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                            THE BLIND NEWS DIGEST

                                 Issue # 974

                          Wednesday, June 30, 1993

Today's Topics:


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                     Cq Speech Friendly Packet Programs
                            Attention Blind Hams
                           Re: Blind Psychologists
                            Re: GUIDE DOG PROBLEM
                              Re: Free Vet Care
            Re: ADVICE NEEDED ON HARDWARE & SALES TO BLIND PEOPLE
                            DECtalk Dictionaries
                          Re: blind filing system?
                            Advantedge in canada?
                               Re: NLS CD ROM


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                              Bill McGarry (Moderator)
                              (203) 337-1518



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Subject: Cq Speech Friendly Packet Programs
From: Phil.Scovell@p0.f810.n104.z1.fidonet.org (Phil Scovell)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:104/810.0 - Electronic Library, Denver CO


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Mark,

I am not using the pk88 and cannot recall if my packet program will work
with it or not.  I have several pk88 friendly programs on my BBS however.
The program I use, after trying about a dozen different packet programs, is
called EZP for E Z Packet and it works exactly as its name implies.  It is
very simple and very speech friendly and it is public domain.
I use it with a KPC2.

Phil.

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!104!810.0!Phil.Scovell
Internet: Phil.Scovell@p0.f810.n104.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Attention Blind Hams
From: Phil.Scovell@p0.f810.n104.z1.fidonet.org (Phil Scovell)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:104/810.0 - Electronic Library, Denver CO


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

I have found someone who is willing to build audio indicating devices for
use by blind hams.  These will be the type which are wired across a meter
such as your S meter, power meter, watt meter, or the meter in an
amplifier.  He has the diagram and is ready to build but to keep the price
as low as possible, he would like an idea of how many blind hams would be
interested. In this way he can calculate a price which will, of course, be
less the more we order.  If you are interested, leave me a message here or
netmail me at the node address below.  Also tell your blind friends who are
not on blinktalk and spread the word.  After I get some reply to this
message, I'll let him know and perhaps he can build a dozen or so at a time
and keep the cost down.
After he has some idea of what is happening, he'll come up with a price and
then you can decide if you want to order one or not.

Tandy, if you're reading this, he's planning on using the diagram from the
device I purchased from you though he may modify it somewhat.  It depends on
the responce.

Additionally, please indicate your interest in a device which will read two
separate meters by switching from one to the other and one which is likewise
calbrated to give actual relative meter readings verses one which will
simply connect to a single meter with no calabration scale.  The latter
would be much less in price.

Phil,

AF0H

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!104!810.0!Phil.Scovell
Internet: Phil.Scovell@p0.f810.n104.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: Blind Psychologists
From: Lovette.Christiansen@p0.f7715.n153.z1.fidonet.org (Lovette Christiansen)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:153/7715.0 - <BandMaster Postie, Vancouver BC


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 NF> Hi Lovette,

 NF> When I first decided to enter the field of psychology, my friends
 NF> (most of whom are psyche majors, too) said things to the effect of:
 NF> "Wow, that's great.  You'll make a wonderful psychologist.  It's nice
 NF> that a blind person will be helping the blind."

 NF> I growled and explained to them that it was not my intent to serve the
 NF> blind exclusively, or even to have them as the majority of my cases.
 NF> Now I think my friends think I'm crazy.
Oh well, at least their eyes will be opened.  It seems that many people
in society today think that the blind should remain exclussively with
the blind.  I am doing a practicum at the university which involves
working towards having a stable support group and program for the
disabled which is desperately needed.  Things seem to be shifting
towards my possible working with the disabled, but it certainly was not
my first choice and I'll still take any opportunities to work outside
such a setting.  BUt I also see the great need for the areas I find
myself involved in.
Just as my friends accepted that I would not want to be exclusively
working with the disabled, where do I find myself?  How ironic.  But
time will tell what happens.
Lovette.

... Sit down, you're rocking the boat!

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!153!7715.0!Lovette.Christiansen
Internet: Lovette.Christiansen@p0.f7715.n153.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: GUIDE DOG PROBLEM
From: Carla.Campbell@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Carla Campbell)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hi, Brad.

 BS> some hair loss on the right side of the dogs neck.  The hair
 BS> loss is generally a sign (as is the gray tint) that the dog
 BS> pulls excessively on leash or corrections are more of a pull
 BS> than a clean jerk.  Both of these will cause hair loss.

