Since the new topic hasn't been opened, I will post my thoughts here.
samer wrote
I don't really understand the motivation of using new characters.
Numbers (7,3,2, etc) are available in all keyboards.
Everyone is already used to reading Lebanese using them.
Sure, it looks more fancy with greek characters, but I don't see how it would be more beneficial.
I think you should focus your effort on standardizing whatever we already have rather than starting from a clean slate (unless there's something I am missing).
I think the idea transcends IM, Facebook and twitter. What Bachir is trying to do is a real world standardization of the Lebanese languages, more than simply the alphabet.
Can you give me any grammar in the Lebanese language? That's the type of stuff you want to codify. Yet you cannot
invent the grammar. It has to come out by itself. What you need is for people to start using your language and slowly but surely, the rules will come out by themselves.
This is where the idea of defining an alphabet comes in. It's a necessary tool to start the adoption. It's true that alpha-numericals are already present on the keyboard. But Bashir's choice of letters is very relevant. What it lacks in convenience it makes up for in coherence. (It's actually his second iteration of the alphabet, after the first one showed some limts.
Check it out).
Now that the alphabet is defined we really need to start writing. A lot. We can start by translations, subtitles, song lyrics, Fairuz's song, religious texts, scientific papers, ... Once we have this sort of content, adoption will be easy.
SmartWorm has developed his own keyboard layout (one based on Dvorak, the other on Qwerty) to display the letters of his alphabet. I will work on a Linux version for those of you who are interested. Can anyone take care of Mac OS X ?
I think it's a wonderful project. I would love to be a part of it. SmartWorm if you read this, please contact me so that we can talk about some ideas I have.