Xena

Xena was a dog who showed up at my office one January day in 1998. It had been storming. Her head popped up over some boxes, her ears perked. My boss took her home that night, fed her hot dogs (!) and brought her back the next day. She hung around our office, and we thought surely this smart dog's owners would be looking for her. We took her picture and made signs and put them up at the intersection. I talked my sister Carla into keeping the dog until we found her owners; I had an apartment and she had a fenced back yard.

Much to my surprise, no one ever claimed her. That was good, because after only a couple of days, Carla had fallen in love. She was named Xena because of her beauty and her fiercely protective nature. The vet estimated her age from 5 - 8 years old.

Xena loved to walk. My husband (then my boyfriend) and I would meet at Carla's after work and walk Xena to the park and back, about 2 miles. In 2000, we moved into a home two doors down from Carla. Then Carla and I walked Xena almost every day. She walked with a hop in her walk and her ears perked. Her ears had a bounce to them that I will always fondly remember. (See how she has them in the picture , right, with Max, her little brother.)

Xena loved to walk, and she was an amazing escape artist. She was able to escape from Carla's for a couple of years, all the while we tried to outsmart her with electric fence wire, reinforced fencing and the like. To no avail. The only thing that could contain her was a wooden privacy fence! She was very smart, following Carla's directions from just a look in her eye. When we walked Xena, children would stop us and say, I like your dog, I like your dog's ears, and pet her. She always behaved like a lady. Several people said she was a "cow dog, " whatever that is! We thought that she was a secret agent (remember, she was so smart) who had retired. Or an Iditarod dog (she had this singular purpose when walking, and she didn't stop to "smell the roses" a lot), who then came to Montgomery by hopping trains.

She wasn't my dog, but I loved her very much. Xena was in our lives for almost 11 years. We often joked, if she was 6 years when she came along, she would be 15 years old! (Insert different numbers)

She was an old lady. Our Xena Bean, our Beanlady. She was a good dog.

Xena left us today, November 25, 2008. I will miss that puppy dog.

Reading files from the SD card in Eclipse

An October firmware and software release made changes relating to the the SD card. Here are instructions from a LS user on how to translate notes in Eclipse software.

What I did was put the card from the writer in my computer, found the file I wanted in the folder with today's date, right clicked and Send To my Laura folder in Eclipse. Then in Eclipse I changed the writer type under the Input tab to Smartwriter and changed Read From to Drive or Folder and directed that to my Laura folder. After doing that, I could Alt I and read in the file.001 or whatever and translate it. So apparently we do still have a backup on the SD card, but you have to read the file on as Smartwriter notes instead of importing the RTF file, and that's the only backup.

Software/Firmware build

There is a new update available for the LightSpeed. You have to call in to Stenovations and have someone remote to your computer and do all the downloading. All you have to do is press the LS power button when they tell you to.

First they will save your config file, just in case. The new software doesn't overwrite the old configs, but it is a precaution. Then they uninstall the LS program. Then they install the new software. Then they put the firmware on your writer, and that's when you get to participate and turn the writer on and off.

I have briefly looked at the changes. Under the writer, you can choose LS. I think this is only for digitalCAT users now (we have a choice of the LS in our software). It worked just fine.
Also under writer settings, there is a check box, Noise suppression, and it is checked by default. This supresses the *dings* which happen when you are setting your sensetivities and touch the key. Must have been bothering folks. My sound is always muted, so I don't hear them.
Next choice under writer settings is Enable USB data compression. No idea what that is, and Avery didn't know either. I turned it on and didn't notice what difference, if any, it made.

Wait for initialization packet is the third check box, and it is check-able only with the Smartwriter chosen as your writer (in fact, it default checks it when you choose Smartwriter). Has something to do with Eclipse.

There is a choice under realtime backup that is called Create Raw Backup File. I suspect this is for the SD card. A raw steno track is where if you delete strokes with the asterisk, it will still show the deleted strokes in the raw steno. That way, if you overdelete you can still read the deleted steno.

More on the tables and the antistacking later. That's going to take more than a cursory look.

Wokiebear in love

Wokiebear (whose real name I don't know!) published this on depoman:

I just finished a two-day RT depo with my Etch-A-Sketch Pink (yes, I got the pink, but only because I wanted the pink to honor my Big Sis, who died of breast cancer...she was my mom, too, because we have a large family). I checked my untranslates. It was .9 percent. I am estatic. I'm off and running. I came home feeling like I hadn't even written all day. First day was 230 pgs, second was just 120 pgs. I had absolutely no pain at all in my hands. I actually felt refreshed. I couldn't believe it when I checked my untrans. I used the macros from the writer, too. Makes me feel joyful to write all over again. I even felt like it helped me be faster in writing. I did made one other tweak on the job to the vowel U as I felt I was missing it some where I didn't realize that before. And I've only been actively using the LS on the job for just a month.

