Re: Startup

From: normc (normc_at_socal.rr.com)
Date: 08/25/04 

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:02:02 -0700

Thanks for taking the time to write this response; however, I don't know
if you get paid for doing so, or not. If you don't, even more thanks.
My attempts to help others is strictly on the use of my own time.

More below.

Carlo Ma. Guerrero [MVP] wrote:

> Hi normc,
>
> I think the reason why Small Keys are not really marketed as "more keys =
> more features" is simply because it mimics the standard computer keyboard...
> Standard, meaning that everyone expects it to be as is... with all the keys
> there.

I do not know why you interpret what I suggest as marketing. It is a
matter of informing..., helping.... Why should it be kept hidden...,
secret?

We could go on with this discussion forever, BECAUSE your logic,
empathy, and experience is far different than mine.

>
> They then offer 2 other options... Which IMHO you should find more
> advantageous given your situation.

No! No! No! How many times do I have to say it? I didn't... and I don't.

>
> Large Keys alone is not really a favorite of mine since I need to tap on the
> Numbers key to get to the numbers part.
>
> But using Large Keys and Gestures... it is as close as it can get to the
> standard keyboard layout where the numbers row appear similar to that of a
> full-sized keyboard.

At the moment, there are, at least, two who don't agree with you. The
person who designed the extra capability and me. I hope others will
chime in with their thoughts. Maybe I'm still missing something.

I absolutely cannot concede that gestures contribute to the soft
keyboard being similar to a regular keyboard. In this case, I can't
even conceive how you can think that.... but once again, we are
different, even more so than I thought.

>
> I think this is where More is not necessarily better.
>
> I can touch-type pretty well on a standard keyboard. I'm 35 and I'm near
> sighted. Touch-typing does not require a person to look at the keyboard...
> but on a Pocket PC, you are working on a smooth, flat, input panel which
> does not offer any tactile reference. Visual reference is all we have and
> memorizing our hand position when typing may help...

Again ,not the case with me! I often look at the standard keyboard in
order to reduce the number of errors.

I never use a spell checker. I know how to spell well. My primary use
of a spell checker is to locate typos or poorly OCR'd documents.

>
> Optimizing this with larger keys and by using gestures should increase
> accuracy and you will notice that with this setup certain actions have been
> replaced by alternative actions which are not that difficult to learn. You
> should in a few minutes be able to adapt to a larger keyboard with Use
> Gestures selected. You may have to exit the keyboard and reselect it if the
> keyboard does not show up correctly.

I can't believe that you are still trying to sell me on your logic and
ideas!

>
> Give it a try. I assure you, you will not lose any function really with the
> Large Keys, and Use Gestures selected. You will find that certain keys such
> as the space bar, the carriage return, the 4 directional arrows, the shift,
> and back space buttons are actually not necessary.

On my device, large keys were the default. As a result, I used large
keys to begin with. I really didn't like what I saw/got. Pretty soon I
started to think about a smaller footprint on the screen and selected
small. Not only was the footprint minimized, but I got the additional
keys and capabilities.

>
> Here is what I can recommend though...
>
> Keep using Small Keys for the moment. But try to use it with a different
> approach... Gestures is supported in all the keyboard layouts... the only
> reason it has a check box is that when you select it, it will not show the
> keys that are no longer needed.
>
> So with Small Keys selected, you will notice that you can use Gestures
> still... Try to tap on A and without lifting the stylus slide it upwards. To
> simulate a Carriage Return, slide your stylus downwards on the keyboard. To
> add a space, slide your stylus to the right, and to do a backspace, slide
> the stylus on the keyboard towards the left. Gestures are sliding actions
> which register pretty well when you slide your stylus about a key's width(or
> height).
>
> Use this technique... and in the future, when you are used with Gestures,
> you may find that the extra keys you get using the small keyboard are no
> longer needed.
>
> I hope you may find time to experiment on this and hopefully you may find
> this a bit helpful. ;-)
>

I'm not sure that I can get this old mind to learn anything new... like
gestures, especially after doing it one way for over 50 years. In
addition, it strikes me that doing it the same way on BOTH keyboards is
more effective and efficient than using all keys on one and some
gestures on another.

Sure would be interested in other's opinions.

Thanka again for your time.