Original_To:  BITNET%"vpiej-l@vtvm1"
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.vpiej-l
Date:         Wed, 9 Sep 1992 16:05:00 EDT
              and Access" <VPIEJ-L@VTVM1.BITNET>
From:         "PROFESSOR M. BITETTO" <MBITETTO@SNYESCVA.BITNET>
Subject:      RE: Very interesting software f/t visually handicapped.....

TALKING Version 1.2.2.  INFORMATION INK, LTD.
Copyright (c) 1984,  1986,  1990,  1991,  1992
All Rights Reserved


What is TALKING?

What hardware is it compatible with?

What software is it compatible with?

How much does it cost?


     TALKING is a program that converts digitally stored data
into  speech; however, unlike any of the other commercially
available speech software, TALKING does not run on only one type
of computer platform and also does not run as a terminate and
stay resident program (a primitive operating systems version of
a device driver i.e. Micro Soft DOS). Consequently, this program
is not limited in its size and flexibility (it can take
advantage of such modern operating systems features as demand
paging and frame page management).

     In terms of hardware compatibility, TALKING will work with
computers that range from XEROX 820, Apple Macintosh,
I.B.M. Compatible, DEC VAX, I.B.M. R-6000, Kaypro 1 through 10,
NEXT P C, I.B.M. A.S. 400, Silicon Graphics workstations, NIXTOFF
systems, Data General workstations, H.P. 3000-9000 workstations,
full line of Sun Micro Systems SPARC based workstations, full
line of A T and T 6000 based computers, A T and T 3B1, full line
of A T and T 3B2 family of computers, full line of Commodore
AMIGA's, I.B.M. 3090 family of computers, full line Control Data
family of computers, full line of Cray computers and the complete
line of SPARC compatible workstations that are made by more than
200 companies.
     Additionally, this program will function on almost any
speech synthesizer that operates via a serial, parallel, or, S C
S I port (it will not function with any internally base speech
synthesizers and any of the T.S.I based speech synthesizers).

     When it comes to software compatibility, TALKING will
operate with almost any application that runs under VAX V.M.S.,
Ultrix, O.S. 400, C.D.C. NOS, A T and T UNIX, Berkeley UNIX,
M.A.C.H. (pronounced MOC and is an operating system developed at
C.M.U.), Digital Research Concurrent DOS, Digital Research Multi-
user DOS, Commodore Amiga DOS, Macintosh MIX, SUN O.S., I.B.M.
O.S. 400, I.B.M. C.M.S., V MOS, MINOS, and Coherent O.S.

     Most significantly, TALKING only cost 15 U.S. dollars (only
within the continental U.S. and only for five and a quarter
inch diskette technology in generic disk format) per copy
and a user support fee of only 12 U.S. dollars per year








(only within the continental U.S. and is offered only by audio
cassette). This is in sharp contrast to the other commercially
offered speech programs that range in cost from 600 to 1000
U.S. dollars each and are only capable of functioning on either
Macintosh Computers running Mac O.S., or, I.B.M. compatible
running Micro Soft DOS (a primitive C.P.M. like operating system
for 8 bit and 16 bit Intel based personal computers).

          Why is TALKING so inexpensive?

     The reason for TALKING's relatively low cost results from
the fact that, INFORMATION INK, LTD. has adapted the philosophy
of the FREE SOFTWARE FOUNDATION.
     This philosophy simply states that any financial gain gotten
from software, can only be gotten for user support of that
software (software alone forms the basis of an incomplete
solution); hence, anyone interested in making money from
any of INFORMATION INK, LTD's software, can do so  provided they
only charge for user support.

               History Behind TALKING

     In 1983 I received my first personal computer, a Radio Shack
Pocket Computer 2 modified with 24 kilobytes of RAM and 16 kilo-
bytes of ROM (RAM - Random Access Memory, ROM - Read Only
Memory) and using a Mini 9 cassette recorder. This first
preliminary version was called MICI (Morse code Information
Conversion Interface). This program slowly evolved into the SPEAK
program that ran on the DEC-100 C.P.M. based personal desk-size
computer using 8 inch flexible disks and a VOTREX speech
synthesizer built from the VOTREX speech kit (this was in 1984).
This version of the speech program (this was late in 1984) than
evolved into TALKING version 1.0.0 and ran on a Kaypro 4 (a
computer equipped with two 1200 r.p.m. 5.25 inch mini-floppy
drives and one 10 megabyte fixed drive and also equipped with a
6 megahertz Z80 microprocessor) using the CONIX operating
system (a Z80 based version of UNIX). Finally, TALKING evolved
into TALKING version 1.2.2.
     This ultimate version has incorporated technology that was
developed to allow TALKING to function in a user programmable
mode via a shell scripting language and also function in an
E.B.T - T.B.T mode (Electronic Book Technology - Talking Book
Technology). Moreover, this refinement allows TALKING to
additionally speak in more than 200 different languages (this is
done with the aid of TOPOV - Textual Oriented Phonetic Output of
Voice) and comes in both a SLATTACH-able version and a non-
SLATTACH-able version.

     For computer systems and operating systems other than
Digital Research Multi-User DOS, Coherent O.S., V MOS, MINOS, and
Berkeley UNIX, there exists a porting fee. For more information
about the porting fee, or, technology training seminars
call (718)278-8191.

                         For more information,
                         write to:

                         INFORMATION INK, LTD.
                         2542 49 Street
                         Long Island City, N.Y. 11103

                         PHONE: (718)278-8191
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU