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Ask HN: Anyone Here Using Stenography

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Re: Ask HN: Anyone Here Using Stenography

#31
Maybe you can check out https://www.charachorder.com/

Its not a steno keyboard, but I think its better suited for programming and general writing.

It has two modes, entry mode and chord mode:

- In entry mode you press each key to make words like a normal keyboard. - In chord mode, you press multiple keys at the same time and the internal processor rewrites the word correctly or something like that.

There are two types, CharaChorder and CharaChorder Lite: - The Lite its like a regular keyboard, but you can use the chord entry mode. - The original one instead of 1D keys, uses 4D keys that are like joysticks.

Re: Ask HN: Anyone Here Using Stenography

#32
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you have some spare time, maybe try learning a new keyboard layout and be intent on learning the right fingering. I never properly learned to use all my fingers on QWERTY, but I picked up Carpalx[1] and with 1h a day of deliberate practice on TypeRacer and keybr.com[2] I managed to get to the same speed I've always typed on QWERTY (~70-90 WPM) after about a week. Since then I haven't really practiced that much and…

> http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/ Link is dead, but it's in archive.org. Thanks for that! Really cool. I love the idea of using a model driven approach. That link is gold. Yeah, I considered learning dvorak in the early 2000s, when it was spreading like wildfire through my social group. I decided not too after having several friends gripe about the annoyance of typing on a qwerty keyboard after going dvorak. But, it's…

> Link is dead

I actually visited it before posting (and did again now), but just a minute later I sneakily edited the "http" in because the first time I typed "https" and the website wouldn't load, could that be it? They've even added another layout to the "layouts analysis" page 4 days ago!

Btw, you don't need to have a 100% customized layout, you can use one of the pre-optimized presets.

Anyway, definitely try it out, the worst that can happen is you won't feel safe anymore leaving the house without a flash card with AutoHotkey.

Re: Ask HN: Anyone Here Using Stenography

#33
post #8

No I don't like it because it's heavily encouraged that every stenographer heavily modify their dictionary, making it harder to learn. There's a million and one different theories, it's somewhat strange.

It doesn't make it harder to learn, but easier for that specific person. Just like you change keyboard shortcuts and install plugins in tools you frequently use. Afaik stenography has some standard dictionaries that you can start out with. But as you said it's expected to modify it because everyone writes different kinds of texts and stenography is all about optimizing for speed.

Most people have a few different shortcuts, steno is more like easily over a hundred, with different sets depending on the context you're working in. It makes sense for professionals going to court about x subject. I just found it needlessly annoying, especially when combined with the different theories and trying to find extra material to learn with. Depending on the resource, you also have to make sure it matches the theory plover is using.

Plover isn't just learn this general theory and you're good to go. It's more like learn this theory, and you'll be able to type 85-95% of your sentence really fast.

Also, whenever you get to word that's not in your dictionary, you go from typing say 150wpm to basically 0. It's pretty easy to make a command to toggle plover on and off to type normally (and also to quickly add a word), but when you have to do it almost every sentence, it gets old quick.

Every time you switch to a new subject, you're probably going to have to add words to your dictionary for awhile. Squid Game just came out and you want to type the Koreans names, going to add new words. Your kid told you about this new game Roblox? New bundle of words. Supply chain just failed and you want to pretend you know what you're talking about and write comments about it on the internet? New bundle of words.

This isn't an issue for professionals, but it's frustrating from an amateur prospective. Using plover is very binary. When it works, it's incredible, when it doesn't, it sucks.

Re: Ask HN: Anyone Here Using Stenography

#34
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/ Link is dead, but it's in archive.org. Thanks for that! Really cool. I love the idea of using a model driven approach. That link is gold. Yeah, I considered learning dvorak in the early 2000s, when it was spreading like wildfire through my social group. I decided not too after having several friends gripe about the annoyance of typing on a qwerty keyboard after going dvorak. But, it's…

> Link is dead I actually visited it before posting (and did again now), but just a minute later I sneakily edited the "http" in because the first time I typed "https" and the website wouldn't load, could that be it? They've even added another layout to the "layouts analysis" page 4 days ago! Btw, you don't need to have a 100% customized layout, you can use one of the pre-optimized presets. Anyway, definitely try it…

> ... could that be it?

Yup! Apparently my browser is "helpfully" rewriting HTTP URLs to be HTTPS, what could possibly go wrong? facepalm False alarm, sorry...

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