I didn't know that!  Both my dogs have places where the fur is rubbed
thin on the right sides of their necks-- the elder beast more than Max.
(hardly surprising, since he has a thinner coat and has never truly
grasped "heel" in all his eleven years.)  Since Max has a nearly perfect
heel and I usually give left-handed leash corrections, I'd have thought
the rubbing would be further back on the neck, but I'll be sure to watch
that and see if it's a clue that I need to work on that correction
technique! I had always assumed it was just the collar's dead ring or
the tags (I've got a regular address tag on as well as the Leader Dog
tag) that was doing the rubbing as they walked around or lay on them.
Thanks for passing that on-- albeit indiredtly to me.

Cheers,
                                                 --Carla

... Internet: campbell@well.sf.ca.us

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




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Subject: Re: Free Vet Care
From: Carla.Campbell@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Carla Campbell)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89.0 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Hi, Tracy.

At last! A real, live New Yorker (or at least ex-New Yorker) to comment
on Animal Medical!

TC> I feel that I must add a
 TC> couple caveats.  AMC is a large clinic, so though I went there
 TC> several times, I got the same doctor only twice.  Some vets are
 TC> better than others, and I would have liked to stick with just
 TC> one, but that's not how it works there.  Also, many people feel
 TC> that you get what you pay for, and further feel that the care
 TC> their dogs got was less than it would have been for a paying
 TC> customer.

Excellent points-- and true of other large hospitals and clinics, as
well.  It's sort of catch-22, sometimes: the big clinics have all the
best equipment and sometimes have the only specialists, but they don't
always provide the best all-round care.  While my vets have almost all
given me some sort of discount, I'm also a little leery of totally free
service on the "you get what you pay for" theory.

I have faced the same problems trying to find good vet care out here in
the SF Bay Area for both my current guide and his retired predecessor.
With all the older dog's problems, I really wanted to find a 24-hour
clinic with good facilities, but most such clinics are the large sort
where you never see the same vet twice.  I, too, think it is very
important to have a regular vet so that he or she knows the patient and
the case history.  In particular, I think it's important that the vet
has seen the dog when it was feeling well, so personality changes and
changes in energy levels are apparent to someone besides the dog's
handler!

At first, I went to a single-vet practice in the area.  He was very
good, but often had to refer me to a larger clinic for tests he couldn't
perform at his office.  I found that the vets who had to do the really
heavy-duty, important tests and diagnosis were people we never saw for
the little things, when my dog was feeling like himself and could be
readily treated.  I think it's hard for many vets to feel the same
compassion for a dog they only see when it's out cold, mid-siezure and a
dog they have had up on their table wagging and panting at them.  It's
only human.  I switched my dogs' primary care over to the clinic and now
know a vet on every "team" so there's always someone there I've seen
before.

Unfortunately, few one and two-vet practices are 24-hour and still fewer
have all the latest and greatest veternary technology.  The one I
settled on has six or seven vets, and I've seen three of them frequently
enough that they are quite familiar with both my dogs. I know and trust
all these three and have heard good things about the others in the
practice, so I'm relatively comfortable with the clinic as a whole.
They've got all the X-ray, ultrasound and lab equipment needed for
pretty sophisticated diagnosis procedures and they will make house calls
in emergencies (I've had occasion to be very glad of this service.) I
get a 10% discount there for both my retired dog (whom they probably
view as a fascinating case they'd *pay* to see...) and my working guide.
The staff are friendly and competent (except one of the receptionists,
who is a twit-- but I suppose there's one everywhere...)I know many of
them by name and they know my dogs by name.  They have decent overnight
hospital facilities, too, for the truly sick critters; large runs with
heated floors and good supervision.  It's not a teaching hospital, and
while they lean toward the giant batteries of tests, I think most of the
time they're justified.  The cost, without the discount, would be a
little out of line; they're located in an affluent area and many of
their clients can afford outrageous prices.  with the discount, though,
I think I'm getting what I pay for.

Basically, I'm just saying that I had to look hard, but I think I've
found a decent compromise between the personal care of an individual vet
and the facilities and service available at a large clinic.  It took a
while, though, and if I had had a dog who didn't go in but twice a year
for shots and a check-up, I probably would never have switched from the
individual vet I first found out here.

Cheers,
                                                  --Carla

... Internet: campbell@well.sf.ca.us

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




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Subject: Re: ADVICE NEEDED ON HARDWARE & SALES TO BLIND PEOPLE
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]

 BH>  I feel I am  ripping them off.  I could save them a lot of money if
 I sold them a mono card and monitor.

