Speech and Debate
Timekeeper

Speech and Debate Timekeeper is an open source, multi-platform timer for speech and debate competitions. It has speech order and time limits preset for Policy, Lincoln-Douglas, Parliamentary, Public Forum, World Schools, Karl Popper, and miscellaneous debate formats as well as individual events.

This timer gives visual and/or vocal time signals at user defined intervals so that you will never have to give manual time signals or frequently look at the time. At the end of each speech, cross-examination, or preparation, the timer automatically sets itself to time the next thing that needs timing at the push of a button. No stopwatch or general purpose timer comes this close to fulfilling the role of a dedicated timekeeper in a round.

News

4/16/2008 - Speech and Debate Timekeeper Awarded 5 Stars on SoftArea51.

3/30/2008 - Speech and Debate Timekeeper Receives Softaster Editors' Choice Award.

3/7/2008 - Speech and Debate Timekeeper Awarded 5 Stars on Download25.

1/30/2008 - Speech and Debate Timekeeper 2.2 Released.

8/22/2007 - Speech and Debate Timekeeper 2.1 Released.

2/22/2007 - Broken Pocket PC Packages Removed from Downloads.

10/7/2006 - Speech and Debate Timekeeper 2.0.2 Released.
                    Yet another bug fix release.

9/20/2006 - Speech and Debate Timekeeper 2.0.1 Released.
                    This release includes a critical bug fix for Pocket PCs.

9/2/2006 - Speech and Debate Timekeeper 2.0 Released.
                    This release no longer requires a web browser.

News Archive

Features

• Simple stopwatch style interface simultaneously shows time elapsed and remaining. Buttons are large so that they can be finger pressed on touch screen PDAs.
• Visual time signals on a color coded background indicating minutes or seconds remaining using a traffic light coloring scheme.
• Spoken time signals or tones, including protected minute alerts for points of information in constructive speeches of Parliamentary debates.
• Tracks speech order and prep times. Default time limits are set according to the selected event and are adjustable.
• The name of the speech or task being timed is displayed in the title of the window.
• Navigational buttons set the timer to time the previous or next task.
• High contrast display setting with black text on a white background.
• Context sensitive help screens are available from drop down menus.

Supported Systems

• Windows 98/ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista with Java Runtime Environment 1.3 or higher installed.
• Mac OS X.
• Any Unix or Linux based OS with Java Runtime Environment 1.3 or higher installed.
• Palm OS 4 or higher handheld devices. Requires SuperWaba virtual machine version 5.84 (included in the download).
• Pocket PC and Windows Mobile handheld devices. Requires SuperWaba virtual machine version 5.84 (included in the download).

Download

The latest release of Speech and Debate Timekeeper can be downloaded from SourceForge.

Online Demo

Try the fully functional, online version of Speech and Debate Timekeeper. You will need Java enabled in your web browser. Click on the following link to launch the applet.

Speech and Debate Timekeeper Java Applet