An archive-wide revision like this would be a big deal, and probably won’t happen until we have a separate download section for all of the lesson files. We’d also need to finalize the HTML format and probably explore ways to make it more usable (ie. Carl’s dynamic CSS). Thing are changing on an ongoing basis now - if people compare the older HTML docs with the newer ones the improvements should be visible (speakers, proper punctuation, capitalization, etc.).

@AuntySue - the links in both PDF files aren’t actually to the HTML files themselves, which is why both redirect to the simplified page. The reason for the redirect is to avoid “breaking” the link to the HTML documents if we change the way we’re storing the data internally. I don’t think we’ll be able to make too much progress in usability here until we have a separate downloads section on the site.

Actually, there’s no really easy way to get my study onto a PDA in a useful format, but some things, like PDFs, make it a whole lot harder. Using the computer to read them doesn’t help, because as well as being non-portable, my computer’s CPU is half the speed of my PDA’s. That’s appropriate, because I mainly use it as a file transfer device, and use the PDA as my primary desktop.

Personally I dodge PDFs like the plague, they are inefficient huge files, primarily concerned with page layout. I’m interested in data, not fluff. I like to save the characters to a text file, convert it to GB2312 (or Big5 in my case) and simply read/edit that text file on my PDA with a text editor (txtMemo is excellent and free). Again, you need to buy CJKOS to read or write characters. Everything else you can get at freewarepalm.com

If you want to know more, let’s chat at the Forum where there’s already a lot of info about using PDAs for learning Chinese. Look on the Statistics page there, you’ll see it listed under the most-viewed topics.

For me I have found it takes 10 to 12 iterations of the same grammar pattern or lexical chunk to be able to retrieve it spontaneously when needed; otherwise one tends to take the conversation in a circuitous route to ones statement goal with “familiar fill in” phrases just so the interchange does’nt grind to a halt or revert to english.

My goal is to be at intermediate level at some future date for conversation only rather than advanced, after all,most chinese I have interacted with speak english to some extent and can always supply the word or phrase that may be lacking.

I’ll cerainly give the CPOD practice plan a shot.
Be good to hear from others whether the practice plan is of benefit in the long term or like the benefits of the French revolution it may be too soon to tell (Saul 2007)

I do find that my “structural understanding is way ahead of my ability to converse and be understood”. The former may be advanced, but the latter is upper intermediate (the lesson mix is actually 2/5 inter 3/5 upper). I did sign up for 8-weeks, reaching the end of my 5th week.
Also for me, there’s a huge difference between understanding / transcribing at your pace and (re)using focused vocab/patterns on request within a 12 minutes chat.
Prononciation isn’t a major issue, it’s more oral understanding and expressing myself real-time.
Keep in mind that it’s a different lesson every day, so that can easily require a fair amount of memorization. It’s one thing to listen to the dialogue or discussion between the hosts, it’s another to quickly call up the appropriate vocab relevant to today’s topic and move on to another topic.
I try to re-use patterns / tips / vocab from previous lessons (they’re somewhat organized by theme on my plan so that helps).
Again I don’t know about advanced grammar, the point for me is to be able to express any idea / concept just as I would in another language (uh, English or French that is). Not sure I’m making myself clear…