🚀 go-pugleaf

                            THE BLIND NEWS DIGEST

                                 Issue # 950

                            Friday, June 18, 1993

Today's Topics:


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                                Re: Jaws 2.3
                          Re: Labels for Diskettes
                      Re: questions from a new dog user
                                Re: Composing
                         Readit - Onward and Upward!
                          Re: Ms dos 6 and multiple
                         Re: Disability Questionaire
                  Re: laptops, macs, outspoken and telnet?
                          Re: braille code changes.
                          Speech output vs braille


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Subject: Re: Jaws 2.3
From: George.Mccoy@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (George Mccoy)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89.0 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hello Kelly!

For that and many other reasons including the necessity to go begging
for each and efery speech driver you need, I am no longer using jaws.
Why not give ASAP a try?  No macros needed, all drivers come bundled
with the program and the folks at Microtalk seem to really listen to
their users and implement suggestions.  Upgrading is simple and upgrades
are frequent.  Download a demo from somewhere and let me know what you
think.  Most applications I have tried talk great with ASAP right out of
the box.

Regards,
George and Bullet

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




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Subject: Re: Labels for Diskettes
From: George.Mccoy@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (George Mccoy)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89.0 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hello Virgil!

All you have to do is get a 3.5 inch Dymotape labeled disk stuck in a
drive once and you'll probably want to stop using Dymotape for labeling
3.5 inch disks.  I agree with you about using it for 5.25 inchers.  I
use it myself for that purpose.

The trouble is that tollerances are much finer in the 3.5 inch drives.
It's only a matter of time until some disk or other is just a skoash too
thick and the Dymotape label causes it to hang.  It's quite a chore,
sometimes, to fix the problem.

Regards,
George and Bullet

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




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Subject: Re: questions from a new dog user
From: George.Mccoy@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (George Mccoy)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89.0 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hello Bob!

I have used dog guides for over 20 years.  Traveling with a dog is
certainly different than traveling with a cane.  You must pay attention
to different things.   When you gain confidence in your dog, you will
probably find that you can concentrate more on where you are going and
not so much on obstacle avoidance.  I like that because I travel in many
unfamiliar places.  Your dog will also do you some other big favors like
finding doorways.  This allows you to enter a building, conduct business
and leave without having to pay so much attention to where the door is.

I have also noticed that people treat me differently when I am working
my dog than they do when I am using my cane.  I find folks much more
willing to offer assistance when I am working my dog.

I didn't pay attention to your origin but if you live in areas with logs
of snow, a well-integrated dog guide is a real boon.

You will still have to do all the traffic judgement stuff.  The dog
should not be relied upon for that.  Also, it takes a while to get used
to a new dog and it takes time for the dog to get used to you.  This
process is called integration and it takes about six months to happen.
Just be patient and allow some extra travel time at first and you'll be
fine.

Best of luck,
George and Bullet

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




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Subject: Re: Composing
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.

You were asking SAm about music software.  He'll tell you about
Texture, I believe, and I've had some luck with Cakewalk.  Have
my own on order as soon as rehab cooperates.  Both are text based, and
should be speech friendly.

If you do anything professionally, or even if you don't, I would
reccommend that you get the pro version.
I would also stick with a straight Midi interface, such as the Roland
Mpu401 or compatible card.
hope this helps.

BTW, the one advantage to cakewalk over some other text based sequencers
is the ability to save sysex, (system exclusive information.
for synthesizers and drum machines, etc.)  If you end up going with
texture, I'll look at a couple of sysex utilities that operate
externally from your sequencer program, and see which one seems to be
more speech friendly, and let you know.

See yuh

RICHARD WEBB

... Crime wouldn't pay if it was operated by the government!
___ Via Silver Xpress V3.02

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




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Subject: Readit - Onward and Upward!
From: Sam.Fulton@p0.f266.n163.z1.fidonet.org (Sam Fulton)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:163/266.0 - Vision Information , Ottawa ON


