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                            THE BLIND NEWS DIGEST

                                 Issue # 1109

                          Friday, January 13, 1995

Today's Topics:


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                         Feedback reply (Ref #3307)
                   Re: Monitor Help for Visually Impaired
                   Re: Monitor Help for Visually Impaired
                         seeking help for friend...
                 looking for a friendly VCR for blind people
                     Monitor Help for Visually Impaired
                            Lynx command question
                          Long-distance telephoning


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                              Bill McGarry (Moderator)
                              (203) 926-6187



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Subject: Feedback reply (Ref #3307)
From: dashiell@nadc.navy.mil (Jude DaShiell)


This is compuserve's definitive answer concerning
g.u.i. interface impact on those of
us who continue to use text-based interfaces.

--- Forwarded Message ---

 Date:  08-Jan-95 13:08 EST
 From:  CompuServe [70006,101]
 Subj:  Feedback reply (Ref #3307)

To: Jude T Dashiell
Fr: Tim Bretz
    CS Representative

Re: FTP and DOSCIM(tm)


Thank you for using Feedback.  This is in reference to your recent
inquiry concerning FTP and the DOSCIM(tm) HMI interface.

As online telecommunications services evolve, the current industry
move toward graphical, and other non-ASCII interface schemes will
likely be more prevalent.  This is true of CompuServe, as well as
many other online services.  With the power and capabilities now
available in home computer systems, CompuServe will endeavour to
make maximum use of the local-system resources available to our
members.  While it will always be possible to access certain areas
of CompuServe, using an ASCII interface, an increasing number of
products and services will be beyond the reach of those with
simple interface software.  This is not an exclusion, rather, it is
an acknowledgement of the finite capabilities of the ASCII interface.
This is also a direct reflection of the computer hardware available
in todays markets, at relatively economical costs.

I wholeheartedly agree that not enough has been done by software
and hardware companies to support individuals with special
requirements, such as yours.  I feel that part of the problem
is that not enough developers know what it is like to be in
your position.  This is not necessarily intended to denigrate
such developers, who, of necessity, must develop products for
the greatest market share possible.  I also feel that another
aspect of the problem is that we often are unaware of such
needs, until they are brought to our attention.

DOSCIM(tm), WinCIM(tm), and other CompuServe products use the
Host Micro Interface Protocol, known as HMI.  This is a packet
transmission scheme, based on the concept of filling page
templates with information.  In other words, there is a template,
or blank form, for an HMI page, and the system calls a page
number, and sends the information to the template in 512 byte,
or 1024byte packets.  There is no ASCII equivilant for HMI
paging, unfortunately.  It is the HMI interface which is
causing the difficulties with your speech synthesizer.  It is
unlikely that you will be able to successfully use your
synthsizer with the HMI protocol.

You may be interested in the HMI developers information, which
may be found in a file called HMIDEV.TXT.  This file may be
found in any of the CIM(tm) support forums.  Try the DOSCIM(tm)
Support Forum, GO DOSCIMSUP.  If you are interested in
developing , or helping develop products to better serve those
who share your special requirements, this would be a good place
to start.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to
send another Feedback message.  You may also contact CompuServe Customer
Service at 1-800-848-8990 or 1-614-457-8650.  Our representatives are
available to help you between the hours of 8:00am and 12:00am Monday
through Friday and 12:00pm to 10:00pm weekends, Eastern time.

Sincerely,

Tim Bretz
CompuServe Technical Support



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Subject: Re: Monitor Help for Visually Impaired
From: e463480@popcorn.llnl.gov (e463480)
Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, NCD

In article <34957@handicap.news>
cullum@teleport.com (Mike Cullum) writes:

>I am working with an office that wants to provide a way for their
>receptionist to use a computer.  The receptionist is visually impaired,
>but not blind.  The office is totally Macintosh based....

Contact Berkeley Systems (the makers of AfterDark and outSpoken).  They
have a product called inLARGE that is quite nice.  A demo is available
with anonymous ftp at ftp.berksys.com in /pub/Access, or you can
contact them at:

Berkeley Systems, Inc.
2095 Rose St., Berkeley, CA  94709 (510) 540-5535; TDD: (510) 540-0709

>Now we want to find a monitor that will enlarge the whole screen to this
>degree so that all programs and the menus are displayed in a large enough
>size and with great enough clarity that the receptionist can begin using
>her computer.  Any suggestions?  Anyone have experience with other sorts
>of solutions to this problem that might be useful?  Anyone else that I
>should contact for more information?

Software solutions are a lot cheaper and more flexible.  Try inLARGE
before you buy an adaptive monitor.  One thing I would suggest though
is that you invest in a large monitor unless she already has one.  The
Apple 20" Multiscan monitor is quite nice.


