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Approved-By:  Bill McGarry <wtm@SHELDEV.SHEL.ISC-BR.COM>
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Date:         Wed, 15 Apr 1992 01:30:44 EDT
Reply-To:     Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
From:         Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
Subject:      Handicap Digest # 2588
X-To:         LHCAP <l-hcap@VM1.NODAK.EDU>

                          THE HANDICAP DIGEST

                               Issue # 2588

                          Wednesday, April 15, 1992

Today's Topics:


                                ******


                          Re: Blind Fold The Sighte
                                New Hot Dots
                          New Braille Computer Disp
                               Re: doggie news
                                C programming
                              ASAP and numbers
                               Re: depression
                             Re: nls tb update.
                       Re: Electric cars and the blind
                           Re: Telecommunications
                               Re: depression


                                ******


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                              Bill McGarry (Moderator)
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Subject: Re: Blind Fold The Sighte
From: Warren.Figueiredo@f6.n3800.z1.fidonet.org (Warren Figueiredo)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:3800/6 - CompuChurch (tm) IH, Baton Rouge LA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

>Hell, I am sure that I was legally blind for months, >maybe years,
before most people had any idea I was lacking in peeper >function, and
other than hanging up the car keys, I didn't change that >much in my
life to lead people to come to the conclusion!

>I think most of us here are familiar with the term "blindisms", and
>if we're REAL honest with each other, we'll admit that each and every
>one of us has them to varying degrees.

Exactly. The fact that you had vision reduced the probability that you
would exhibit as many "blindisms" as someone who had been blind from
birth. That may be why you weren't noticed as much.

In my work with students I try to make them aware of these
differences--not so they can automatically eliminate them but so that
they will be aware of the potential effect on others. Ray Charles and
Stevie Wonder both rock and nobody cares. However a blind job applicant
with a turned or lowered head may send unintentional signals to an
employer.

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!3800!6!Warren.Figueiredo
Internet: Warren.Figueiredo@f6.n3800.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: New Hot Dots
From: Warren.Figueiredo@f6.n3800.z1.fidonet.org (Warren Figueiredo)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:3800/6 - CompuChurch (tm) IH, Baton Rouge LA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

>anyone out there know about the  upcoming version of hot dots?
>it's supposedly will have some automatic formating sceme... dan

Yes, I saw a preliminary version of MEGADOTS demonstrated at the recent
conference of the California Transcribers and Educators of the Visually
Handicapped held in Los Angeles.

Here is a portion of the MEGADOTS brochure
The Design for MEGADOTS
Megadots incorporates four unique technologies
-- a style-based formatting system which incorporates the rules for
braille
-- A smart importation system that is able to properly apply styles
-- instant feedback on the effects of any changes in the text
-- Very fast translators with virtually perfect "round trip
translations" available from within the WYSIWYG editing environment

Megadots -- A Style-Based System
A "style" is a collection of formatting attributes which can be applied
to an entire paragraph in one stroke. A style allows a consistent
pattern of output for similar material. In MegaDots, the styles describe
the formatting attributes in both the print manifestation and the
braille manifestation. When the text is translated from print into
braille, the system knows all the formatting attributes, since it knows
the style of each paragraph.

Smart File Importation System
When you import a file into MegaDots, each paragraph is inspected
intimately. The size of the paragraph, the number of sentences, the use
of emphasis, the kinds of characters that are in the paragraph are all
checked over. Based on this inspection, the file importation system
guesses what style to apply to the paragraph.

Instant Feedback
In the MegaDots editing environment, once a change is made, the user can
see the results in their choice of print or braille. Once the file has
been translated, it is quickly reformatted on the screen for the
appropriate medium (braille or print). If an error is noticed on the
screen, the user has the choice of fixing it in print or in braille.

Fast Translation and the "Round Trip"
In MegaDots, once you press the f5 button to translate a file, it takes
just a few seconds.
  In braille, the same symbol can mean several different things. For
  example, a slash and the letters "s t". To prevent this from
  happening, the MegaDots translator places invisible control characters
  in the braille file indicating that dots 3-4 came from a slash rather
  than an "s t". With perfect round trip translators, you can edit a
  print file, translate it to braille, make changes to the braille, back
  translate it again, make changes, and then translate to braille again.
  The result is an astonishing power to manipulate a file in the way
  that you want to.

If you want more information, contact Raised Dot. RDC expects to release
MegaDots during the summer.

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!3800!6!Warren.Figueiredo
Internet: Warren.Figueiredo@f6.n3800.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: New Braille Computer Disp
From: Warren.Figueiredo@f6.n3800.z1.fidonet.org (Warren Figueiredo)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:3800/6 - CompuChurch (tm) IH, Baton Rouge LA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

I would urge you to get in touch with Tim Cranmer. Call the National
Center for the Blind in Baltimore for his address. And by all means,
please keep us informed of the status of your project.

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!3800!6!Warren.Figueiredo
Internet: Warren.Figueiredo@f6.n3800.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: doggie news
From: Carol.Ashland@f56.n105.z1.fidonet.org (Carol Ashland)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:105/56 - The Overworked Drag, Portland OR


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

BB>  Carol, the week prior to reading your post I had visited with a two
BB>  guide dog family that was having problems on occasion with the newest
BB>  dog relieving himself in the house.  As you stated, it certainly

Not a nice situation.  The school I go to recommends keeping a new dog on
leash or tie-down at first for about three weeks, or more if necessary, and
taking it out on a definite schedule.  This can help with relieving
problems.  A more frequent schedule can be necessary if there is a real
problem.  I really feel sorry for new dogs, there is so much pressure on
them at first.  Just think about it:  their lives have been turned upside
down so many times!

Carol

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!105!56!Carol.Ashland
Internet: Carol.Ashland@f56.n105.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: C programming
From: Al.Hoffman@f143.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Al Hoffman)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:109/143 - DARKNESS III, Falls Church VA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hi Brenda:

If you aren't familiar with it yet you may want to start reading
the C-programming conference available on your local FidoNet
system, such as the Keeping Room.  The C-echo is a good source of
hand-holding and basic startup information on programming in C, as
well as more subtle and difficult subjects of programming in C.  I
wouldn't take the Richie book as all you can get, the disk manuals
from Borland are great sources of information, as well as Learn C
Now, Proficient C, and more available on disk from Computer Books
for the Blind, Recording for the Blind.  You can use the Richie
book, but its very dense and is not always related to the real
world, its sort of the theoretical underpinnings of C, while
sometimes you will want the nuts and bolts explained in a more
direct or verbose fashion.  Good luck.

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!143!Al.Hoffman
Internet: Al.Hoffman@f143.n109.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: ASAP and numbers
From: Larry.Skutchan@f120.n2320.z1.fidonet.org (Larry Skutchan)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:2320/120 - MicroTalk BBS, Louisville KY


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hi Les.  Yes, the numbers could have been through the speech software as
it was done in Vocal-Eyes, but we decided to let you take advantage of
any special number handling capabilities of the synthesizer.  The
Audapter, for instance, has some nice number handling capabilities.  I
don't know if this was the right decision, so we'll probably be adding
that to ASAP where you can do it either way.

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!2320!120!Larry.Skutchan
Internet: Larry.Skutchan@f120.n2320.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: depression
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]

The issue here is not what jobs can be done, but rather what
he can do.  The best advice you can give your friend is to
seek professional help.  Depression is an insidious thing, but
certainly treatable.  An evaluation to determine the need for
counseling and medication would be the biggest favoe you can
do for your friend.  Even if he rejects that, it's important
that you not allow him to take you down with him.  As a
vocational counselor, I have come to realize the importance of
self-confidence.  It's tough enough to find a job, when you
had disability to the mix, it becomes much more difficult.
I'm glad you posted here; we should never get that technical
in order to provide assistance, such as the kind that you are
requesting!  Good luck.  Best Regards, Les

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!260!207!Les.Kriegler
Internet: Les.Kriegler@f207.n260.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: nls tb update.
From: Debbie.Crafts@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Debbie Crafts)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:101/460.0 - VI/BUG, Holbrook MA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 JD> I agree that nls should drop both flexible disks and
 JD> cassettes and go solely with compact disk.

You won't get any argument from me re: dropping flexible disks.
But I'll squawk loudly if they drop cassettes.  Compact disks are
*not* portable.  You can't drop a hand-full in to your purse, or
tote bag, or whatever.  You can't ppack a walkman-sized unit in to
the same receptical and be able to "read" where ever you go.
Cassettes allow you to have almost the same read-anytime capability
as the sighted enjoy, and I would not be very happy if I had to
give that up!--Debbie

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460.0!Debbie.Crafts
Internet: Debbie.Crafts@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Electric cars and the blind
From: mcgrew@ichthous.Eng.Sun.COM (Darin McGrew)
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, Ca.

Christopher.Hill@p233.f4115.n124.z1.fidonet.org writes:
>Couple of things I can think of:  1.  Make them come equipped with
>some sort of constant whistle, this would not only be good for the
>blind, but also for the sighted who happened to not be paying
>attention, as well as maybe cutting down the number of animals
>ashed by these machines.

The only drawback I see to this is that the car companies are
bending over backwards to reduce the aerodynamic drag on their
production electrics, and they might not want to add an
aerodynamically noisy whistle to the car.

Random thoughts--

Such a wistle would need to be fairly low in pitch, since high
pitches are hard to localize.  It would need to be designed to be
as aerodynamically clean as possible.  It would need to work at a
variety of speeds without becoming inaudibly soft or too high for
pedestrians to localize or too loud.

Darin.McGrew@Eng.Sun.COM          Love is something more stern and spendid
    Soli Deo Gloria!                than mere kindness.  -- C. S. Lewis




------



Subject: Re: Telecommunications
From: Daniel.Murphy@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Daniel Murphy)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:101/460.0 - VI/BUG, Holbrook MA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hi Jim.  Nice to run into another blind user of Unix.  How did you
get hold of manuals?  did the system you were using have the "man"
facility?  Ours didn't.  My boss didn't wish to spend the money.  I
now have access to a local unix system, so it's a bit easier to get
information when I need it.

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460.0!Daniel.Murphy
Internet: Daniel.Murphy@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org




------



Subject: Re: depression
From: Ann.Lemke@f9.n381.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Lemke)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:381/9 - Sky's The Limit BBS, El Paso TX


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hello Jeanne,
First, let me say that I hope that you've shared with your friend that
you're looking for help/advice.  It seems that help for his depression
is the first critical need, and while blindness is a significant factor,
it is not the only factor.  He needs professional psychological and
possibly medical assistance.
As for the jobs he can or might be able to do, it seems that all of this
is cyclical; he can't get a good job if he's depressed and lacks a
college education, but he can't complete his education if he's so
depressed.  In any case, he may need to take one step back to move
forward.  I mean that he may need to realistically assess the impact of
his disability.  What he needs is good, solid work experience on which
to build.  I mean, he can't dictate too much about what he would or
wouldn't do as far as a job until he has proven that he can manaow that
sounds harsh, but I am sure there are many of us who have our rejection
and failure stories (me included) but we just have to keep going.
Recovery from depression can be a slow, painstaking process.  I'd advise
some kind of support group for you and, yes, for him, if he''d agree.
He needs consistent, caring professional help as well as a network of
resources which he can learn to use to maintain his progress, should he
start functioning better.
I believe that for some endocrinological reasons, blind persons may be
more at risk for depression than is generally supposed.  Depression is a
terrible, draining illness.  The person can be really suffering and just
appear to be not wanting to try to help themselves, so keep trying,
because the road isn't an easy one.
Best wishes,
Ann

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!381!9!Ann.Lemke
Internet: Ann.Lemke@f9.n381.z1.fidonet.org




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                                ******

             End of Issue # 2588 of the Handicap Digest

                                ******
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU