onscreen keyboards offer no improvement over physical keyboards

I guess I underestimated the importance of clarity when defining the debate.. This is my first debate on debate.org after all.. I admit I started out a little vaguely, but the rest of my opening statement should have narrowed the debate down to only be about typing efficiency.. I made no points about anything else.. In my opening statement I said: "I would argue that onscreen keyboards, like the ones on iPhone, iPad, Android and other touchscreen smartphones/tablets, offer no improvement over real physical keyboards.. In fact they are really just trying to imitate the real thing, and nothing imitates a real thing better than the real thing itself.." Here I made the case that the onscreen keyboard is still trying to catch up to the physical keyboard in terms of its core purpose: to input text.. Con hasn't addressed this issue yet.. Even trying to make the case that an onscreen keyboard has an overall advantage over a physical keyboard, he fails as he forgets to contrast his points against the real keyboard.. Con says: "I will restate my point that onscreen keyboards leave room for a larger screen view [when the keyboard is not in use]." This is only compared to when the onscreen keyboard IS in use.. As I mentioned in my previous argument, this is never an issue with a physical keyboard, where you always has the entire screen available for you application.. Con says: "Using the iPhone as an example again, when rotated on its side, the size of the keyboard can be altered to fit different situations. You can have it vertical and have a smaller keyboard when you need to see more of the screen at a time. You can also have it horizontal with a larger keyboard for ease of use of the keys." Again this is never an issue with a physical keyboard.. Most implementations of slide out keyboards have them slide out in landscape mode giving you the biggest keys possible.. And the screen space is never reduced.. Con says: "You began by arguing that onscreen keyboards had NO advantage over physical keyboards. However, you have ignored the size factor." The size difference is often minimal and more often insignificant.. It is possible to implement a slide out keyboard without making the device significantly thicker.. Here is the Nokia N800 which doesn't have a physical keyboard: http://en.wikipedia.org... Here is the Nokia N810 which has a slide out keyboard: http://en.wikipedia.org... Notice the dimensions and overall specs of each.. And factor in the inherent advantages (described in my opening statement) that the physical keyboard adds to the N810.. The portability you sacrifice (if any) is well worth the advantages you get out of the physical keyboard.. Con says: "I am here to show that onscreen keyboards have advantages over physical keyboards, but not necessarily those related to typing speed and efficiency. This includes resistance to water damage, easy coexistence with other touch-screen properties, butt-dialing prevention, alterable size and position of the keyboard, and, of course, conservation of screen space while not in use." Resistance to water damage: This is probably true although rarely an issue for most people, I think.. Easy coexistence with other touchscreen properties: This needs explanation.. I assume the capability of the touchscreen is the same with or without the physical keyboard.. Butt-dialing prevention: If this happens with a phone with slide out keyboard it would have to be due to the touchscreen since the keyboard hidden behind the screen and probably even disabled.. So this would be no different to a phone with onscreen keyboard.. Alterable size and position of the keyboard: Why would you want to settle for less than a landscape keyboard if it wasn't for the fact that the onscreen keyboard takes up screen space..? Conservation of screen space when not in use: I've addressed this multiple times now.. A device with a physical keyboard ALWAYS conserves screen space even when it IS in use.. I would like Con to at least answer the originally intended question of the debate: Is an onscreen keyboard more efficient as a text input device than a physical keyboard..?