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                            THE BLIND NEWS DIGEST

                                 Issue # 941

                          Wednesday, June 16, 1993

Today's Topics:


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                          DECtalk and SoundBlaster
                            Re: scanner question
                                  Jaws 2.3
                        Re: Kitchen Sink Programming
                            CD Rom consideration
                          Re: Locating manuals on t
                                  Jaws 2.3
                            Re: Checkbook program
                          Re: questions from a new
                          Re: Which Synthesizer Sh


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Subject: DECtalk and SoundBlaster
From: Tim.Spofford@p3.f62.n105.z1.fidonet.org (Tim Spofford)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:105/62.3 - Rule 62, Portland OR


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Does anyone know:

(1) Whether a DECtalk can be driven by programs (e.g., games) that
use SoundBlaster drivers?  (This is a multiuser machine and the
sighted user wants sound from his games.)  If not,

(2) Whether a DECtalk and a SoundBlaster can co-exist in the same
machine?

If the answer is yes, in either case, any set up/configuration tips
would be appreciated.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!105!62.3!Tim.Spofford
Internet: Tim.Spofford@p3.f62.n105.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: scanner question
From: David.Tanner@f234.n109.z1.fidonet.org (David Tanner)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:109/234 - Braille Bank BBS, Oakton Va


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

I know you asked Steven the question, but just to let you know in
case he doesn't know for sure. OpenBook Unbound is not copy
protected. The only posible problem you could have would be if you
somehow totally screwed up your Windows configuration, which is
highly unlikely.  The only time I have had that problem was when I
used Super Store on a drive that had Windows on it and then WIndows
had some kind of problem with reading the swap file. All I did then
was delete WIndows and reinstall it making sure that the swap file
was on a drive that had not been compressed and then reinstalled
the OpenBook files in the Windows directory.

On the other hand Oscar only allows two installations and if you
optomize your drive without uninstalling the software you will blow
the copy protection scheme.  D. T.

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Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!234!David.Tanner
Internet: David.Tanner@f234.n109.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Jaws 2.3
From: David.Tanner@f234.n109.z1.fidonet.org (David Tanner)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:109/234 - Braille Bank BBS, Oakton Va


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

In a msg on <May 10 14:47>, Kelly Ford of 1:121/8 writes:

 KF> of either not having the new features in my old
 KF> configurations (unless I manually add them to every config
 KF> file) or blowing away all the time I spent making old
 KF> configurations to start fresh. Is anyone else sick of this
 KF> process?  I love JAWS and think it is as good as any other
 KF> package out there but am growing tired of H_J saying they
 KF> wish they had a better solution but doing nothing about it.
 KF>

Have you tried the 23convert program. It was my impressin that that
is exactly what it does. I may be incorrect, but I know when I
installed my new update that it converted all my files to 2.3
configs from 2.2 so that I didn't have to go make new configs for
Qedit, Readit and all that.

    D. T.

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Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!234!David.Tanner
Internet: David.Tanner@f234.n109.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Kitchen Sink Programming
From: David.Bond@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Bond)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89.0 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 ST> Gimme a break!  Who needs all that?  And then when it comes to
 ST> marking a block, or pasting or moving a block ... you can go
 ST> crazy with all the methods to do the same thing.  Why don't

Sam-

I don't bother with any of the reader programs out there.  With Artic and
Docu-pilot in tandem with Word Perfect (or any word processor) I have the
greatest reader there is!  I have a very simple and productive reader
machine (Docu-pilot) plus all the cut and paste and other options available
with WP.  I am a college returnee, and I do a lot of reading (I have a
scanner), and I feel qualified to say what I have just said.  Oh well, just
thought I'd add my opinion here for what' it's worth.

Dave

... I'm enjoying my visit, but would rather be home!

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!David.Bond
Internet: David.Bond@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: CD Rom consideration
From: David.Bond@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Bond)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89.0 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

I am thinking about obtaining a CDRom setup.  I would like to hear from any
folks that are using CDRom or anybody that has some good information about
the following 4 simple questions:

1. Who or where has the best offer and reputation concerning sales and
pricing of CD Rom hardware (i.e. DAK for instance)?

2. What are the key areas to consider from the technical point of view (i.e.
specific capabilities, brand or make, internal vs. external, etc.)?

3. Is playing music CD's a worthwhile option to consider, or is this
capability standard these days?

4. What are the most useful, speech friendly CD Rom disks, and who or where
are they obtained (perhaps part of a package as in question number 1)?

In reference to the last question, I am interested in disks like Book Shelf
that offer the Encyclopedia and other similar reference material.  I would
also want to know about any Bible or Biblical reference disks and sources.

Thanks for any who help me out here, and in case I am un-able to reply back
to you for your response, please accept my thanks.  I hope to be able to
respond though.

