Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
From: jeremiah@cix.compulink.co.uk (Jonathan Allen)
Subject: Re: Typing on the AgendA
Reply-To: jeremiah@cix.compulink.co.uk
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 14:09:23 +0000

In: <1992Jul25.124631.17488@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu>
>       (Edgar Matias) wrote
> > I can type 30-35 words per minute on the HP95LX.
> > How fast can you type on the Agenda?
> >      <John Diamant asking Jonathan Allen a question>

> It should be noted that any answer to that question should be taken
> cautiously, since (to my knowledge) Microwriter's chording scheme
> has never been tested before (in an experimental setting that is).

The company has certainly performed speed tests, and certainly in
an experimental setting.  Not perhaps in a tower of academia, and
not by someone connected with the Human Factors Society.  As far as I
have been able to find out, the company has never chosen to formally
publish these results, but they are felt to show that the performance
of the chord keyboard with the Microwriter mnemonics is firstly
quite adequate for the machine's principle intended user-base, and
secondly, is actually better that a number of other chord sequences.
As I said in my last post, members of the development team have seen
one of the Microwriter Mk IV's used at 90 words per minute ...

However, aren't we drifting away from the point ?  I don't think
Microwriter have ever suggested that even Microwriter's chording
sequences will improve the speed of a fast typist on a full-sized
keyboard.  What we do claim is that this mechanism makes it possible
to do text-entry at a respectable speed for non-clerical-typist people
while on the train, driving, in the dark, upside down, with one hand
and so on.  Different sort of argument, I think.

> Generally, chord keyboards are slower than sequential (QWERTY)
> keyboards.

Yes, I have to agree with this (see above).  A decent trained typist
with a full-sized keyboard will almost always be substantially quicker
that someone with a chord keyboard, of whatever flavour.  On the
other hand, we suggest also that a person with equal competence on the
two types of keyboard will find the chord keyboard better, faster and
more comfortable.

> They can be made faster if the chording scheme includes chords that
> represent whole words and frequent letter patterns like ER and TH.
> I don't think the Microwriter does this.  Jonathan would be a
> better position to tell you than me.  Also, this is how court
> stenographers manage to type so fast on their chord keyboards.

I am told (at the risk of starting another flame war about patents
and so on) that the company does also have either a patent or a
registered copyright on a different set of chord sequences which
codes words and syllables, called 'Microtyping' which goes some way
to tackling this problem.

One of the 3rd Party Developers in the UK has also produced a
software mechanism to do this sort of this, using abbreviations and
coded letter sequences and combinations to be expanded into full text
once typed in.

Jonathan
... working with Microwriter Systems plc
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Eur Ing Jonathan Allen CEng BSc MIEE MBCS
Barum Computer Consultants
4 Ashleigh Road, Barnstaple, Devon, England
Voice: +44 271 79023   Fax:   +44 271 24183
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