What did I do? I didn't immediately start writing and practicing from a job. I came in every night and practiced on it with fingerdrills to make my mind acclimate to the different feel. Why my mind? Because my fingers already knew where to go...my mind didn't with the new didactics. So I trained my mind first w/out pushing it. THEN I practiced on a depo I already had. THEN after a week of intensive training, took it with me. I also feel I am indebted to the reporters who posted their config file because I used one of those and just had to only tweak it minutely. Why at night? I reserve daytime for work...nighttime is my me time for whatever and I could practice w/out interruption from anyone. I don't feel like I'm skating on ice anymore. It feels comfortable and at home. I did use a support for my wrists at first so I would not put them on the keys or "rest" them on the home keys until I felt at ease w/out the supports. I used a gel mouse pad I have -- had to use two, one for each side. Once I started taking my pearl out on the job, I never looked back and tried to go back and forth to my Mira so that my brain would gel into place.

I'm going to actually save money on this pearl because I won't have to have (yet) that expensive Support contract with Stenograph.

Oh, what a pearl....(pink pearl)!

Sharing user configurations

Can't set up your configuration files? Try some other users' configs. I have uploaded some user config.xml files at www.alcra.org/downloads/configs. All you have to do is save the file to your LightSpeed folder (instructions on the linked page) and load them in your LightSpeed GUI interface.

Taking a certification test

So last week I was asked to sit in on our state's certification test to monitor the quality. Okay, sounds like, um, fun. So I agreed. I went in with no practice, and I forgot to bring any warm-up material. So I sit there while the test candidates warm up.

At test time, I wrote the intro as my warm-up. I was a little nervous. Then the test. WOW! Went great! Nailed the literary and jury charge; not drops. Did really well on the QA, although I did drop a portion. Still, what a great experience with the writer. Now... time to practice for the realtime certification.

LS software and config files

The LightSpeed software is the interface, or GUI, on your computer.
The LightSpeed firmware is the software which resides on the writer itself.

When you make changes in your basic threshold settings, when you click on Done, you will see a small box indicating that the software is sending the settings to your writer. When you use Bluetooth as your method of connection for realtime, the settings which reside on your writer are utilized. When you use Bluetooth, you are not going through the LightSpeed GUI, so you don't have the advantage of the settings other than the basic thresholds -- the single key, combination, and other settings in the LS software, such as the anti-stacking. When you use the USB cable, you do get the benefit of those settings.

When you save your settings, you are saving a config.xml file. Each time you save it, you should rename it with a specific name. I use Greta_config_(date). That way, if I mess something up, I can go back to my last config. Or at least that's the theory. I recently had an incident where I quit using the date, and I accidentally overwrote all my settings by clicking on Apply All. Thankfully, I had my config backed up on my thumb drive with my other backup files!

The config file resides in this path (which opens automatically in the dialog box when you click Save in your LS GUI):
C:/
Documents and Settings
(User name)
Application Data
LightSpeed

If you get to the user name portion of the path and you don't see Application Data folder, go to Tools and the View tab, the Hidden files and folders folder, then click on Show hidden files and folders.

I am working on a web page which will have different LS users' config.xml files for download. When I get that up and running, I will post that here.

Johnny Jackson in the news!

http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1497684/charlestons_jackson_develops_hightech_keyboard/

NCRA Anaheim convention

Mark Kislingbury, writing on the LightSpeed, realtimed the NCRA business meeting for a webcast and won the 2008 speed competition!! How awesome is that?

And it seems like some fellow forumers from depoman took the leap and bought a LS!

About Bluetooth

jenny posted on depoman a Bluetooth/SD card/cable explanation:

I just spoke to Corey at Stenovations regarding the BT/SD/Cable issues. Here's what I learned from him. When you write through the LS cable, you get the benefit of the LS sensitivity settings and the anti-stacking and combination rules if you have those checked. The only thing that is writing to the SD card at the same time is the sensitivity settings; you are not getting any anti-stacking and combination rules applied to your SD card.

When you write using Bluetooth to your computer, you are only getting the benefit of the sensitivity settings, and you are not getting any anti-stacking and combination rules. You are also not getting those rules applied to your SD card. Therefore, your Bluetooth real time translation and a translation from the SD card should be identical. If they are not, it means that "something may be off" with your particular Bluetooth program. Apparently there are several different Bluetooth programs out there, and the only thing Corey could tell me was that the Kensington Bluetooth seemed to work well, and the BlueSoleil Bluetooth doesn't work at all.

If you are writing solely to your SD card, you are still getting the benefit of the sensitivity settings - but no anti-stacking and combination rule - because when you initially set up those sensitivity settings, they are being saved in the LS itself.

I just read this back to another support person, and he said I appear to understand. If you believe any part of this explanation is incorrect, please let me know. I truly want to understand how this is working because I am still having trouble getting the absolute best translation.

Great time at the beach

The ACRA conference in Orange Beach, Alabama, was great! A large number of reporters stopped and wrote on my LightSpeed. As luck would have it, my Stenovations vendor table was at the entrance/exit door of the seminars, so they had to pretty much trip over me to get in and out ;)

Mike Camp and Melanie Garner brought their LS's to the conference, both white writers and with the keypads. When I wrote on Melanie's, I kind of liked the keypads! But I'm not going to be sticking them on mine anytime soon.

Come see the LS at the beach!

The Alabama Court Reporters Association Summer Convention is tomorrow, July 17, to Saturday, July 19. I will be there with my red LightSpeed at the Stenovations vendor table. Come visit me and see this wonderful writer!

USB cable

There have been many instances of "split strokes" reported during realtime. But then, checking the SD card, the strokes are there and fine. What's up with that?

It's the USB cable. Go get a new USB cable, one with the little "barrel thingy," as we fondly call it, or use the USB cable from your camera. (Apparently cameras come with great cables!) There you go.

This problem with the cables has frustrated and confounded many LS users, resulting in an overwhelming desire to throw your LS off the nearest bridge into the river. Don't do that! Just get a new, improved cable. I'm hoping Stenovations will begin sending out "nicer" cables.

Teletraining

This week, I had a few sesssions on the telephone with LS users helping them with their settings. If you are having trouble with your settings, feel free to email me. I can send you my config file, then go through the settings with you.

New LightSpeed GUI update

Got the new update today. Lots of changes! The spedometer is gone, which I kind of liked the way it looked, but it really didn't do much but sit there and look pretty.

Under the sensitivities button, there are three tabs: Basic Thresholds, Single-Key Thresholds, and Combination Rule.

Basic Thresholds is the same as the old spedometer settings, but instead of a spedometer, there is a Pressure View. When you press a key, the top number is the pressure number you've applied to the key, and it stays there until you press again. That way, you don't have to keep your eye on the red needle.

Single-Key Thresholds is new. This is a threshold for pressing one key only, like if you end up with "be be be be be" from touching the -B key accidentally. You would set the threshold number higher so that when you brush the key by itself it will not register. But the threshold in the Basic area will not change when you change these numbers under Single.

Combination Rule: Very new! No more percentages. There is an upper keyboard and lower keyboard in the software setting interface. You are not limited to just two-key combinations; you can do three and four keys. I'm going to use -PBLT as an example, where you have dragged the L. On the top keyboard, choose PB T, and the bottom keyboard, choose L. You would then set the number at the bottom (which should default to your basic threshold) to a higher number so that when you hit all those keys in combination, the L has a higher threshold and won't register, and you'll get PB T. (BTW: If you're on digitalCAT, you can take care of this in your Dictionaries Window with the Misstroke Options) You cannot use keys in combination from both the right and left side of the keyboard. You have to stick to one side.

Combination rule also works for droppped letters in a stroke. If you are setting a threshold in combination that you drop, then you would set the threshold LOWER than the basic threshold. An example of this might be -PB D, where you drop the P and mean for it to be there. So you would set the - B D in the top keyboard, and choose -P in the bottom keyboard. You would then set the sensitivity LOWER, so that when you hit those three keys in one stroke, the P won't drop.

The new config file is called config.xml. When you load the update, it will overwrite your config.ini, even if you have renamed it something like "Greta_config" or something other than config. When I say overwrite, it will not overwrite your values you have set for your sensitivities.

Under Anti-Stacking options (the third button with the little arrows going around) has a new check box at the bottom called, Use "fast" key processing. Johnny explained this to me briefly. It is more something for him to use with his prototypes and nothing we need to use. I clicked it, and at least it didn't hurt, but I noticed no differece. It is something to do with when you save your settings and it does something faster.

