Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!xylogics!bu.edu!snorkelwacker!bloom-beacon!athena.mit.edu!jik From: jik@athena.mit.edu (Jonathan I. Kamens) Newsgroups: comp.misc Subject: Re: Optimal keyboards Message-ID: <1990Aug30.005509.2877@athena.mit.edu> Date: 30 Aug 90 00:55:09 GMT References: <24190@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU> <1990Aug25.015334.16702@nmt.edu> Sender: daemon@athena.mit.edu (Mr Background) Reply-To: jik@athena.mit.edu (Jonathan I. Kamens) Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lines: 25 In article , mwm@raven.pa.dec.com (Mike (Real Amigas have keyboard garages) Meyer) writes: |> Try asking your local court reporter. They use chord keyboards. They |> also keep up with the spoken word. I think that's a bit faster than |> 120 wpm. This comparison is relatively meaningless, because what court reporters type isn't English, it's a particular form of typed shorthand. Each reporter develops a slightly different form as he gains experience; in fact, part of the court reporter's job is transcribing what he has recorded, since often, only the reporter is able to read it (Some reporters, however, hire permanent secretaries and teach them to read their notation.). Furthermore, the method of using a court stenography machine is very different from the method of typing on a chord keyboard. On a stenography machine, several letters are hit at the same time; usually, the stenographer types an entire word with one downward motion of the hands. Chord keyboards, on the other hand, generate one character for every motion of the hand. In other words, I am fairly certain that court reporters do NOT use chord keyboards of the type we are discussing. Jonathan Kamens USnail: MIT Project Athena 11 Ashford Terrace jik@Athena.MIT.EDU Allston, MA 02134 Office: 617-253-8495 Home: 617-782-0710