1. A method for processing handwritten character strokes entered into a computer system by a user, comprising: providing first and second handwriting areas for receiving alphabetic letter strokes; providing a third handwriting area for receiving number and symbol strokes; receiving handwritten character strokes entered into the first, second and third handwriting areas; interpreting handwritten character strokes entered into the first and second handwriting areas as alphabetic characters but not as number or symbol characters; and interpreting handwritten character strokes entered into the third handwriting area as number or symbol characters but not as alphabetic characters.