Dasher

Lost searching for something in Unicode, I stumbled across this one, today. The Software is called Dasher and not surprisingly, it is available on the ubuntu/debian repository to download and install with apt. (packages available for M$ OSes and MacOSX as well, on its project page). Around a 10 MB + install.

It is an interesting software. The project page states that:

Dasher is an information-efficient text-entry interface, driven by natural continuous pointing gestures. Dasher is a competitive text-entry system wherever a full-size keyboard cannot be used - for example,

* on a palmtop computer;
* on a wearable computer;
* when operating a computer one-handed, by joystick, touchscreen, trackball, or mouse;
* when operating a computer with zero hands (i.e., by head-mouse or by eyetracker).

though and obviously so, its not much of a pleasure trying to use it on PC (it can be a very useful tool on handheld, protable devices to type Unicode).
The best thing of all, is that it supports Unicode Kannada, Unicode Hindi and much more languages in Unicode!

Dasher - Kannada

I turned it on, and tried typing my name in Kannada. I could click on 'ಹ', then came the probable letters floating adjacent to it. I clicked on 'ರ', then came the glyphs that can be added to those. It was pretty much like looking into a maze and picking the letters you want to be typed. I would love to see this one controlled by fingers, and a touch screen rather than mouse or joystick, like those we see on sci-fi movies - which is quite possible in near future, though I fear the whole process won't get less boring even with that ;)

It *is* boring if you're asked to pluck the letters one by one that you need to form your statement. Its a complexified way of putting in letters (unless there's no other way). Moreover, its painful for eyes (but maybe not once you get used to it). The project page claims that one can type 39 words per minute if he/she gets well versed with this tool. Whatever is, I was happy and thrilled to see a tool that can let you key in Unicode even when you don't have a keymap or input method!

This one could be a nice tool for kids to play with... or for folks using handhelds 'on field work' - just take out your handhelds and start plucking letters and 'dash' through the maze! :)