1. A method for a user to specify a text string, the text string comprising a sequence of characters selected from an alphabet of characters, the method being performed by a processor running software, the method comprising the steps of: a. generating a display for presentation to a user, the display depicting at least two bands of characters, including a first depicted band; b. for each band, designating one character of the alphabet that is depicted in that band to be a focus character, with the designated focus character of the first depicted band being highlighted initially in the display; c. until a text string submission request from the user is received, i. if a character switch request is received from the user, removing the highlighting from the highlighted character in the display, and highlighting an adjacent character in the same depicted band as requested by the user, ii. if a band switch request is received from the user, removing the highlighting from the highlighted character in the display, and highlighting the designated focus character in another depicted band as requested by the user, iii. if a character selecting request is received from the user, selecting the highlighted character without altering the highlighting, and appending the selected character to the text string; and d. when a text string submission request is received, submitting the text string to a string processor, wherein only one character is ever highlighted at one time.
1. A method for a user to specify a text string, the text string comprising a sequence of characters selected from an alphabet of characters, the method being performed by a processor running software, the method comprising the steps of: a. generating a display for presentation to a user, the display depicting at least two bands of characters, including a first depicted band; b. for each band, designating one character of the alphabet that is depicted in that band to be a focus character, with the designated focus character of the first depicted band being highlighted initially in the display; c. until a text string submission request from the user is received, i. if a character switch request is received from the user, removing the highlighting from the highlighted character in the display, and highlighting an adjacent character in the same depicted band as requested by the user, ii. if a band switch request is received from the user, removing the highlighting from the highlighted character in the display, and highlighting the designated focus character in another depicted band as requested by the user, iii. if a character selecting request is received from the user, selecting the highlighted character without altering the highlighting, and appending the selected character to the text string; and d. when a text string submission request is received, submitting the text string to a string processor, wherein only one character is ever highlighted at one time. 5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the characters in each depicted band are ordered from a first character to a last character, the character switch request specifies whether to switch to the next character or the previous character in the order, and the other character in step ci is the next character in the order if the next character was specified and there is a next character, or the previous character in the order if the previous character was specified and there is a previous character.