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Is Handwriting History?

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Re: Is Handwriting History?

#51

Post by saurik »

toomanybeersies wrote: post #21

I find that the more time I spend around computers, the more I actually want to hand write things. I've recently gotten into the habit of keeping notebooks for various things, I even wrote a letter by hand to someone (something I haven't done since I was a child). There's something so permanent about handwriting, compared to an ephemeral computer file. There's also the fact that notebooks don't run out of battery, or…

You can't compare to yourself with computers earlier: you have to compare to a hypothetical yourself that never had a computer. I am pretty confident I would be doing an insanely large amount of writing were I to not able to type.

Re: Is Handwriting History?

#53

Post by TeMPOraL »

hrktb wrote: post #49
sametmax wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You must have a very limited way of expressing your self :) I can express with a pen using symbols, drawing, spacing, diagrams, flow... Too many people confuse taking notes with transcription, or forget to take in consideration the cost of context switching.

I think that’s covered by the "Where typing fails me, though, is anything other than writing regular, linear text" part. Also we’re not really talking about note taking, more by which mean you put ideas on a written support. I am under the impression that people who spent the majority of their formative years on pen and paper will in mostly be more comfortable thinking on pen and paper, but increasingly I feel that t…

> increasingly I feel that the lack of practice in hand writing will put a lot more friction in that process, tiping the balance in a different way

It is definitely true for me. One of the main reasons I default to typing is not the speed, but the fact that my handwriting is absolutely abhorrent, and I feel displeasure from just looking at it. I suppose it could be improved with training, but I generally didn't find time for it yet.

Re: Is Handwriting History?

#56

Post by BooneJS »

arkitaip wrote: post #26
qrbLPHiKpiux wrote: post #23

I carry a pen, and a neatly, uniformed folded piece of paper in my wallet. Folded to open like a book, accordion like. When I'm done with it, I open it up and file that sheet of paper for a while just In case I need it. My pen is a G2 0.7 in a machined brass body.

The G2 is absolutely amazing as a product in that it's far superior to the competition (for my needs at least) and still reasonably priced.

I've switched to a Signo DX 0.38 as I find I'm a bit cleaner with it.

Re: Is Handwriting History?

#57

Post by NoGravitas »

sseagull wrote: post #34
WalterBright wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've spent many hours attempting to transcribe my grandparents' handwritten letters. It's very difficult to decipher. Ironically, even the letters they'd mash out on a typewriter are difficult to decipher, but it's a lot easier than the handwriting. It's not just my grandparents. Their relatives also all had wretched handwriting. I've shown them to many people, and they can hardly make it out, either. I don't think g…

This isn't the first time I've said this, but I believe doing serious genealogy will 'cure' most people of their love of cursive, and maybe writing things by hand in general. You get better at reading it, but there is much more bad handwriting out there than good.

I harp on and on about this, but the looped cursive of the 19th and 20th centuries is horrible for legibility. Many of the common letterforms blur together, especially when written quickly. There were reasons for adopting it at the time, but it really shouldn't be taught anymore. Today we should be teaching cursive italic, for several reasons (legibility, ease of teaching).

Re: Is Handwriting History?

#58

Post by NoGravitas »

userbinator wrote: post #7
MajorSauce wrote: post #3

If only... I recently had to take a standardized business knowledge test and I had to write a disclaimer (eg: "I hereby certify that...") in CURSIVE. When I asked if we really had to write in 19th century writing, she replied that this was the "writing of the business world". No words.

IMHO cursive script is optimised for writability, but not readability. If asked to use it, I'd probably say "I can try if you really insist, but you're unlikely to be able to read it" --- instead, I'll use my "personal font" which looks like either Futura or Courier depending on what I'm writing, and which others have commented quite positively on the legibility of.

I learned Palmerian cursive back when that was what was taught in elementary schools, and used it for everything (exams, essays, note-taking, letter-writing) through college and graduate school. By the end of that time, my cursive had become completely illegible to anyone but myself.

I later re-taught myself to write an italic cursive, which frequently gets complimented when people see it.

Re: Is Handwriting History?

#59

Post by NoGravitas »

arkitaip wrote: post #26
qrbLPHiKpiux wrote: post #23

I carry a pen, and a neatly, uniformed folded piece of paper in my wallet. Folded to open like a book, accordion like. When I'm done with it, I open it up and file that sheet of paper for a while just In case I need it. My pen is a G2 0.7 in a machined brass body.

The G2 is absolutely amazing as a product in that it's far superior to the competition (for my needs at least) and still reasonably priced.

I have had trouble with G2s clogging after a bit of use, so that they stop and start unevenly. I've found the Uniball Signo 207 and Vision Elite to be much better, depending on whether you want a gel or liquid ink.

Re: Is Handwriting History?

#60

Post by qrbLPHiKpiux »

NoGravitas wrote: post #59
arkitaip wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The G2 is absolutely amazing as a product in that it's far superior to the competition (for my needs at least) and still reasonably priced.

I have had trouble with G2s clogging after a bit of use, so that they stop and start unevenly. I've found the Uniball Signo 207 and Vision Elite to be much better, depending on whether you want a gel or liquid ink.

I've gone between both - for a while. The G2 is more "scratchy" on paper - and I like that.
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