as they did when they were
> being devised for Irish a decade ago)..

Then maybe a trio of equivalents to those words isn't the best thing for
the translators to be looking for. (I don't, that I can think of, have
any apps with a "Do" command in them.)
--
Peter T. Daniels grammatim@...