[UEB Maths] Some more on formatting and computability
uebmaths@nbp.org
uebmaths@nbp.org
Thu, 9 Jun 2005 11:05:35 EDT
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UEB has faced significant opposition in America because technical readers
such as those Joe mentioned (except for the silent Romanian dance notation
users) have not been shown how the code can be optimized for their specialized
uses. It would be to your advantage to demonstrate this feature in a tangible
way if you are to gain support from these readers.
...
I'm reminded of what Joe said in his October 1997 article on Braille
Unification in the Braille Monitor:
_http://www.nfb.org/bm/bm97/bm971007.htm_
(http://www.nfb.org/bm/bm97/bm971007.htm)
So does this mean that UBC has reached an inherent contradiction, a dead end
from which there is no escape? Not at all, in my opinion, but it does mean
that we may have to be clearer about some of the limitations that any
practical UBC is likely to have, as well as its benefits--not to oversell the
concept, in other words, lest we unconsciously encourage expectations that are
unlikely to be met. In particular we may need to contemplate the possibility that
UBC may not totally eliminate all private and otherwise specialized Braille
codes. Rather I believe that UBC will become the broad-spectrum publishing
code that everyone will be able to read and write for just about every purpose,
even if it is not necessarily what a professional always uses for private
notes and direct notational work in his own specialty. By thus occupying more of
the ground, so to speak, UBC will mean that other Braille codes are likely
to be even more specialized than they are now, but not eliminated altogether.
We should not be surprised, for instance, to see a chemistry specialist's
code evolve that takes full advantage of the bias towards subscripts and other
predictable attributes of chemical formulae, in other words is optimized so
that the balancing of a chemical equation can be carried out without working
around indicators that are really there for the benefit of other disciplines
and the wider world. No doubt some such specialist's codes will start out
simply as private codes, and no doubt they will borrow much from current
specialty codes. But also, as I hope and expect will happen as UBC becomes
established, specialty codes are likely to borrow a great deal from UBC itself, that
is, to remain as compatible with regular UBC as is consistent with the
specialty discipline's needs. In a sense they may thus be regarded as variant
extensions to UBC rather than as contradictory codes.
In fact the current UBC proposal can be said to anticipate and enable such a
trend. It is not hard to imagine that most users will simply omit most
grade-1 indicators from their private notes, for instance, thereby working in an
instantly available shorthand.
Warren
observer to the committee
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<DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>UEB has faced significant opposition in America because=20
technical readers such as those Joe mentioned (except for the silent Romania=
n=20
dance notation users) have not been shown how the code can be optimized=
for=20
their specialized uses. It would be to your advantage to demonstrate this=20
feature in a tangible way if you are to gain support from these=20
readers.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> <FONT size=3D4>...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>I'm reminded of what Joe said in his October 1997 articl=
e on=20
Braille Unification in the Braille Monitor:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4><A=20
href=3D"http://www.nfb.org/bm/bm97/bm971007.htm">http://www.nfb.org/bm/bm97/=
bm971007.htm</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times, serif" size=3D4>So does this mean t=
hat UBC=20
has reached an inherent contradiction, a dead end from which there is no esc=
ape?=20
Not at all, in my opinion, but it does mean that we may have to be clearer a=
bout=20
some of the limitations that any practical UBC is likely to have, as well as=
its=20
benefits--not to oversell the concept, in other words, lest we unconsciously=
=20
encourage expectations that are unlikely to be met. In particular we may nee=
d to=20
contemplate the possibility that UBC may not totally eliminate all private a=
nd=20
otherwise specialized Braille codes. Rather I believe that UBC will become t=
he=20
broad-spectrum publishing code that everyone will be able to read and write=20=
for=20
just about every purpose, even if it is not necessarily what a professional=20
always uses for private notes and direct notational work in his own specialt=
y.=20
By thus occupying more of the ground, so to speak, UBC will mean that other=20
Braille codes are likely to be even more specialized than they are now, but=20=
not=20
eliminated altogether.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times, serif" size=3D4>We should not be su=
rprised,=20
for instance, to see a chemistry specialist's code evolve that takes full=20
advantage of the bias towards subscripts and other predictable attributes of=
=20
chemical formulae, in other words is optimized so that the balancing of a=20
chemical equation can be carried out without working around indicators that=20=
are=20
really there for the benefit of other disciplines and the wider world. No do=
ubt=20
some such specialist's codes will start out simply as private codes, and no=20
doubt they will borrow much from current specialty codes. But also, as I hop=
e=20
and expect will happen as UBC becomes established, specialty codes are likel=
y to=20
borrow a great deal from UBC itself, that is, to remain as compatible with=20
regular UBC as is consistent with the specialty discipline's needs. In a sen=
se=20
they may thus be regarded as variant extensions to UBC rather than as=20
contradictory codes.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman, Times, serif" size=3D4>In fact the current=
UBC=20
proposal can be said to anticipate and enable such a trend. It is not hard t=
o=20
imagine that most users will simply omit most grade-1 indicators from their=20
private notes, for instance, thereby working in an instantly available=20
shorthand.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D4>Warren</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D4>observer to the committee</FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4></FONT> </DIV></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>
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