4.0712 Queries: Machinery and Software (6/128)

Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Tue, 13 Nov 90 17:02:13 EST

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 4, No. 0712. Tuesday, 13 Nov 1990.

(1) Date: Tue, 13 Nov 90 12:43:56 CST (35 lines)
From: Charles Ess <DRU001D@SMSVMA>
Subject: machine of choice

(2) Date: Mon, 12 Nov 90 18:40 +0800 (23 lines)
From: "Malcolm Butler, Music Department, HKU" <HRAUBUT@HKUCC.BITNET>
Subject: Scanners & OCR Software

(3) Date: Tue, 13 Nov 90 09:15:43 -0500 (EST) (12 lines)
From: Leslie Burkholder <lb0q+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: grammar checkers

(4) Date: 9 November 90, 18:09:20 EST (17 lines)
From: Maurizio Lana <U245@ITOCSIVM>
Subject: D. Packard's MORPH; password protection

(5) Date: Mon, 12 Nov 90 09:30:54 CST (16 lines)
From: Mark Olsen <mark@gide.uchicago.edu>
Subject: Spelling checker query

(6) Date: Sun, 11 Nov 90 10:04:29 EST (25 lines)
From: "Paul H. Bern" <PHBERN@SUVM>
Subject: READABILITY INDICES

(1) --------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 90 12:43:56 CST
From: Charles Ess <DRU001D@SMSVMA>
Subject: machine of choice

At the risk of starting computer wars (again) on HUMANIST, I would like
to ask a question intended to forstall such wars on our campus.

The recent guidelines from the ACH Taskforce on Humanities Computing
Support (HUMANIST 4.0439) makes as its first recommendation for an
"ideal" humanities computer service that the service provide a personal
computer for each faculty member, along with appropriate sorts of support.

My impression from colleagues at other institutions where this is realized
is that this means a machine of "choice" -- i.e., among a diversity of
machines supported by the computer service, such as Macs, IBMs, Next
(Apollos, Suns, Decs) etc. My notion is that this is a great idea --
faculty need to have access to the platforms that run the software
they are primarily interested in, from the standpoint of either research
and/or instruction.

My question: does anyone _know_ just how widespread such a policy is --
in contrast, say, with a campus computing environment such as ours which
is so dominated by one platform (IBM) that acquisition of any other
platform is enormously problematic.

In other words -- is there any data or impression as to how many campuses
elect the model of diversity and giving faculty a choice over a range of
supported equipment, vs. how many campuses elect the "monolithic" model
(either through historical accident or by design)?

I am hoping to get some guidelines on this to incorporate as part of a
planning document. Any pertinent information in this regard would be
very much appreciated.

Charles Ess
Drury College
(2) --------------------------------------------------------------36----
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 90 18:40 +0800
From: "Malcolm Butler, Music Department, HKU" <HRAUBUT@HKUCC.BITNET>
Subject: Scanners & OCR Software

Help! I have to submit a recommendation for a scanner and a versatile,
trainable OCR software package to our Faculty office within the next
2 days. I know that there are lots of people out there with more
experience in this field than myself, so if anyone has some suggestions
to make and can give me an approximate idea of costs I'd be enormously
grateful. I've already grabbed the SCANNER files from the listserver
so I'm familiar with the information they provide, but there is
remarkably little to suggest what to buy. Our budget would be about
US$2,500 but if there is something good costing a little more we'd
certainly consider it.

I know that this topic has been widely discussed before, so if
suggestions could be sent to me directly I will gladly summarize the
views for the benefit of everyone on the list.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Malcolm Butler
Hong Kong University (hraubut@hkucc.bitnet)
(3) --------------------------------------------------------------30----
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 90 09:15:43 -0500 (EST)
From: Leslie Burkholder <lb0q+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: grammar checkers

Can anyone point me to reviews or studies of grammar checkers? I am
especially interested in reviews or studies that have considered the
questions: Will use of one of these things by freshmen writers decrease
grammatical errors in their essays? Does any learning take place as a
result of the use of these things? These questions do not seem to be
answered in reviews of grammar checkers appearing in computer magazines.
Please send responses to me and I will summarize.

Thanks, Leslie Burkholder
(4) --------------------------------------------------------------23----
Date: 9 November 90, 18:09:20 EST
From: U245 at ITOCSIVM
Subject: D. Packard's MORPH; password protection

MORPH: I'd like to know if it is possible an academic use of
MORPH, because I'm doing some studies about greek texts that I
need to lemmatize. If, for any reason, MORPH can't be reached,
does anyone know of some other software doing the same thing?

PASSWORD: I remember I saw advertised on Byte (perhaps) a small
card containing the software for a password controlled access to
PCs, **before bootstrap procedure** so solving the "problem of
drive A:" from which one cold boot the PC. Does anyone know
something about this or similar gadgets?

Thank you.
Maurizio Lana
(5) --------------------------------------------------------------35----
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 90 09:30:54 CST
From: Mark Olsen <mark@gide.uchicago.edu>
Subject: Spelling checker query

I have heard about a French language spelling checker for microcomputers
called HUGO. It is supposed to combine traditional spelling checker
technology with morphological analysis to identify forms of words
not found in the dictionary. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Mark
ARTFL Project
U of Chicago

(6) --------------------------------------------------------------33----
Date: Sun, 11 Nov 90 10:04:29 EST
From: "Paul H. Bern" <PHBERN@SUVM>
Subject: READABILITY INDICES

Hello Everyone,

Could anyone help me with some references for readability indices?
Specifically, I am looking for articles on the "Fog Index" and the
"Flesch-Kinkaid Index." If you have references on any other similar
indices, I would be interested in those as well.

Please respond to me directly as I no longer subscribe to the list. If
I get enough of a response, I will summarize for the list.

Thanks in advance,

Paul H. Bern

Paul H. Bern
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication
Rm. 488 NCC II INTERNET: PHBERN@SUVM.ACS.SYR.EDU
Syracuse University BITNET: PHBERN@SUVM
Syracuse, NY 13244 (315) 443-4081