Dasher

“Day 17: Text input using a pointer only.”

Dasher isn't new. I first came across it over a decade ago, and it has progressed since then. But there hasn't been a new version since 2016 when the primary developer of version 5 died.

Dasher is a text entry system that uses a pointing device only. You steer through a wall of letters picking out words as you do so. It is predictive, so the “gates” for each letter are different sizes, making common words easier to navigate through.

It's really hard to describe in words, so pop over to its home page at http://www.inference.org.uk/dasher/ and then come back for the rest of this post

While it's an interesting diversion for those of us who can use a keyboard, it is those whose movement is severely impaired that can benefit most. With a joystick you are able to write text. At its most ingenious, it can be linked to a gaze camera so that someone totally paralysed and unable to speak can still communicate if they are able to control their eye movement.

I love free software. Instead of dying with its creators, it becomes part of their legacy.

This post is day 17 of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Visit https://100daystooffload.com to get more info, or to get involved.