Bonnie.Snyder@f13.n128.z1.fidonet.org (Bonnie Snyder) (12/05/90)
Index Number: 12286
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
I haven't been in this echo very long, so I don't know if this issue has
already been discussed. If so, please point me to the message string.
I attended two of the days ComDex was in session and definitely came away
with the impression that Windows was taking hold strongly and firmly. There
are major implications for the blind and the advent of GUI interfaces.
"Outspoken" on the Macintosh helps a blind person navigate quite successfully
around the graphical Mac desktop. Is there a similar speech program for the
IBM (and compatibles) which can help us navigate the Windows environment?
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!128!13!Bonnie.Snyder
Internet: Bonnie.Snyder@f13.n128.z1.fidonet.orgDonald.Breda@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Donald Breda) (12/05/90)
Index Number: 12324
BS> I haven't been in this echo very long, so I don't know if this
BS> issue has already been discussed. If so, please point me to
BS> the message string. I attended two of the days ComDex was in
BS> session and definitely came away with the impression that
BS> Windows was taking hold strongly and firmly. There are major
BS> implications for the blind and the advent of GUI interfaces.
BS> "Outspoken" on the Macintosh helps a blind person navigate
BS> quite successfully around the graphical Mac desktop. Is there
BS> a similar speech program for the IBM (and compatibles) which
BS> can help us navigate the Windows environment?
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Hi there; Welcome to the echo. there is a program wich is under development at
IBM wich will address the graphical user interface in a generic way.
At this time they are trying to make it work with OS2 and the presentation
manager, but if the approach works well it can apply to windows 3.0 as well.
IBM deffinately wants it to work with more then just the presentation manager.
I have watched the development of this product over the last year and the
strides they are making are quite incredable
I will say though that the person s using IBM screen reader in the MS-DOS will
end up being far ahead of everyone when that access finally occurs.
It is time to throw away our ideas of a conventional screen and get rid of those
ancient protests such as "I won't take my hands off the keyboard."
WWhen access to the graphical user interface becomes a reality and that is
looking better and better asll the time, we will be nbetter off then ever.
... Abled, Blinktalk and silver in boston
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460!Donald.Breda
Internet: Donald.Breda@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.orgDaveed.Mandell@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Daveed Mandell) (12/05/90)
Index Number: 12326
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Don: Could you give us a report on the recent
braille Research and Literacy conference held in Boston?
I understand many topics including graphical interfaces
were discussed, and that even WordPerfect Corporation was
represented.
--Daveed--
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460.0!Daveed.Mandell
Internet: Daveed.Mandell@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.orgDonald.Breda@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Donald Breda) (12/06/90)
Index Number: 12361
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
DM> Don: Could you give us a report on the recent
DM> braille Research and Literacy conference held in Boston?
DM> I understand many topics including graphical interfaces
DM> were discussed, and that even WordPerfect Corporation was
DM> represented.
DM> --Daveed--
Well I couldn't even begin to really give you a report on the conference
since I was only able to attend a part of it.ARTS has written up the
conference procedings and the articles submitted by some of the
presenters, and I believe he will make them available.
We discussed the braille code and the trends in the computer market.
Basicly pointing out how braille can only represent a small even tiny
portion of the standard ansi character set as it stands today.
That character set will be growing considerably in a short time and that
will put us in even a worse position.
No one would say that all characters in the set should necessarily be
represented in braille, but we have to work towards goals such as that
to make braille robust.
We put forth the idea that braille is not currently a part of the ansi
standard character set and it certainly should be.
We are working to get things in line to make the evolution of braille
and its character set a part of the ANSI standards as it should be.
With the new technologies such as ISDN, which in another 10 to 20 years
could make our lives much easier, it is imparative that we make braille
consistant, and robust enough to be able to put it in ISDN as just
another one of the forms of media that data can be transmitted in.
I suggest that you call Petter Duran at (617)482-8248, and ask him if he
will be selling the conference pappers and talks, I am not sure.
I know that he has spent months transcribing the discussions and
articles from that conference and putting them in to braille.
I think he will send them back to the presenters first to get there
okay, then probably release them.
Take care.
... Abled, Blinktalk and sSilver xpress in Boston 9600 HST
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Internet: Donald.Breda@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.orgDonald.Breda@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Donald Breda) (01/03/91)
Index Number: 12617
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
BS> Thanks for the information, Don. Will this program be an
BS> adjunct to the IBM Screenreader or a separate program?
Well it would be a separate program at this point because it is written
for OS2, not MS-DOS. I don't know what the MS-DOS version will actually
be like, but I think it might be a new release of screen reader itself,
but I have no bassis for that.
Can it
BS> be used with most speech synthesizers (e.g., VertPlus,
BS> Speaqualizer, Artic, etc.)?
Well I am sure that IBM will at least support every synthesizer they
currently support with screen rreader. The speaqualizer would not be in
the picture since it needs no software to run, no software on disk that
is.
Can you divulge the name, or is
BS> the development still at the non-disclosure stage?
At this point it is being called "pm explore" pm being presentation
manager.
... Abled, Blinktalk and sSilver xpress in Boston 9600 HST
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Internet: Donald.Breda@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.orgChip.Orange@f778.n115.z1.fidonet.org (Chip Orange) (01/08/91)
Index Number: 12668
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
My place of employment is likely to begin to convert to windows 386 3.0
in six months or so, so I have been wondering exactly what I'm going to
do for speech access. As many of you know, I have written a graphical
user int3erface speech program for the Amiga, which is an environment
similar to that of MS windows, and it seemed like I was going to have to
start down that road again, since I couldn't find anyone who was
expecting to produce a windows speech program any time soon. Then I
contacted an old friend of mine an IBM, and he put me onto the head of
the screen reader development project, who told me that they plan to
start a version of screen reader for MS-windows next month, and it should
be ready for beta-testing in six months or so. In addition, you can now
get an interface card to allow you to use the external keypad screen
reader requires for control, so you no longer need a PS/2 machine to use
screen reader.
Just thought I'd pass this along for those of you in a similar bind.
Chip Orange
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Internet: Chip.Orange@f778.n115.z1.fidonet.orgAl.Hoffman@p0.f143.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Al Hoffman) (01/11/91)
Index Number: 12875
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Hi:
The ARtic/ nearly anything else serial/internal driver is almost
ready. It should be fun looking at the Windowed environment voice
output development, it will be a learning experience for us all, we'll
need extensions to the PAL language, but not drastic ones I hope.
I would think maybe some sort of icon naming function, and maybe
some sort of simpler Window identification metthod. What would really
be great is a PAL compiler compiler, like a Fourth Generation Pal
generator. Hope hope hope.
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Internet: Al.Hoffman@p0.f143.n109.z1.fidonet.org