From: "Christian Molstrom" <cmolstrom@lightsurf.com>
> I was under the impression that c-print converts your
> abbreviated input into the real deal. Type in "ths sstm scks"
> and you get "this system sucks" printed out. If it printed
> out the abbreviations, then I don't get the merit, and why
> a computer program, which is what it is?
My point, if I had one, is: here is one standardized system of
abbreviations for English. A handset that knew these could
help me if I didn't know an abbreviation, whether I'm composing
or reading. It doesn't have to expand them, everywhere,
all the time.
An analogy with kanji: you don't need to know exact penstrokes
to write it anymore, and if you did want to know, kanji henkan
can also help you with that. (Kanji can be look upon as a
way to abbreviate Japanese, among other things, since
many kanji readings require more than one kana character.)
And any handset could display c-print abbreviations
and allow them to be entered, saving keystrokes and
screenspace. Compatibility never hurt. (Well, OK,
there's DOS, which *still* hurts, but anyway....)
> So space is the same, c-print or me print.
I'm reminded of the testy line given to Ed Harris in
Apollo 13: "I don't care what it was DESIGNED to do.
I want to know what it CAN do." Just because
c-print operators use a particular piece of software
in a particular way doesn't mean others can't adapt
some aspect of it.
Bah. You will be tossed upon the dust-heap of history,
Christian. (Great! Somebody else up here to keep
me company....)
-michael
Received on Fri Dec 21 06:34:44 2001