[SHR] illume predictive keyboard is too slow

[Carsten Haitzler (The Rasterman)]

On Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:20:53 +0100 Helge Hafting <helge.hafting at hist.no> said:

> Carsten Haitzler (The Rasterman) wrote:
> > On Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:57:41 +0100 Helge Hafting <helge.hafting at hist.no>
> > said:
> > 
> >> Carsten Haitzler (The Rasterman) wrote:
> >>
> >>>> Surely, when there is a kayboard anyway, a couple of extra keys won't
> >>>> cost much. Not if they are on all phones, instead of only "adapted" 
> >>>> ones. The americans can use the extras as application hotkeys.
> >>> oh its not the extra keys - its the variations in production. 
> >> I know. Which is why I suggest one single keyboard for all, with
> >> the maximum amount of keys instead of the minimum. That way, every
> >> language (at least every latin-based language) can have a normal keyboard.
> >>
> >> No problem for the english - it will work fine. Their extra keys can be 
> >> blank, or used as hotkeys. Users with other languages can add whatever 
> >> they need - and in the correct location too.
> > 
> > that's not practical. have you SEEN all the accented characters available?
> > its moe than going to double the # of chars in a kbd. otherwise you then
> > need a compose mode where multiple keystrokes gives you æ or ø or ü or ñ
> > etc. and its a combo you need to learn. you still need to offer all the
> > accents then on such a kbd. like ~^'`",* (ãâáàäąå) which drastically will
> > cramp the keyboard or make it yet another row bigger for everyone. (in
> > addition to some form of compose key and specific compose logic).
> 
> Have you seen the various european layouts? None of the lating-based 
> keyboards have more than a handful of keys more than the english 
> keyboard. (Those with bucketloads of accents use a dead-key approach,
> press " then o to get ö and so on.)
> 
> So no need for a seriously cramped keyboard. Of course different
> languages will mostly re-use the same keys, so you don't need a key for 
> every possible letter. Only one key for each nonascii people expect to 
> find on a keyboard adapted to their language. Look at the various 
> keyboard layouts, pick the one with the most extras and you know how 
> many keys are needed. Perhaps a few more keys than that, as some add 
> extra keys in different places. But not many more. European pc keyboards 
> tend to have 2 keys more than american, the rest is done by shift states 
> and /or dead keys. (Things like []/? aren't directly accessible on a 
> Norwegian keyboard, unlike american keyboards. One mechanical layout 
> works for all of europe, you just have different keycaps. And of course 
> the american layout works too - they get two do-nothing keys thats all.

thats because they use composition. as i said above. and as i said if 1
keyboard were to cover ALL of them it'd be BIG (in key count). as such each
european kbd covers just the language it intends to cover - thus limiting
extras.

> So, a keyboard with slightly more keys than what is needed for ascii 
> will be enough for all languages that extend the latin alphabet.
> 
> Some differently painted keytops will be needed, but that can be left to 
> the various national importers (for a mass-produced device) or to the 
> customers for a phone made in small series.
> 
> Helge Hafting
> 
> 
> 


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The Rasterman (Carsten Haitzler)    raster at rasterman.com