Hope this helps! I'm always so excited with the new stuff on my LS.

LightSpeed and Support

There is a LightSpeed section on www.depoman.com that is very helpful, a neat kind of users group. We have helped each other on there with our common problems. But if you have a problem (stacking, missing strokes comes to mind), in addition to posting here, please, please call support and let them know what's going on.

If we don't tell them what the problem is, they won't know and can't help us. If only one LS user calls with, say, dropped strokes, support will think the problem is particular to that person because no one else said anything. Plus, the cost of support is paid when you buy your writer, so you might as well use it!!!

Config.ini

The Configuration file.

When you save your settings, whether they be the config or the sensitivities of the LS writer, it is saved to a file with a .ini extension. The default file is called config.ini.

Here is how I suggest naming your config files. When you save changes, name your file
config[date]A. If you save again on the same day, use B. [date] is the date you save your config. This way, if you make a change that does not work out well for you, you can go back to a previous save. Periodically, you can delete out the old saved config files.

Pink LightSpeed!

The PINK LightSpeed at the NCRA Midyear in Boston! Thanks to Candis Bradshaw for sharing her pictures of the conference.

Standing on the left is Johnny Jackson, on the right is Carmen Santone, and sitting at the LightSpeed is Ed Varallo. The other two people in the picture are unnamed students.

The perfect LightSpeed case!!!!!

Thank you, Laura Renke, for finding the perfect LS case -- the Saunders ReadiMate Portable Desktop. Just add padding (a piece of packing foam will do). There is a litle area for your USB cable. Laura further modified hers by removing the clip, but I'm leaving mine for now.

You can get it at Sams Club online for only $20.82. (I didn't have to pay shipping and got in in two days) at http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=345848

Lightspeed keypads

You can order keypads for your LS if you want. They are kind of thick and squishy. Some people like them; some don't. If you have applied your keypads and decide to take them off, it is a delicate process!

You must CAREFULLY remove the keypads. The pads have a very strong adhesive. You have to hold the key down while pulling the pad off. Underneath each key is a rubbery flap that goes under the plastic. If you pull the key up, the rubbery flap will come out from under the casing. (I found this out the hard way). After some cussing and hard work, you will get the pads off. Now there will be a lot of adhesive still stuck to the key.

It has been discovered by the LightSpeed Addicts Anonymous members over on www.depoman.com that Goo Gone is the substance to use to remove the glue. Use Q-tips to rub on small amount of Goo Gone and wipe. After the Goo Gone soaks into the glue, it will rub off easily. Be careful not to get any Goo Gone on the sides of the keys.

Lightspeed bag

http://www.ebags.com/gymspacific/macbook_poppy_sleeve_13/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=80801

Ebags Macbook sleeve is the perfect size for the LS. It's not as sturdy as I would like, but it is doing a pretty good job. I put my writer and USB cord in the sleeve, then place the sleeve into my computer bag. I traveled with it like this to Washington, D.C., and back, and everything was fine.

I'm really back

Okay. December and on to now have been a whirlwind. Holidays in December, ACRA conference in January, NCRA Legislative Boot Camp in February, and all the while, moving my office from one courthouse to another. Now I am settled in, and I'm ready to update my LS website and blog! Sorry for the long absence.

Next weekend (March 29) I will be at the Georgia Shorthand Reporters Association Spring Technology Conference in Morrow, Georgia, outside of Atlanta. I will have my writer with me, so if you're there and you want to see it, look for me near the Stenovations room. We have a great group of Alabama digitalCAT users coming, so look for us Bama girls!

I'm back

After a busy holiday season, I'm back! 2007 ended with a flurry, of work and personal things, so I didn't really have time to post.

I am using my little red LS on a regular basis and still loving it. I demo'd the writer at the Alabama Court Reporters Association Midwinter Conference in Birmingham, Alabama. So many reporters and students stopped by and tried it out. It's funny how some people are a little scared of it! But I encouraged them to sit down and write.

Most asked questions (and the answers):
1. What software does it work with?
Any software that has Baron or Smartwriter as a choice for input.
2. How much does it cost?
$1,995.
3. How long did it take you to get used to it?
It takes about 15 minutes to get used to the touch of the keys. It takes about two weeks of tweaking to get the sensetivity settings set.
4. Do you really use it?
YES!

The newest color is cobalt blue, and it is really pretty. But I still love my red Etch-A-Sketch, as I fondly refer to it.