Keep in mind, Bob, that many of us are interested in having co-workers
and/or family members also use the same computer.

 BH>    1.  I am told Sound Blaster will do this.  Is that true?

Well, Bob, It's a jungle out there when it comes to ascii to speech
conversion.  There are 2 components needed.  First, you need a piece of
software called a screen review package.  This program sends the screen
output to the second component which is the speech synthesizer.

Yes, Sound Blaster will convert speech to text, but the only screen
review package that I know of that works with it is called TinyTalk.
I have not used this combination myself, so I don't know how well it
works.

  2.  If not I would appreciate knowing of a low end intelligible item, a
 medium level item and the very best item for this purpose.

The Doubletalk family of synthesizers are pretty good.  I use a version
of that talker, sometimes.  The Accent family is more high end, along
with the Dectalk.  You can get synthesizers all over the map in terms of
price and quality.  Usefullness for a particular purpose depends a great
deal on how well the user can understand the particular synthesizer
being used.  This, of course, varies from individual to individual.

 Bh> 3.    It would be nice to be aware of any publications that cater
 specifically to the computer needs of visually impaired people. Thanks
 for you consideration and help.

 I keep hearing about a magazine called "COMPUTER FOLKS" on the echo.  I
 don't know much about it, but I'm sure someone on here will give you
 the address.

BTW There are also screen review packages that convert ascii text to
large print.  One of those might help you to more easily read messages
and help you make the transition to speech, if your vision continues to
deteriorate.  You can download a whole slew of screen review and screen
magnification demos from Blink Link.  See origin line on this message.

Hope this helps,
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: DECtalk Dictionaries
From: Steve.Matzura@f203.n2603.z1.fidonet.org (Steve Matzura)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:2603/203 - The BATcave Mail On, Brooklyn NY


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

A long, long time ago, when I was using a DECtalk for terminal
access on a VAX minicomputer, I wrote a dictionary management
program that constructed pronunciations out of single-syllable
words strung together, and how you capitalized the single-syllable
words determined the accentuation of the individual syllables.
Now, as I said, that was for a VAX, and I have yet to see anything
available in the dictionary-management software category for the PC
to be used with the DECtalk.  Anyone have any ideas on this?
Writing the program is simple enough--it's just a bunch of
escape-sequences you send to the D'Talk, but it's getting the
proper pronunciation from the end-user that's the
hassle-and-a-half.  Does there exist anywhere "out there" such a
program to download dictionary definitions to the DECtalk?

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!2603!203!Steve.Matzura
Internet: Steve.Matzura@f203.n2603.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: blind filing system?
From: Eric.Smith@f120.n226.z1.fidonet.org (Eric Smith)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:226/120 - Colossus, Worthington OH


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

Pete, don't have exact name (I'm sure you'll get it though), but
you might try the Vox talking labels.  Haven't seen it myself but I
know non-Braille users who really find it helpful.  It is a small
machine that records on strips of magnetic tape, I think about
10-15 seconds per strip.  You can put the strips on file cards,
food cans, files in a filing cabinet, etc.  You simply run the
strip back through the machine to hear what you have recorded
there. Hoep someone using the machines also responds with better
info, but thought in case I'd give my two cents. Think the machine
is only around $75, don't have a catalog handy. Call AFB at 1-800
829-0500. The best.

... "Scotty, beam me up another Blue Wave message." ___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!226!120!Eric.Smith
Internet: Eric.Smith@f120.n226.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Advantedge in canada?
From: dlawlor@morgan.ucs.mun.ca (Doug Lawlor)
Organization: Memorial University of Newfoundland

Hello everyone, Who is a dealer for the Reading Advantedge in canada?
Thanks, Doug


--
Doug Lawlor, vo1cm
Internet: dlawlor@morgan.ucs.mun.ca or dlawlor@kean.ucs.mun.ca




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Subject: Re: NLS CD ROM
From: dnavy@well.sf.ca.us (aleven)
Organization: The Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, Sausalito, CA



David Tanner wrote:

> I also will be getting a cd here at home soon and wondered if you
> had any suggestions as to particular cd rom's that work
> particularly well with speech.

There is a free CD ROM access disk available from Raised Dot Computing, Inc.
This disk is self explanatory.  It documents what CD ROMS are accessable
and has useful information and batch files toward this end.

Anyone interested in the free CD ROM access disk or a free MegaDots braille
translation demo disk, email me your snail-mail address or call
RDC at 1800-347-9594.









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                 End of Issue # 974 of the Blind News Digest

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