I am currently using IT and I do like the system, but I find that I'm looking at the advisories a lot. I've been using it almost a year now and my productivity has not been what others claim. I suspect it's my system and the fact that I look at the advisories a lot, so I've thought about going to ABCZ.

However, I do have questions:

1. What happens when you compile and enrich? How do these shortcuts that are created convert to ABCZ or do I have to manually go in and do that myself?

2. Which system does ABCZ work better with --- IT or SH. I used to use SH and because my productivity is not where I want it with IT, I am considering going back to SH.

Thanks for your help!

Carol

Hi Carol,

1. What happens when you compile and enrich? How do these shortcuts that are created convert to ABCZ or do I have to manually go in and do that myself?

You would have to manually convert enriched or compiled words and phrases to ABCZ format - for individual words and two-word phrases. You can do this easily using IT's Workshop, which comes with IT. The desired short form for phrases of 3 or more words is aaa... (first letter of each word), which is both the IT and ABCZ format. (Marianne or Emmanuel or Kristen can correct me if I'm wrong here re: what you can do with Enrich.)

2. Which system does ABCZ work better with --- IT or SH. I used to use SH and because my productivity is not where I want it with IT, I am considering going back to SH.

The ABCZ format works well with both expanders. But IT is the more powerful expander, by far. With its two visual advisories, you have many more options for what you can have at your fingertips. If you put the great bulk of your words and phrases in the Phrases advisory in ABCZ format, then you may well be able to get the productivity you desire. The Words advisory then becomes supplementary and you can focus on looking mainly at the Phrases advisory, as needed. For me about 85-90 percent of the entries I use are in the Phrases advisory. Also, as you know, Shorthand doesn't offer Continuations, and they can really increase productivity.

Related thoughts about boosting productivity: As I posted recently on the IT forum, I've just switched to a wide monitor and that makes for a surprising increase in productivity as you can have very long entries visible in the Phrase advisory and quickly choose the best match.

Also, another thought, being now on a faster computer I have tried setting Multiple Compilations to 1 and 5, then again at say 5 and 10. (See my posts at the top of the IT forum about repeat multiple compilations). Previously I had set my minimum at 2 5, and say 5 9. Repeat multiple compilations provide more entries than a single multiple compilation, and the 1 5 and 5 10 settings may produce a small increase as well compared with settings of 2 5 and 5 9. Perhaps I'll even try 5 11 or 5 12 (Settings may vary depending on how large the body of work you are compiling is.)

Jon

Hi Jon,
Thank you so much for the information. Why didn't I think of the ABCZ conversion tool in the Importer?....darn...must be brain fog. Thanks for the reminder. I agree with you on the wide monitor! I have a 24 monitor and it sure does make a difference! My next question is this? Will there still be the same continuations as before...in other words, will the ABCZ glossaries still make full use of all the features offered in IT? ....are the shortcuts for the continuations converted to the ABCZ method also?

Thanks again Jon,
Carol

My next question is this? Will there still be the same continuations as before...in other words, will the ABCZ glossaries still make full use of all the features offered in IT?

The commercial ABCZ glossaries make full use of all the features offered in IT. The continuations, for example, work fine alongside glossaries from TAMED2 and Judy's Drug lists, which I use to do my transcription work. If you build your own ABCZ-style glossaries, they too should work well with all the features of IT. You do need to set them up well so that things mesh. E.g. as above, put most words and two-word phrases in the Phrases advisory. You can also have a giant wordlist in the Words Advisory as a supplement. (TAMED offers such a glossary.) Also the order of your glossaries in Includes matters.

....are the shortcuts for the continuations converted to the ABCZ method also?

When you do a multiple compilation, you do not need to worry about converting Continuations to ABCZ format. If there is a short from for the Continuation, it will be the first letter of each word in the continuation and this is supplied automatically. (This is the same as the ABCZ format when the phrase consists of 3 or more words. The ABCZ rule is aaa...first letter of each word.) (Of note, some Continuations appear without any short form. Perhaps Marianne will explain the subtleties of this.

I haven't worked with Enrich much and perhaps too Marianne will offer a comment on any particulars one should be aware of in using Enrich and then converting to specific rules like ABCZ or blending the enriched entries well with Continuations.

With some tweaking, IT might well become more productive for you than Shorthand. As I've mentioned before, though, almost exactly half ABCZ customers order the glossaries for Instant Text and half order the ABCZ "dictionaries" for Shorthand/Speedtype. I think this is based on preference for the features and perhaps cost of one expander or the other, and not on how well ABCZ integrates with either expander since ABCZ methods work well with both. One key to success with either expander of course is the fine visual advisories which both offer. (For anyone using an expander without visual advisories - they can make all the difference in applying one's shortcut methods or system of short forms.)

Jon

Hi Jon,

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions and then some! I will be ordering ABCZ soon for IT!

Carol