Terry, Brandon and list, Well, I wasn't going to respond, again, on the topic of U.E.B. but this sounds like a conversation we need to have on-list--and finish with, agreeing to disagree.
Braille, like any language, is an evolving phenomenon. When Louis Braille drew together the system we now know, there were no contractions--those were added later. When I was in the U.S. in the 'Seventies, there were people advocating for GRADE 3 braille which seemed completely goofey to me at the time. I returned to Australia and picked up a few insights from a short-lived code-reform called B.U.O.C. Now, U.E.B. needs to be judged on its merits, but the knee-jerk attitude that characterises some of the posts on this list speaks ill of the self-centered, not to say short-sighted, outlook of some. I've already indicated that the great advantages of U.E.B. (apart from standardising English symbols) appear to be in the math, physics/chemistry and other such technical codes. Those with expertise in THOSE FIELDS should be given centre-stage in judging its worth, in my view! The fact that a few well loved signs are abolished . . . well, there weren't ANY SUCH SIGNS before the grade two system was adopted so it's our tradition that we regret losing. No one reading U.E.B. literary code will be non-plussed by anything. I am encouraged by those posts from folks, older than I, who have a potentially-receptive outlook. I think we need to agree to disagree and move on. What I do ask, though, is for our American friends, in particular, not to be referring to nations like New Zealand and Australia as "stupid" for adopting U.E.B. You are free to disagree with such resolutions but such provocative messages do re-inforce the Rambeau-image you regretably have. I loved my time in Philli and wouldn't like to see this list degenerate into name-calling. That's my last word on U.E.B., I promise. Stefan Slucki. Stefan Slucki Braille Instructor Royal Society for the Blind Phn 8232 4777 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a copy to the list as well. To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote
