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Date:         Wed, 19 Aug 1992 01:31:29 EDT
Reply-To:     Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
From:         Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
Subject:      Handicap Digest # 2882
X-To:         LHCAP <l-hcap@VM1.NODAK.EDU>

                             THE HANDICAP DIGEST

                                 Issue # 2882

                         Wednesday, August 19, 1992

Today's Topics:


                                ******

                           Blink Talk Digest # 692

                            Flipper Moves Ahead O
                                 music help
                                  Questions
                                 Jaws macros
                              music composition
                        Double Talk, Softvert, Telix
                               Access to GUI's
                              Re: Screen Reader
                  Using Vocal-Eyes with WordPerfect Office
                          Re: Braille N Speak Compl


                                ******


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Subject: Flipper Moves Ahead O
From: Walter.Siren@p18.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Walter Siren)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:396/5.18 - Pontchippi, New Orleans LA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 DT>         Yep, I was using one speech software on the bbs here and had to
 DT> replace it because everytime the board got mail, sorted mail or did daily
 DT> maint during the middle of the night the damm thing set here beeping and
 DT> bopping.  I called the people up at Jaws and they told me that there was no
 DT> way to turn of the beeps.  They told me how to slow them down and not get
 DT> as many of them, but said there was no way to turn them off completely.

Well, my computer has a switch which will turn the computer's
internal speaker off, and it comes in handy when I am using the
computer and others are sleeping.  Also, the beeps that jaws puts
out are just little clicks on my computer.  But, then each computer
has its own beeps.

Walter

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Subject: music help
From: John.Sanfilippo@p0.f102.n2603.z1.fidonet.org (John Sanfilippo)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:2603/102.0 - The Event Horizon, Bay Ridge NY


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Cindy, Texture is a sequencer. It can write midifiles, but it
does not itself score, nor does it present much of a graphic
score on screen. You can import the midifiles into your favorite
scoring program and work with it, but i have no experience with
this at all.

In fact, if you have experience with speech friendly scoring
programs (i think you mentioned "Score" in a previous message)
please do share that experience with me/us.

take care
John

... The cost of feathers has risen... Now even DOWN is up!

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Internet: John.Sanfilippo@p0.f102.n2603.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Questions
From: John.Sanfilippo@p0.f102.n2603.z1.fidonet.org (John Sanfilippo)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:2603/102.0 - The Event Horizon, Bay Ridge NY


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hi Frank,

A blind lawyer, Steve Mendelson (spelled wrong) wrote a book
some time ago called "Financing Adaptive Technologies ...".
Sorry, no further info.

Hope this helps.

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Internet: John.Sanfilippo@p0.f102.n2603.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Jaws macros
From: Jeff.Belina@p91.f20.n3603.z1.fidonet.org (Jeff Belina)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:3603/20.91 - Mercury Opus NEC360, St Petersburg FL


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Once upon a midnight weary...

04 Aug 92 02:52, Kelly Ford wrote to Jeff Belina:

 KF> When will H-J develop some kind of macro editor for JAWS.  I'm a fan of
 KF> JAWS but find it surprising that a program that relies so heavily on
 KF> macros really lacks provisions for handling them.

What kind of features are you looking for in a macro editor?  It is
an idea that gets batted around every so often.  And I am working
on something on my own time, but I haven't had much time to spend
on it.  Unfortunately as far as development time goes, there are a
number of features people are asking to be added to JAWS, as well
as new synthesizer features that need to be supported.

Thank you for your interest.

Bfn,
Jeff Belina
Technical Support & Sysop of Henter-Joyce Technical Support BBS (1:3603/5297)
Henter-Joyce, Inc.

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Subject: music composition
From: Robert.Gilchrist@f715.n153.z1.fidonet.org (Robert Gilchrist)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:153/715 - The BandMaster, Vancouver BC


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 On 07-20-92 Don Barrett wrote to All...

 DB> Hey out there in the big wide world:
 DB> Does anyone know of a music writing program that is
 DB> accessiblt in either speech or braille.  I am not so much
 DB> interested in playing music on the computer, but in
 DB> actually writing down compositions in musical notation
 DB> that is good enough to be publishable.  Any ideas would be
 DB> vastly and greatly appreciated.  Thanks much in advance
Don From Rob
You may have a problem with finding a music program that is accessible
in Braille or Speech. The reason is that any music programs I have seen
use graphics characters to stand-for or draw the musical symbols. You
could try using 8-dot Braille, or if your speech program has a
dictionary you might be able to redefine the characters so that what the
Screen Reading program reads is interpreted the way you want. It will be
alot of work.

I hope that I am incorrect on these points, since it would be nice in
this case to stand corrected.
Rob
(VE7CZV)

... OFFLINE 1.35 * Format another (Y/N)?

