[alpaca128]

It doesn't make it harder to learn, but easier for that specific person. Just like you change keyboard shortcuts and install plugins in tools you frequently use.

Afaik stenography has some standard dictionaries that you can start out with. But as you said it's expected to modify it because everyone writes different kinds of texts and stenography is all about optimizing for speed.

[xkfm]

Most people have a few different shortcuts, steno is more like easily over a hundred, with different sets depending on the context you're working in. It makes sense for professionals going to court about x subject. I just found it needlessly annoying, especially when combined with the different theories and trying to find extra material to learn with. Depending on the resource, you also have to make sure it matches the theory plover is using.

Plover isn't just learn this general theory and you're good to go. It's more like learn this theory, and you'll be able to type 85-95% of your sentence really fast.

Also, whenever you get to word that's not in your dictionary, you go from typing say 150wpm to basically 0. It's pretty easy to make a command to toggle plover on and off to type normally (and also to quickly add a word), but when you have to do it almost every sentence, it gets old quick.

Every time you switch to a new subject, you're probably going to have to add words to your dictionary for awhile. Squid Game just came out and you want to type the Koreans names, going to add new words. Your kid told you about this new game Roblox? New bundle of words. Supply chain just failed and you want to pretend you know what you're talking about and write comments about it on the internet? New bundle of words.

This isn't an issue for professionals, but it's frustrating from an amateur prospective. Using plover is very binary. When it works, it's incredible, when it doesn't, it sucks.