Sections
faq
website answers
What is this website about?
The Quikscript Outpost is a website concerned with the Quikscript alphabet (otherwise known as "Quickscript," "Kwikskript" & "The Second Shaw Alphabet"), an alternate English alphabet.
Why does this website exist at all?
The advocation of Quikscript is this website's sole function. It could be argued that, by advocating the use of Quikscript, this website is also advocating the use of the broader goal of English spelling reform.
So, when are you going to put more content onto this website? It's been [fill in time period] already!
Anyone who has visited this site recently has known that it had not been updated in a while. That time is now over - I have a new website template for it and am actively seeking opportunities to add more content onto it, both as downloadables (such as TrueType fonts) as well as on-line content (such as the tutorial and the dictionary).
The layout of the website is [fill in adjective here](./!)
I am not a web designer by profession. I have never used a webpage editor except for "notepad," the basic word processor that is installed with every Windows operating system. The current web template design has been a tremendous effort on my part, not just in designing the templates themselves but also porting over the content from the previous design and making certain that everything worked. While I am always open to new technologies (HTML5, CSS3, etc.), the present web design of this website will remain for quite a long while.
Why don't you put the date that you update in your "News" section?
At present, content updates for this website will be on an irregular basis. It is known that web users who enter a website that looks like it has not been updated for a while tend to have less interest in the subject matter. Since the goal of this website is to educate people about the Quikscript alphabet, constant content updates are not critical. Therefore, placing a date stamp onto content is not deemed necessary.
How should I best view this website & why?
You should view this website using the latest version of Mozilla Firefox (it's predecessor, simply named "Mozilla," is technically different but realistically synonymous) at a resolution of 1024 by 768. That is what it was designed for. Mozilla Firefox is free, is stable & is available in all modern operating systems. Although it is most likely possible, I do not advocate the use of viewing this website in other web browsers or other resolutions. Although I have made considerable effort to make certain that this website is "standards compliant," I reserve the right to use whatever web design technologies that are available to me for the Mozilla Firefox browser, even if they may not be available yet for other browsers.
I do not have the time, patience or resources to test this website using every single web browser in every single resolution in every single operating system. That amount of testing is counter-productive, bordering on sado-masochistic.
Furthermore, this website does not employ java, cookies, or php.
Hey, why isn't [insert Quikscript website here] in your "Links" section?
If there ever was a day that I could not keep up with the number of Quikscript-related websites added to the Internet, it would be a very fortunate day. Unfortunately, that day is not here yet. In my pursuit of finding Quikscript websites & webpages, I would like to think that I've pretty much covered them all. I AM NOT going to list every single webpage that merely mentions Quikscript by name - There are a number of webpages, for instance, that has either the Yahoo! Group website as an external hyperlink. The website has to actually contain information about Quikscript beyond a one-sentence description.
What is your Javascript policy?
My "javascript / ecmascript / whatever the Internet intelligentsia desires to call it at the moment" policy is this: If it helps in the education or enjoyment of Quikscript, I will utilize it as such. However, I am courteous in it's use - Every webpage that employs javascript is clearly labeled as such. For programming efficiency, I have installed all of the scripts into a single directory that may be viewed using a plain text editor. These scripts are not "encoded" and may be read by anyone with sufficient proficiency in writing javascript.
What is your E-Mail policy?
My E-Mail policy / address is...
- I will, to the best of the circumstances presented, acknowledge all constructively-written E-Mails in a timely manner.
- I WILL NEVER OPEN E-MAILS WITH ATTACHMENTS TO THEM...AT ALL! Said E-Mails will be deleted, sight unseen & no acknowledgement of them will be given.
- I WILL NEVER SEND AN E-MAIL WITH AN ATTACHMENT TO YOU WITHOUT YOUR EXPLICIT PRIOR CONSENT! Such consent will be sought for each time I may, in the rare event, wish to send an attachment to you.
My E-Mail address is sbar7tok16327@earthlin7k.n7et. To confuse the spambots, I have added the number "7" to the E-Mail address. Simply remove all the number "7"s to correctly use the E-Mail address.
Why don't you have other Quikscript items like [fill in the blank]?
This is not a "clearing-house" for all things Quikscript. While it is tempting to place other people's work on my website (such as other Quikscript fonts, the .PDF of Kingsley Read's manual & so forth), that is not within the scope of this website. This website contains my own contributions to the Quikscript community & only my contributions.
I concur that not everything on this website was 100% made by me "from scratch." For instance, the font "King Plus" is built on the foundation of a previous font, "Jerome." Practically every javascript application started out in an alternate form & was modified by myself to "fit" into the scope of a Quikscript study aid. However, having written that, I have modified those items to the point where they would be virtually unrecognizable from their original state. Except for character shapes, each letter was heavily modified & tweaked or made anew by the time the font "King Plus" was released. Some javascript applications are virtually unrecognizable from the original form of which I found them. All javascript applications have needed at least some form of modification to accomodate Quikscript's alternate alphabet. Additional formatting has occurred for these applications to fit the visual theme of the website &, when I feel smart enough, to even improve upon the code to make it more efficient. A few of the recent javascript applications were completely written by myself & are indicated as such in the actual code comments.
generic spelling reform answers
Why don't you advocate other alternate English alphabets, like [fill in the blank], or other English spelling reform schemes?
