Hi everyone, I could use your help testing a new site feature.
The vocabulary tool is a script which builds and emails to you custom vocabulary lists. Specifically, you can select which vocabulary list you would like to receive, how many words per list and how often to receive them.
This script is the first step in a large project where interactive vocabulary quizzes will be generated that test your vocabulary.
I would most appreciate anyone’s help. All you need to do is enroll in a list and you’ll start receiving vocabulary by email. Just let me know if you notice something not working.
Here’s the link to enroll. You’ll need to be a Textkit Newsletter subscriber to do so. Once you enroll, sign-up for a vocabulary courese to begin receiving mailings.
Thanks for putting this together. I’m looking forward to receiving my quotidian email of Latin vocab.
Here’s a little thought. Would it be possible to include links (on the vocab course page) to the C&D and N&H book download page? And of course, vice versa, by mentioning and linking to th Vocab Tool enrollment page from the C&D and N&H download page?
that’s a very nice idea! I’ll do that in the final version.
There are a few bells and whistles still not developed. I need for the page to say how many words are in the list, preview the list, and say how many learners have subscribed to it in the past.
I set the chron job to run at 11:00 PM eastern time (GMT -5:00) . The script runs once a day.
I can’t imagine the pain of trying to get a consistent system for emailing Greek font. I get some email lists that use transliteration schemes and I can’t stand looking at it. It makes me feel like I’m translating into Greek then back to english (very akward). HTML should be good. I like unicode things, but email programs don’t seem to be as hip as word processors on unicode.
You could try bitmaps. I’ve seen it done on websites.
you’re welcome! the script should be neato because it allows you to adjust the frequency of mailings. I even threw in a feature where someone subscribed to the list can put a vacation hold on their mailings and it’ll resume the list right where he or she left of. The whole idea here is create something that is hopefully very flexible and will promote the consistent study of Greek and Latin.
I’ll most likely go the HTML route. I thought about unicode, but 12% of visitors are using win98 which doesn’t support unicode fully.
The real trouble with the Greek will be that it’ll need to be keyed into the database already encoded for SPIonic and down the road should we want to make a font change I’ll have to figure out how to convert that. It can be done I’m sure, but it wouldn’t be pretty.
BTW… i REALLY need people to test this out. What I’m looking for is how well the script peforms with many subscribers and the server resources it uses. So even if you’re interested in Greek, please consider subscribing. Once you receive all the words on the list, it’ll stop mailings. Just set your preferences to 20 words and a mailing everyday and you’ll complete an entire list in just a few days.
I for one don’t mind seeing Greek transliterated. I’ve spent enough time looking at Greek code, it has become quite natural to me. The trick is to pick a transliteration scheme and stick with it. We recently changed our transliteration scheme with the software I work on, and it DID take a bit of work to change all of the x–>c, c–>x…what a pain! Keep us posted on when a Greek version is available.
Will do - it’s right around the corner. I plan to make the first list Homeric Greek vocabulary from Pharr. If someone would like to do White, please let me know.
I’d like a koine vocabulary mailout, but any of the others are good if there’s not enough interest. Etymology will be helpful and when I get Homeric or Attic I’ll probably go look up the Koine forms anyways.
I think I’d prefer jpgs to html, but I see how that would probably be much more work. I hope there will be a warning about this (that html mails will be used) because right now I’ve put a ban on all html mail, which I’d somehow have to deactivate again .
But if any images were used, HTML code would still be needed to pull the image from our server to your email client. So text HTML with encoded font is still the best choice. I don’t know yet if a plain text message can be sent where portions of the text are in two different fonts.
Is it possible to simply convert them to pdf? I would think that would shrink them quite nicely, and that way you don’t have to worry about fonts, etc.
Did you get your mailing? I checked the database and it looks like about 15 mailings went out.
I have noticed a few things I will fix so I’ll say them now.
The very first mailing it’s say that your record set begins with word ‘0’. I need to get that changed to say 1.
There is too one place where it will say something in plural when perhaps you are receiving only 1 word.
Finally, when you finish the list (i don’t think anyone has gotten that far) you will simply stop getting mailings. I need to say something to indicate that this is your final mailing.
I’ll write another query to relate the vocabulary with it’s list details so that the subject of the email can have the list title. Good point.
There’s actually nothing to stop someone from subscribing to the same list multiple times. I need to put something in place to prevent that. But I’ll make it so that anyone can subscribe to as many different vocabulary lists as he or she pleases.
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would advise you to go with D’Ooges book (if you’re dense like me, add in Collar & Daniell for some more practice).