The Last Bug :-)

Well, it took some digging, but I finally got the fingerspeller flashcards to run properly on any speed internet line.

For the technically inclined, the FSFC now uses a Just in Time loading algorithm to load the letter images. It now checks that the image has been downloaded before attempting to display it. If it's not there, it waits until the image is loaded. So you don't have to wait for it to download the entire gallery, but the first time though the alphabet it may be a bit jittery.

If you're using a dialup line or broadband with less than 150kpbs and the effect is bothersome, you may want to set the speed to deaf, then click on 'A-Z' just after you start the program. Have a cup of coffee while it downloads the entire alphabet ;-). Then it should work just fine for you, whatever your internet connection.

Updated Version with better usability

I have just published a new version of the Fingerspell Flashcards. This version should be easier to use than the previous version.

Improvements include:

• Controls to display a random word or a word of your choosing have been moved to the top
• New Button to Hide and Show the text as it is spelled out
• Preferences moved to the bottom
• Scaling is now properly supported - if you have an 800x600 screen, just use the Page->Zoom (on ie7) or View->Text Size->Decrease (on Firefox) until the window fits in your screen.

As before, there are direct links to:

• ASL — American Sign Language
  
• DGS — Deutsche Gebärdensprache/German Sign Language
  
• DSGS — Deutschschweizer Gebärdensprache/Swiss German Sign Language

I have tested the new version with Firefox 2.0 on Windows and Mac, Internet Explorer 7, and Safari and it seems to work everywhere. (I don't have access to Internet Explorer 6, so if you have problems, please let me know!

Special Thanks to usability specialist Angie Born of Zeix for her helpful suggestions!

German Version Finished, Browser Testing Completed

The Fingerspell Flashcards (or Fingeralphabet-Lernkarten as they are known in German) is now available in English and German. This includes not just the fingerspelling alphabets, but also the language for the entire website.

You can use the site in English or German. You can Fingerspell using German (DGS), Swiss German (DSGS), or American (ASL) alphabets. The dictionaries are dependent on the alphabet chosen. So Swiss German uses Swiss German first names and place names, ASL users US-American names and place names, etc.

The Flashcards have been tested with Firefox 1.5 and 2.0, Safari and Internet Explorer 6.0 and 7.0, and all seem to work properly. I also tried it out on an iPhone, where it also worked perfectly on the on the first try — and it was really cool to boot! If I get enough feedback saying people want it, I'll do an optimized port.

So here are the direct links to the various versions:

• Fingerspell Flashcards ASL
• Fingeralphabet-Lernkarten DGS
• Fingeralphabet-Lernkarten DSGS

Any problems, just let me know. Otherwise, Have fun!

Special Thanks to Elena, Claus, Noel, Ben, Denis, Bruno and Haydar, all colleagues at namics, for their help in in fine tuning the look and tracking down those last pesky CSS bugs.

German Dictionaries Now Active

I have been working on getting German language (Deutsche Gebärdensprache DGS) support on line. I have now added German German (as opposed to Swiss German) dictionaries so you can practice Sharp-S's ("ß").

The "Easy Dictionary" is list of some 400 popular first names (none of which has a Sharp-S). The "hard" dictionary is a collection of about 2500 German place names. If you are using the Swiss German (DSGS) alphabet, it will display a "ß" as "ss".

The Fingerspell Flashcards may take a while to start, as everything is loaded in advance. Future enhancement: load dictionaries and photos in the background. Be patient, it will come :-). But first I want to do a German language version of the web site.

A special thanks to Jörg Reinholz of fastix.de for making a database of German Places freely available.