Ewart North <[log in to unmask]> writes:

> I'm inclined to agree with Glenn (and others) that the AICS
> methodology will infuriate most touch typists and is best for casual
> use only.
>
> Another method which seems not to slow typists down is that
> developed by Prof Donold Knuth at Stanford for his typesetting
> program TeX.  Here all diacritcals are introduced by the "\"
> character and apply to the next character, thus \"o places an
> umlaut over the o and \~n puts ~ over the n. It allows \i to get the
> "dot-less" i (spanish? I can't remember).  Typists seem to like this
> approach because  they don't have to stop or even slow down.  I
> don't have my TeX books to hand but I'm certain that similar "\"
> commands are used for various ligatures and non-english
> characters.

The problem with an "escape" character (IMHO) is that you need to type the
escape character twice (usually) in order to get the escape character to
print; that is, if you need a "\" you would have to type "\\".  And a
keystroke is still a keystroke.  In the example above, Wirt's idea is
actually quicker keystroke-wise for the n-tilde, because you would only need
to strike the n and then the function key; two keystrokes versus three.


Jim Phillips                             Information Systems Manager
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Fax: 915-860-9936                 1295 Henry Brennan
Email:                                       El Paso, TX   79936
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