--- Forwarded Message from Judy Shoaf <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Thu, 07 Dec 2000 09:10:02 -0500
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum               <[log in to unmask]>
>From: Judy Shoaf <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #5857.2 US International keyboard

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I thought Bob's online advice page was excellent. I use the US-International
keyboard and have all our lab machines (all Windows) set to that keyboard,
with advice on how to use it, but I will add a few tricks I didn't know
about. The big training  factor is remembering to hit the spacebar after
using the apostrophe/quote key.

I have not yet run across a Windows machine that does not have it
pre-installed, and it works for all interfaces (wordprocessors, email, web
pages, label-making programs), though sometimes the coding doesn't hold up
when a page is imported from one program to another. E.g. typing up stuff in
Wordperfect, saving as text, re-opening in Wordpad--the accents need to be
redone, but with the same keystrokes as were used originally.  However, one
can use the edit menus to produce a correctly coded text document by copying
and pasting! Conflicts also surface when working with (javascript?) glossing
programs, where the glossary file uses different codes from the main text.
(I imagine this is true with any type of coding, though.)

I have occasionally seen conflicts with programs that have a proprietary
accent system (e.g. software designed to accompany a particular language
textbook)--there may be a difference in the way accented letters are coded
that makes checking text difficult.

I hope there will be more discussion since the issues seem to be problems I
am aware of on the surface level (i.e. workarounds) but don't understand
theoretically.

Judy Shoaf
University of Florida