Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Austin, Texas, USA
Posts: 195

Maybe this is a newbie problem, but after using my Visor for a while, when I try to write on paper again, I find myself writing graffiti instead of proper letters. I actually have to slow down for a minute while my brain switches back into paper writing mode. Anyone else have this problem?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Simi Valley, CA
Posts: 110

I had the same problem, especially since my last name has a "v" and a "q"!

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Joe V. - Simi Valley, CA

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Beaverton, OR USA
Posts: 87

Yup! I haven't arrived at the point where I can take notes in a meeting on the Visor, so I take paper notes. But if I remember to add a task or something or other to the Visor, I have trouble switching to graffiti, and then back to paper.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Potomac, MD, USA
Posts: 90

My handwriting has actually changed a bit since I started Grafitti a few years ago (original Palm 1000 if you'll believe that ). Fortunately, since I'm an engineer, clear writing isn't all _that_ important. My "v"'s in particular always have that little line off of them now.

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JakeBlues2
"the BAND!"

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Lexington, KY, USA
Posts: 50

I wondered if this was a common problem. I can't write any more. It's really rather funny. I was writing something on my white-board last night, and I had to stop and figure out how to write a lowercase A. Sheesh!

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Austin, Texas, USA
Posts: 195

That's exactly what I'm talking about. There should be a name for this, like Graffititis or Graffiti Syndrome, or Pos (Palm OS) syndrome.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 48

Actually, I saw an article on this a couple of months ago - someone might have posted a link somewhere on in one of the threads.

Some guy had to go through some kind of therapy to be able to write again. It seems the combination of a having a totally diff set of characters for the same alphabet and writting words by overlaying characters can be quite disruptive to the brains control over our writing skills.

Maybe I'm worried about this, but I find I'm using the keyboard a little bit more often ... I'm quicker with it anyway

If anyone remembers where the article was can you post a link?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 95

Good to know I'm not the only one. Does it get better?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Lexington, KY, USA
Posts: 50

Sure it gets better. Eventually, you can't write on paper at all!
;-)

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: "Children are a gift from God, they are a reward"
Posts: 1049

Hey guys, I feel for the lot of you. I would suggest to the ones who are having problems to take up cartooning. Really. I am a relative newcomer to Grafitti, and have become pretty proficient at it. I also write alot for fun (cartooning) and as a designer (for profit). I have somewhere close to a hundred fonts stored in my softdrive (brain) and have no problem switching from cursive to block to grafitti (I don't type well though!) I don't think I'm special though, I just think that I have "flexed" that part of my brain a bit more than the average duck. Does anyone out there write in more than English (like Manderin, Arabic, etc.. I would be interested to find out.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Potomac, MD, USA
Posts: 90

It seems that our brains get in "comfortable" patterns when it comes to any sort of communication, written or verbal. I write in Hebrew a lot (grafitti and paper) and don't have problems switching off, most likely because Hebrew is a completely different language with a different alphabet, requiring me to switch entire modes of operation in my brain. However, grafitti is a subset of English, and is hence subject to more confusion. Combine the different letters with not needing to move your pen for each letter with not differentiating between capital and lower case, and one's brain can become confused. Much more so than with a different language.

And yes--I have trouble with Hebrew grafitti vs real Hebrew as well :-)


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JakeBlues2
"the BAND!"

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Posts: 36

Well graffiti will be the fifth alphabet running around in my head. Cursive english, Print english, cursive mongolian, print mongolian. I already have trouble switching back to native cursive english, find myself constantly throwing in mongolian letters when I mean english letters. I don't have trouble with mongolian cursive, guess because I've been focused in on learning it. But I did quickly notice that in print english I was trying to write in graffiti. Now I'm learning the ancient mongolian script which is vertical squiggles and hooks, so that should help to confuse me even more :-)

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Austin, Texas, USA
Posts: 195

It's interesting that you bring up the idea of different languages, Jake. I don't recall having this problem when I was studying Russian. Probably, like you said, it's because when you're writing in a different language, your brain "switches modes." But Graffiti is just a different version of the English alphabet - which is an association of symbols with sounds. You're trying to display the sounds on paper, and now that we're learning Graffiti, we've got more than one symbol for the particular sounds.

Sorry for getting cerebral.

I wonder if this problem is peculiar to newbies. This is my first PDA, and therefore my first experience with Graffiti. How many of you are learning Graffiti for the first time?

[This message has been edited by ChrisB (edited 12-09-1999).]

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 54

Japanese has two sets of an "alphabet" for the same sounds, although one of them is only used for foreign or non-traditional words (radio, televsion, McDonald's, etc.). Both Chinese characters and Japanese Kanji are individual symbols for a specific word. It's just a matter of retraining one's brain to recognize that letters and words are not the words or meanings in and of themselves, but merely representations. I actually think that having to learn multiple writing systems is a good exercise for the brain.

That said...I wrote my first rollercoster "K" (on paper) two days ago. BLYAT!

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Texan in Calgary for a while
Posts: 1361

Deji, I read that article when it came out, and it was from a website that did a lot of satire articles, so there was some doubt to its authenticity.

That said, I've noticed I slip in a few graffiti letters from time to time as well.

Graffiti="The new shorthand"?

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James Hromadka
VisorCentral.com
Personal Website: http://www.Hromadka.com

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 95

Yup, I've started making my "E's" like those stupid graffiti e's, and I am writing in all capital letters now.

Argh! Maybe I better start using the keyboard popup on my Visor!

MJH <><

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Bath, Avon, UK
Posts: 56

Hi,
I remember this article as well, As James said I think it was not meant to be taken entirely seriously. But like all good jokes it has a basis in reality.
I find that I get my e's y's and k's wrong at least once a day.

Agoldfish

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Posts: 56

I have the problem with the 'e' and 'k's. Of course, I normally type on a dvorak keyboard, so I'm used to always being screwed up a little.

for those who don't know, a dvorak qwerty is ',.pyf across the top row...