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Welcome aboard David.  I have not been using Readit for very long,
however it has been extremely useful to me in my work over the past few
months.  As someone who is going through the progressive stages of
losing his eyesight, I am presently at the stage of using a screen
enlarger.
I use "Magic" which is a very simple, and efficient screen enlarger.  I
have it loaded in high memory and can turn in on and off easily whenever
required.  I use it with Readit to read documents.
Now for my suggestion!
With Magic there is a function which allows one to squeeze the enlarged
text onto the screen (+).  This makes it possible to see all the test on
the screen, and eliminates the need to scroll or use continuous mode to
see the entire text.  Unfortunately, however in this form it is not
possible to the Readit automatic scrolling.  The alternative of course
is to use the down arrow over and over again, but this gets tiresome in
a long document.
You asked for feedback, so thats mine for now.
Just downloaded 3.0 from my local board in Ottawa, Canada, yesterday, so
I have not as yet had time to try out the new TSReadit.
Many thanks         Sam.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!163!266.0!Sam.Fulton
Internet: Sam.Fulton@p0.f266.n163.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Ms dos 6 and multiple
From: Glenn.Killian@f333.n320.z1.fidonet.org (Glenn Killian)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:320/333 - TMI BBS, New London CT


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

In a message to Glenn Killian <05-10-93 09:23> Stew Bowden wrote:

STEW>  I would have done what you are trying to do with
STEW>  the autoexec.bat file. I would write a batch file
STEW>  for speech, and copy that to the autoexec.bat file
STEW>  when I wanted speech, and I would write another
STEW>  batch file without speech, and when i wanted that
STEW>  one I would copy that batch file to the
STEW>  autoexec.bat file. ...

    Thanks for the words of wisdom.

    However, after forcing myself to read the DOS 6.0 manual a
little more, I finally found that the setting the following in
the MS DOS 6.0 config.sys file:

Menudefault=voice, 3

    Where "voice" is the name of the configuration with "voice"
and the "3" is the default time out of 3 seconds, which gives me
and plenty of time to select a different boot if I am using the
computer (I am sighted and my mother who uses the voice most of
the time, is blind).

        -- Glenn K. --

P.S.  for anyone who is running MS DOS 6.0, you can type:

HELP MENUDEFAULT

at the dos prompt (C:\>) and get more detailed info about this
command!

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!320!333!Glenn.Killian
Internet: Glenn.Killian@f333.n320.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Disability Questionaire
From: Al.Gayzagian@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (Al Gayzagian)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:101/460.0 - VI/BUG, Holbrook MA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

There's no way I'll complete a questionnaire from someone who uses terms

like "physically challenged".

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460.0!Al.Gayzagian
Internet: Al.Gayzagian@p0.f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: laptops, macs, outspoken and telnet?
From: Ron.Denis@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Ron Denis)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Peter,
     If you or a friend have access to Delphi, I would suggest leaving Email
there for Delphi member Reebok.  She uses outspoken a lot and has written
several books on the Mac so should be able to tell you of any difficulties in
running the program you need.  She's a  very busy woman but also very helpful.

     Ron

... I got lost in thought.  It was unfamiliar territory.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89!Ron.Denis
Internet: Ron.Denis@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: braille code changes.
From: Steve.Bauer@f6.n291.z1.fidonet.org (Steve Bauer)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:291/6 - Wichita BBS, Wichita Ks


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

If people would just put as much effort and energy in to teaching
braille  as they are toward trying to change the braille code, they'd
 be a lot better off.

I've used braille since I was in the third grade and it has been a
life saver.

Steve

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!291!6!Steve.Bauer
Internet: Steve.Bauer@f6.n291.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Speech output vs braille
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]

Just a couple of comments regarding the choice between Braille or
speech output for a computer system. I use both speech and Braille
output, but find I use speech much more than Braille.  Although I
used Braille as a child I had enough vision for several years as an
adult to get by without using Braille and now that I am totally
blind I find that I still am not as fast a Braille reader as if I
had been using it all my life. I know several persons who have been
blind all their lives who use a Braille display for virtually all
their computer work and feel that they can work faster with Braille
than they can with speech.

I think what you are probably going to find out is that persons who
have used Braille all their lives and use it a lot everyday are
probably going to feel that they work much more effectively with
Braille than they do with speech; while those who have not used
Braille all their lives and do not use it extensively everyday may
feel that speech is the better mediam for them.  Unfortunantly, too
often state agencies and other agencies and institutions want to
put all blind into the same boat and buy one kind of access for all
blind regardless of what a particular individual really can use
best. The choice really needs to come down to what way the
individual can best do their work and do it the most effectively
and efficiently.  D. T.

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




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                 End of Issue # 950 of the Blind News Digest

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