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Internet: Robert.Gilchrist@f715.n153.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Double Talk, Softvert, Telix
From: Susan.Wimberly@f5.n382.z1.fidonet.org (Susan Wimberly)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:382/5 - Health-Link, Austin TX


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Is anyone out there using Double Talk, Soft Vert and Telix
successfully?  My husband is having trouble with this combination.
Until he changed to the Double Talk synthesizer he was able to use
Telix successfully.  Now he does not receive all the information on his
screen; it's like some of the letters in words are missing entirely.
Would appreciate any help.  Thanks in advance.  I'm using Telix, Soft
Vert and my Echo and things are working fine.
          Susan

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Internet: Susan.Wimberly@f5.n382.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Access to GUI's
From: Greg.Pike@f49.n272.z1.fidonet.org (Greg Pike)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:272/49 - Calliope's Den, Garrison NY


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

All,

I addressed this to all because David has brought up a point that's
of interest to all who have an interest in access software.  I
suspect many are just ignoring the messages between us at this
point, because our discussion seems to have passed the point of
relevance.

David Tanner writes:
 DT>         My hope is that IBM will come up with a product for OS2 that is
 DT> so easy to use, so user friendly, and provides such
 DT> complete access to OS2 and Windows that we will truly
 DT> feel that the speech software has become transparent to
 DT> our use of a computer.  Unfortunantly, their present

To borrow a phrase from my previous work in Ada compilers, there's
no silver bullet.  Unfortunately I don't think any company is going
to develop an access system for any GUI that will be easier than
what we currently have for DOS.  The environment is inherently more
complex, and the access software is going to reflect that.  The
high lofty goal that everyone should be aiming for is for the
access software to provide blind users with the same benefits of a
graphical user interface that sighted users perceive they get from
it.  If that goal can be attained, then blind users will prefer the
graphical user environment for the same reason that sighted users
do.  Like I said, that's a pretty lofty goal.  We'll see what
everyone can provide.

As a quick example of why the environment is more complex, consider
that you will need at least the same functionality that was
available under DOS.  In addition, both OS/2 and Windows provide
the ability to run multiple DOS sessions, so instead of having one
nice little DOS machine, you've got multiple DOS machines.  Add to
that all the cutesy GUI specific things like window titles, icons,
scrollbars, pushbuttons, etc. and you've got quite a bit of
functionality to provide beyond the standard DOS environment.

The reports from our beta testers are good.  They like the GUI.  It
takes a while to get used to, but they now prefer it over DOS.  I
think if you talk to the beta testers of other access software for
GUI's, you'll probably hear the same impressions.

/Greg

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Internet: Greg.Pike@f49.n272.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Screen Reader
From: Greg.Pike@f49.n272.z1.fidonet.org (Greg Pike)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:272/49 - Calliope's Den, Garrison NY


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Willie,

 WW>     I don't particularly want to get involved in this discussion, but..

Certainly don't blame you there!

 WW>      Wouldn't it be nice if we could all get our hands on a demo of
 WW> Screen Reader so we wouldn't have to leave this debate up to just you
 WW> two?

That certainly would be nice!  I have brought up the point that we
are one of the few packages that don't have a demo version
available.  I can't promise anything, but it is being discussed.
Naturally, there a lot of questions about what should or should not
be in a demo version and how to release a version that shows how
the whole system works without releasing the system for free.
There are also legal concerns, and the extra cost involved in
building a new system specifically for demonstration purposes.
Again, no promises, but it is being discussed.  I'll keep you
posted on what's going on.

/Greg

... I'm still alive.

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Internet: Greg.Pike@f49.n272.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Using Vocal-Eyes with WordPerfect Office
From: Les.Kriegler@f207.n260.z1.fidonet.org (Les Kriegler)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:260/207 - The Recovery Room, Rochester NY


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

When using Vocal-Eyes with the Office Shell, my system is locking up when I
 attempt to exit a program from within the shell.  I eliminated my autoexec
 file for testing purposes, and went with a 2 line config.sys file with Files
 and Buffers statements only.  When I removed Vocal-Eyes as well, I was then
 able to exit the shell after starting a program from within it.  Has anyone
 used this product with Vocal-Eyes.  If so, have you encountered this problem?
 Regards, Les

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Internet: Les.Kriegler@f207.n260.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Braille N Speak Compl
From: Christopher.Hill@p233.f4115.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Christopher Hill)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:124/4115.233 - Southern Crossroads, Grapevine TX


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

In a msg on <Aug 03 21:56>, David Tanner of 1:129/168 writes:

 DT>         You know what, I think the big problem is that now that
 DT> Dean has added a few more frills to the Braille 'N Speak
 DT> everybody wants to compare it to a notebook computer.

Maybe the problem is that portables and notebooks have had a steep
drop in price.  I've got the old bns, and the main beef I have with
it is the editor.  You can have insert mode on and not be able to
move around your file, or you can type and have everything appear
at the end.  On the pc, I always work in insert mode, and that
allows me to go back and stick anything in at will.  The bns can't
do this, at least in my version.  It's okay for typing in notes,
but editing is a pain in the backside.

With the price-drop in notebooks, you can't help but compare the two.
Chris

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Internet: Christopher.Hill@p233.f4115.n124.z1.fidonet.org




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                                ******

                  End of Issue # 2882 of the Handicap Digest

                                ******
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