Some things that are in need of improvement

Question

Hello,

First I just want to write "thank you" for this very informative and useful site.

Just a couple of things though... First of is the issue of the missing audio-files for some parts of the Listen-sections in Learn Spanish 1. There are too many to list them all individually here - usually at least one or two in every lesson (one time I counted 4 or 5). It's very frustrating when I'm supposed to pick the correct answer out of the 4 options given when all I hear is silence.

It could of course be a local problem for this computer, but I doubt it since the audio works perfectly in most cases.

Another problem has to do with the Recall-exercises and the way its points are awarded. You seem to have a set time limit of X seconds in order to score the maximum amount of 10 points per every correct answer. The issue I have with this is that this amount of time does not seem to differ regardless of the number of letters in the word or sentence asked for. This makes it practically impossible to score 10 points for some of the longer sentences even if you start to type the answer immediately after having identified the motive of the picture. And I type faster than some people speak.

One thing that compounds the above problem is that you site does not seem to support the use of non-Anglo-Saxon keyboards. I have to manually place out all the "special" letters containing tildes and ~ by using your very slow built-in system for this instead of just using my keyboard (which works everywhere else on your site outside of the exercises - for example here writing this post).

One time I even had to copy and then paste a question mark in order to correctly answer a question, just because your site would not allow me to create one using my keyboard. Not the end of the world of course, but I like this site and would be happy to see it improve into becoming even better than what is it today.

That's all, end of rant...

• I can get the tildes with AltGr and the letter, but I can't get ñ, nor the upside down symbols - I have to remember the Alt+numeric keypad for those. It's still much faster than the site toolbar. - Jespa Oct 21, 2009
• You've got some good points there, Morel. - --Mariana-- Oct 21, 2009
• well, I don¡t - Heidita Oct 21, 2009
• Morel, have you at least tried to look at the Spanish typing threads? - Heidita Oct 21, 2009
• I also found dozens of missing audio throughout spanish levels 2,3, and 4. Can somebody at SD audit and fix these? - pesta Jul 30, 2010

Answer 1

Morel - on the recall section of the flashcards, if you flip the terms in the options before starting, you can type the answers in English - which cuts out the need for the special symbols. After that, the 10 points depends on your accuracy and speed!

Being a virgo, and a perfectionist, I find myself compelled to try for the perfect 10 each time, and yes, sometimes it takes me several tries to do this, but the constant repettion does at least drive the lesson home!

Heidita - I love your site. It's the best I've ever found, as a learning tool, and as a community too. You can all be proud of it.

• thanks sheila:):) - Heidita Oct 21, 2009
• This site is the BEST...no question about it. - --Mariana-- Oct 21, 2009
• Estoy de acuerdo. - sunshinzmomm Oct 21, 2009
• ¡Yo también! - Issabela Oct 22, 2009

Answer 2

These are really only problems if you feel as if your score is important. Remember, learning is what is important

• I agree. Nevertheless, I can understand students wanting to get a high score on the tests/flashcards. - --Mariana-- Oct 21, 2009
• I disagree ... being able to correctly type Señor or Señorita matters to me, regardless of whose computer I am using. I am very happy to have learned Alt 164 is ñ no matter where I am typing. Points or no points. - LateToDinner Jul 30, 2010

Answer 3

Hello again,

Thanks for the replies - it's nice to see the high level of activity here!

I think some of the points with my post were missed and/or misunderstood... Despite what it might seem to some I am not actually very anal when it comes to the necessity of scoring high virtual points on this site. On the contrary I don't quite fully see the point of having points to begin with (no pun intended).

And this just for the same reason that was put forward by some contributors to this thread, namely that this is a place where you come to learn and improve your own language skills in cooperation rather than competition with others, and as long as you acquire the knowledge that the lesson has to offer it's irrelevant whether you do so whilst being "awarded" with a virtual digit that represents the number ten, seven or three.

I would be happy with just a Correct! or Incorrect! being communicated after each answer. Now, of course having some sort of timer could be useful as an indicator of how "fluent" one is in the given level of Spanish, but that information is also interesting really only to oneself.

What annoys me (and that is really a too strong of a word to begin with) is the inconsistency, no more and no less. If you want to have a point-system then you should design it so as to best reflect reality. And of course I'm not talking about some big overhauling of everything in a vain attempt to attain perfection in an area which we all agree isn't that important to begin with - just that very basic parameters like having a flexible timer that adapts to the length of the answer is needed if the point system is to fill any valuable function at all (as a "fluidity-meter" for example).

As it is now I score 10 points for writing "el sol" slowly while earning 8 for writing "La comisaría de policía" very quickly.

Anyway, the issue with the points wasn't the main rationale for my post. The reason I created the thread was due to the genuinely annoying absence of some of the sound clips in the Listen-sections. And as of yet no one has responded to that part of my post... Assuming that the problem does not lie with my computer then that is a genuine problem and flaw/error of this site, no matter the questions of subjectivity and relative perspective.

And again, thanks for this great site. And I am aware of the fact that it is free, which is something that I very much appreciate.

• Morel, if you have a link to the flashcards or videos you are referring to , please post them on Paralee¡s thread for errors on videos. - Heidita Oct 22, 2009
• I was thinking to do exactly that when I was going through the lessons, but I didn't know how big the problem was until I was 20 lessons along. By then, it didn't seem worth my time to go back and identify them all. I love this site, even so! - pesta Jul 30, 2010

Answer 4

HI Behe, you can say what you wish here, and I can agree or not, can't I?? Thanks.

What does this mean:

if you improve [censored] it is still [censored].

??

And Morel pointed out a couple of things which are annoying to her/him. It is not a flaw or error this site has.

If we had to deal with all the things that annoy us in life.......

Answer 5

Nothing is perfect

Answer 6

What happened to Morel's thread!

• Amazing how some threads get where they do! But there are some great links here and I wanted to be able to find them again so I had to say something! - LateToDinner Jul 30, 2010

Answer 7

Hi, More, I find that the best way to type Spanish letters is to use the US-International keyboard. You can search on the internet for directions to use the keyboard. It is usually right on your computer. You just have to set it up. And I just realized that it was created by our very own qfreed! Oh and if you don't want to remove the other keyboard, all you have to do to switch to the US-International keyboard is type shift+enter.

Answer 8

HI Morel, thanks for the input.

Have a look at several reference articles about typing Spanish letters.

It is really not important if you score 10 points or not...it has no influence at all in your learning.

The recall section cannot be formated individually.

We are glad you like it here. Please remember that this site is free

• I think the kids feel it's important to get high scores on the flashcard sections. It's probably because they are in school and used to getting good grades. It must be frustrating to them to lose points while they are typing Spanish characters. :-) - --Mariana-- Oct 21, 2009
• I think it is probably more about the kids used to trying for high scores in video games. - Izanoni1 Oct 21, 2009

Answer 9

Hi. Heidita - Morel pointed couple of annoying things here. Of course this site is great. That's the reason some people want it improved - if you improve [censored] it is still [censored]. Why bother...

And of course - it is free, which makes it even better...

Hmmm... we still can point errors and/or things to improve, can't we?

Answer 10

There are words we are not supposed to use here...

And I meant - if something is not worth caring about - it's not worth complaining about. Unlike this site.

I can agree or not, can't I?? Thanks.

I doubt you need my permission.

If we had to deal with all the things that annoy us in life....

There is no need to scare me with such perspective - OK?

With Respect Heidita (whether I do or don't agree).