Meridith Keating
mkeating@llnl.gov



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Subject: Re: Monitor Help for Visually Impaired
From: XYAV67A@prodigy.com (Jeffrey Harris)
Organization: Prodigy Services Company  1-800-PRODIGY

There used to be a device called a Visualtek monitor (name later changed
to V-Tech - don't know if they are still in business).  It was clumsy and
hard to use, but did the job you describe.  It could also simultaneously
project on a "split screen" an image from a paper viewed through a lens
and enlarged.

I understand similar devices are still out, but have been improved quite a
bit.  Haven't seen one for a while.  There is also TSR software (at least
for the DOS world) that enlarges everything onto a standard screen.

You might check with Lighthouse for the Blind or a similar organization -
they would probably know what is available now.






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Subject: seeking help for friend...
From: am854@freenet.carleton.ca (Dennis P. Havlena)

Hello from the Straits of Mackinac in northern Michigan.

I'm writing on behalf of dear friends who have a blind 3 year old
daughter. Being quite new to this list, I am largely unaware of it's
proper mode of operation --- please excuse any breach of protocol.

Our area up here is quite remote and info/exchange of ideas on the
subject is hard to come by. This internet connection seems loaded
with potential!

Here is transcription of Vickie & Hank Pyrzinski's questions:

     "Looking for correspondence with parents of blind child.
     Our little girl Jody is 3 years old, in northern Michigan
     area. We live in Cheboygan, Michigan.
     Questions:  Does your child read Braille? What age did they
     start learning? Who taught them? School? Do they use their
     Braille in school?"


I will be happy to act as a go-between as they do not have access
to e-mail. I can supply their address/phone-number as well.
Thanks much

Dennis Havlena    am854@freenet.carleton.ca




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Subject: looking for a friendly VCR for blind people
From: jvilmar%hlbbs@ax.apc.org (JVILMAR)
Organization: INSIDE BBS - RIO/BRAZIL - +55-21-537-1603


Hello
     I and my wife are looking for a video cassette recorder that can be
easily operated by  a blind person. All VCRs that we know here in
Brazil, don't have an appropriate interface for us. They put menus on
the TV's screen without any beep or sound. If someone knows a VCR or
anything that can help us, please, send me an E-MAIL.
     Thanks in advance.

[]S []S []S []S []S
------------------------------
                             _  Rio de Janeiro  RJ
Jose Vilmar Estacio de Souza _  Brasil          BR
                             _
------------------------------
 E-MAIL: JOSE.VILMAR%HLBBS@IBASE.ORG.BR
FIDONET: 4:802/1

cc: Fernanda Lima [FERLIMA@COS.UFRJ.BR]




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Subject: Monitor Help for Visually Impaired
From: marc@berksys.com (Marc Sutton)

>From: cullum@teleport.com (Mike Cullum)
>Organization: Teleport - Portland's Public Access (503) 220-1016
>
[Portion of quote deleted]
>Now we want to find a monitor that will enlarge the whole screen to this
>degree so that all programs and the menus are displayed in a large enough
>size and with great enough clarity that the receptionist can begin using
>her computer.  Any suggestions?  Anyone have experience with other sorts
>of solutions to this problem that might be useful?  Anyone else that I
>should contact for more information?

Berkeley Systems makes software that does screen enlargement (inLARGE) as
well asw speech software (outSPOKEN) for the Macintosh.  If you are looking
for a monitor, there are many more choices.Berkeley Systems has put out a
list of monitors in the past, but so many new monitors are developed all
the time, that we can't keep up with them.

contact info:
Berkeley Systems, Inc.
2095 Rose Street
Berkeley, CA 94709
510-540-5535
Fax: 510-849-9426
Internet: access@berksys.com

--Marc Sutton





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Subject: Lynx command question
From: algayz@world.std.com (Al Gayzagian)
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA


There's a command which will make Lynx work better with speech, but I
don't recall what it is, so I'd appreciate someone's filling me in.  Thanks.




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Subject: Long-distance telephoning
From: EHERSH@MU2.MILLERSV.EDU

      Our family has recently found a new long-distance telephone
 carrier that offers excellent service and offers superior rates.  We
 have recorded the company's service discription brochure on cassette
 and are making it available free of charge to persons who are print-
 impaired.

      If you are interested in seeing if this service could save you
 money and would like to request a copy of the cassette, please send a
 post card or note to the following address:
      Long-Distance
      c/o Edward Hersh
      65 Brenner Street
      Millersville, PA  17551
 Please specify whether your phone service is residential or
 commercial (for business use);  a separate brochure exists for each
 type.

 -Ed



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                 End of Issue # 1109 of the Blind News Digest

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