Why ABCZ focuses on the Phrases advisory
Hi Marianne, That is an interesting option you raise. Here are my reasons why the main glossary in the ABCZ set of glossaries uses the Phrases advisory for the most part. One advantage to having as many entries as possible in one visual advisory or the other (the Phrases or Word advisory) is to keep things as simple as possible. It is less taxing as we work to glance down at one column, as needed, rather than two. Also, you can rely on one expansion key rather than having to think about two. Both of these are major considerations in determining how to set up fixed or static short and long forms in Instant Text. It is true that when there are no entries in the Phrases advisory, then the expansion key for Phrases will trigger whatever is showing in the Words advisory, so in those instances one expansion key will do the job. But you don't want to have to wait to see if the Phrases advisory is clear before triggering any given word in the Word advisory, as that slows one down quite a bit. Having about 85-95 percent of the fixed forms for words and phrases, as well as the continuations all in one advisory, as ABCZ does, seems to me the simplest, most effective way to go. It is also easier in transition for those coming from the format dominant in most other expanders: one expander key, one expansion choice. You still have the Words advisory as a backup for words which are not in the ABCZ.med glossary and therefore don't appear in the Phrases advisory. I make certain I check the box to include all words when I do a multiple compilation and that way all the patient names and other words that a given doctor uses appear there in the work glossary. (Formerly I didn't use patient names, but I have found it saves a few keystrokes here and there.) I believe many people do not use fixed forms for words in Instant Text, utilizing the skip ahead feature of Instant Text and using the Words advisory. But in my experience it is much faster, less taxing on the brain and allows for more flow to have a rule to go by. For very common words a short remembered fixed form can also be used, such as ae for approximate, ay for approximately, sq for subsequent, sqy for subsequently, etc. Some of the subsidiary glossaries of ABCZ consist of specialized words or entries and these words are displayed in the Words advisory. For example, Judy Gardiner and I have her Drug glossaries display the entries in the Words Advisory, because of the skip ahead feature. We suggest keeping the Drugs glossary open on a separate line, however, and not Including it with the regular work glossary or with ABCZ.med, but of course the user is free to do so if she desires. In summary, the Words advisory is an excellent resource for wild card searches and other purposes, but with ABCZ, primary use is made of the Phrases advisory so that the most common MT words, short and long phrases, as well as the continuations supplied by IT, are in one column and are summoned with one expansion key. Jon
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