FAQ: Features and Bugs |
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We believe that the goal of a text entry system is to allow you to enter text. Consistently, reliably, quickly. A good text entry system is invisible, understated. It does not call attention to itself, it lets the user focus on what they want to type, not on tricking the software into letting them input what they want to type. Our competitors are stampeding in the wrong direction, adding more and more "features" which only serve to increase errors and frustration. The reasons for this are often subtle and non-intuitive. Here is a brief discussion of some of the bugs we've collected. If you spot more of them out there, please let us know.
Why do you need a Next key for LetterWise? Wouldn't it be better just to hit the same key again if the letter you want doesn't appear first?
It seems that this question arises mainly from some combination of the following beliefs:
- That LetterWise is really just like Multi-tap.
- That users are used to using just one key to produce a letter.
- That a separate Next key makes the LetterWise interface more complex, difficult to use, slower, etc.
All of these beliefs are false.
For more details see: Next Key Features
Wouldn't it be better if the system learned my individual language?
Be careful what you wish for. Our text-entry solutions are supposed to make typing on a reduced keyboard like typing on a regular keyboard. The problem that needs to be solved is making the system more predictable, not less so. Any adaptive algorithm can only increase unpredictability.
The number of keystrokes you can save by adaptation is small, and the price to be paid in terms of unpredictability is large.
Why don't you do word completion?
This is the most common bad idea in text entry. Typing with Eatoni products is easy and straightforward. Word completion is a complex and annoying "feature" which ends up slowing down typing more than it speeds it up. Would you rather talk to somebody who always tries to complete your sentences for you or somebody who tries to listen? Even if they're wrong about the completion much of the time? The purpose of a text entry system is to allow you to put down what's on your mind, not to tell you what's on its mind.
Why don't you automatically fix spelling or typing errors?
Our job is to make a device that lets you type what you want. If you want to spell "tired" as "tierd" that's your choice, and we respect it. In other words, we make software-assisted keyboards, text entry systems, not word processors. If you want to add a word processor on top of that, or even a reincarnation of Microsoft's "Bob", please feel free to do so.
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