This website is for the advocation of Quikscript ONLY. Other English spelling reform schemes & alternate English alphabets also have a web presence. Those interested in knowing more about those schemes & alphabets can readily find them by using any number of popular Internet search engines. Those who would like to advocate a particular scheme or alphabet do not need my permission to do so & are encouraged to design their own website with their own content & arguments.
Why Quikscript? Why not [fill in the blank]?
I have viewed several different types of alternate English alphabets & revised spelling schemes. Each alphabet or spelling scheme has it's adherents & advantages over orthodox spelling. Using the exact same 26 letters but a different spelling method has it's advantages over other types of spelling reform. Using a combination of existing letters plus new letters has it's advantages over other types of spelling reform. Using a completely different alphabet set (like Quikscript) has it's advantages over other types of spelling reform.
I will not go into a "He said, She said"-styled debate over why I feel that Quikscript is the best option of the bunch. From experience, I have learned that those types of debates are not beneficial towards my own goals for advocating the Quikscript alphabet. By concentrating on bringing timely & useful Quikscript content online, I feel that I am using my own limited resources to their best possible use.
As with a previous answer, those persons or organizations who would like to advocate a different point of view using their own time, effort & resources do not need my permission to do so.
Why English spelling reform in general? Is English spelling really THAT bad?
Yes, in my opinion, it is that bad. This answer, though, will not become a clearinghouse for all instances of current loosely-enforced English spelling practices (or lack thereof). I deeply encourage you to conduct your own research into this field & to draw your own conclusions. As stated previously, this website's concerns are with the advocation of Quikscript. It is not going to turn into a referee or judge of current English spelling trends.
If English spelling is really that bad, why hasn't someone changed it sooner? Where is the public demand?
Spelling HAS changed over the years & continues to change. This fact is often lost on those who advocate the viewpoint that no spelling reforms should take place. For instance, modern Internet users sometimes use numbers instead of letters to give old words new meanings, like "pwn3d." The most successful revision came when Benjamin Franklin revised the spelling of several words for the American colonists to use. Also, the "long 'F'" letter (often seen in documents dated earlier then the 1800's) has since become extinct due to a variety of factors that will not be elaborated on here.
The public demand is there for change, as it has always been. However, many different factions for change has several different ideas as to how the English alphabet should change. This website advocates one such idea - Quikscript.
quikscript answers
Is Quikscript the perfect solution to traditional spelling and/or the normal alphabet?
No. It isn't. What Quikscript is, in my opinion, is the best alternative out of the list of possible alternatives to traditional spelling & the regular English alphabet. This does not mean, though, that it is perfect. That standard is realistically unattainable because the concept of perfection is many different characteristics to many different people.
Is Quikscript the only alternate English alphabet out there?
No. There are other alternate English alphabets. You are certainly encouraged to seek them out so that you may establish a more informed opinion about the merits of Quikscript & English spelling reform in general.
What problems do you see that Quikscript has?
It is not so much problems with Quikscript but problems with the current state of English spelling & the current English alphabet. For a variety of people, there will be a variety of issues concerning Quikscript. What is important is the difference between the problems of normal English versus the perceived problems of Quikscript. Imagine, if you will, this scenario - Your current vehicle has many problems with it & more are being added all the time with no way to fix them. You can keep that vehicle or switch to a vehicle that has less problems.
Hey, how come you did this with [insert Quikscript letter here]?
Through my extensive use of Quikscript, I have noted areas where revision might be necessary. These revisions are, admittedly, not "canon" and you are free to use the original forms should you so desire.
dictionary answers
Hey, some of the Quikscript transcriptions of words don't match up to how I pronounce them!
I am glad that you disagree. The disagreements are most likely caused by :
- Continental/regional pronunciations differences. In short, Australians pronounce words differently then the British then the Americans do. This is an American dictionary with legitamite American pronunciations.
- Remember - The "R"s are always pronounced & spelt in Quikscript. While a Bostonian might always pronounce "car" as "cah," it is nevertheless spelt with the "r" as that is how it was intended to be pronounced.
- Every effort has been made to insure that these pronunciations are as regional-neutral as possible. Whenever possible, I have listened intently to national media broadcasts as a 'barometer' for how a word should be properly pronunciated.
- In the event that there is more then one legitimate way of pronouncing a word, I have chosen the more popular version.
Different viewpoints are most certainly welcome. Please invite me to your website or comparable media when your list is ready. It will be interesting to compare & contrast the list with my own.
library answers
Why not just use a "Phonetic translator" to speed up your transcriptions of Quikscript literature?
Yes, using a phonetic translator would speed up transcriptions of literature into the Quikscript alphabet. However, I consider typing in Quikscript to be very instrumental for maintaining my skills in it. At this stage of my education, I can type as fast in Quikscript as I can using the conventional alphabet. I know I would not be able to do this if I simply poured words into a program on a routine basis to produce it's Quikscript equivalent. After all, if you spoke English but was learning French, would it help if all you ever did was use a translation program to convert your English writings into French?
There is a place for such translator programs in the realm of Quikscript. I continue to review my opinions on this subject so that I may contribute as much as I can to the field of Quikscript.