Dave

... I'm enjoying my visit, but would rather be home!

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!David.Bond
Internet: David.Bond@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Locating manuals on t
From: Kelly.Ford@f8.n121.z1.fidonet.org (Kelly Ford)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:121/8 - JW-PC DataFlex.HST, Sun Prairie WI


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Call lotus and ask for an ASCII copy of the manual.  They sent me one
when I requested it.

The have a CD ROM with all the company's documentation on it so it isn't
like it can't be done.

... If you're not the lead dog, the view can be very interesting!
    Via Silver Xpress V3.01

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Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!121!8!Kelly.Ford
Internet: Kelly.Ford@f8.n121.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Jaws 2.3
From: Walter.Siren@p42.f17.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Walter Siren)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:396/17.42 - N. O. P. C. Club, New Orleans LA


In a message Kelly Ford typed to All

 KF> Well,
 KF> I've just started playing with JAWS 2.3 and it seems like a pretty good
 KF> update.  However, I see that Henter-Joyce still doesn't have a good way
 KF> to handle macros between configurations.  For a program that uses them
 KF> for all functions, I wonder why they haven't gotten around to coming up
 KF> with a better solution to the problem that just saying they want to do
 KF> something about it.

Kelley, I aggree with you.  I gave them what I thought could be an
easy solution to the problem, but I don't know if it went any
further.  Since they can compile the macro file into a text file,
they should be able to reverse the process, and that would allow
you to past your old macros in the text file, and reverse compile
it back into a macro file.

I also like most everything with 2.3, but there is one thing I
don't like.  When you take your cursor, and cross a capital letter,
and if a space follows that letter, the speech still stays up until
it crosses a lower case letter.  Have you noticed this, and what do
you think.

Also, have you noticed that the speech gets stuck some times and
sounds like a stuck recor?

Walter

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Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!396!17.42!Walter.Siren
Internet: Walter.Siren@p42.f17.n396.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Checkbook program
From: Walter.Siren@p42.f17.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Walter Siren)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:396/17.42 - N. O. P. C. Club, New Orleans LA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 KF> Walter,
 KF> I forget the exact name of the program but it was something like
 KF> Checkmate.  It was a shareware program that would allow you to print on
 KF> standard checks.  It had loads of features and seemed pretty friendly.

If it is the same one that I found locally, it wasn't too friendly
to me.  Maybe I am just a little dense, but I had problems with
getting it to work.   I never could get the check formatting to
work, it never would save my settings when I told it to do so.

Walter

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!396!17.42!Walter.Siren
Internet: Walter.Siren@p42.f17.n396.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: questions from a new
From: Michael.Malver@f1007.n282.z1.fidonet.org (Michael Malver)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:282/1007 - DRAG-Net, Andover MN


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

To address some of your comments.
My personal feeling is that the reason dog users get more help than
users of kanes is that the dog looks so cute and cuddly.  Be careful,
as this is one reason some of your friends might be excited that you
are getting a dog.  Dogs are wonderful, but if you let people play
with them, the dog will figure out who will and won't pet him.  Some
day, you will be going to an important meeting, and a friend of yours
who once pet your dog will be walking unbeknownst to you, further down
the block.  Your dog will see him, and then look out.

You also asked, "Why do I need a dog, I have a wife."  One good reason
is that you can train a dog to only lie on top of the sheets, and to
only lie on the bed when, and if, you call him.  Just try training
your wife to not take the blankets.

Michael

... I know a good tagline when I steal one.
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12

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Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!282!1007!Michael.Malver
Internet: Michael.Malver@f1007.n282.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Which Synthesizer Sh
From: Richard.Webb@f8.n290.z1.fidonet.org (Richard Webb)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:290/8 - Iowa MIDI BBS, Des Moines IA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hello There,

There arethree external synthesizers that I know of that would fill the
bill.  They are:

Dectalk, from Digital EQuipment; Accent, 9unsure of manufacturer) and
Litetalk, from Microtalk.

Dectalk has nice clear speech, but is quite unresponsive, making the
external dectalk a poor choice, (in my estimation) for screen review.  I
used one at work for that purpose for awhile.

Accent is supported by a lot o the major brands of screen review
software, and is fairly portable, unlike the external Dectalk, which is
also bulky and cumbersome.

Litetalk is a nice small synthesizer, rechargeable battery, good
sounding speech.   My roomie uses accent at work, and we've got a
Litetalk here, will have 2, I"ve ordered one.

Hope this helps you out.

RICHARD WEBB

... C:\WINDOWS  C:\WINDOWS\RUN  C:\WINDOWS\CRASH  C:\COMPUTER\FRY
___ Via Silver Xpress V3.02

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Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!290!8!Richard.Webb
Internet: Richard.Webb@f8.n290.z1.fidonet.org




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                 End of Issue # 941 of the Blind News Digest

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