[gui-talk] Sighted "speed reading:" A little perspective

[Hoffman, Allen]

Joel:

I suppose this is way off topic, but A nice thread anyway.

I'd like more specific differences between tactile reading and visual
reading experiences to be able to process your post more carefully.

As a high skill Braille reader, and a former very very low ability print
reader, I don't think I agree with the differences to the extent you
seem to be postulating.  Braille has far less 2-d formats, and no 3-d
formats.  Braille has no sizing for meaning, and does not contain
pictorial data "much".  but, once one learns how to rapidly skim in
Braille, one can zip through blocks of text, read by word sizes if not
sentences at a time, and in general lose oneself in the words, just as
is possible with visual reading.  the differences are less than you seem
to state.  Visual readers can lose themselves in the words, but do have
a greater set of variables to work with on the page in terms of
presentation and layout options, but truly, in a novel, little variation
of format and other visual layout factors are present in the vast bulk
of the material.

So, I'd like to hear the set of differences you believe exist.  it might
be a perseption from inexperience using either media at the same general
level of usability, not the medias themselves.