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                            THE BLIND NEWS DIGEST

                                 Issue # 925

                           Tuesday, June 08, 1993

Today's Topics:


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                       software for braille conversion
              Re: Is Windows alienating special-needs persons ?
                    Re:  software for braille conversion
                inequality in accessing accessible materials
               adaptive tech companies and accessible material
                       Re: ASAP and Procomm Pluss 2.0
                           Ms-dos 6 and no manual
                              Open book changes
                           Health care - new york
                          Re: tiny talk & sound bla


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Subject: software for braille conversion
From: deamer@eskimo.com (Dean Martineau)

thomas Jones has offered to write a Braille Translation program
because the one he has seen is expensive and difficult to use.
This offer was well-meant, but it would be impossible
to write a viable translator without a very thorough knowledge
of contracted braille, not an easy knowledge to come by.  blind folks
deserve well-translated Braille.  Fortunately, there are several
good packages out there.  One, which I distribute, is called Mega-
Dots, and it uses plain English commands, making it easy to use even for the
person unfamiliar with Braille. It is not cheap, but it is a specialized,
full-featured word processing package capable of producing Grade I, Grade
II and computer braille
as well a 14- and 18-point large print.  I can be reached as follows:
Dean Martineau
an986@cleveland.freenet.edu
8930 11th Pl SE
Everett, WA 98205
(206) 335-4894





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Subject: Re: Is Windows alienating special-needs persons ?
From: janina@netcom.com (Janina Sajka)
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)

Excellent statement.  I agree that standards are key.

For more in depth discussion of these and related issues you might
want to take a look at World Institute's 1990 publication 'Laying
the Foundation:  Technology Policy and Persons with Disabilities.
It's available via anonymous ftp at netcom.com in pub/janina.

                                Janina Sajka, WIDnet Manager Technology
                                Policy Division World Institute on
                                Disability





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Subject: Re:  software for braille conversion
From: tj@acpub.duke.edu (Thomas Jones)

Yea, writing this program would have been quite a job.  I found the
public domain versin of the National federation of the blind's code,
and it looks just like what I needed.  It comes in source code, so
precise input file formats can be modified.  It's source code is
both pascal and C, and it appears to be quite well written.  I've
been playing with it quite a bit.

I will be getting a braille II book though, just because there are
some subtilties, and I don't want to blindly trust a program.

However, I will probably also try to find some local blind people
who may want to take a quick check of my final output, to make sure
it doesn't miss any details.

Thanks, it looks like I'm set for now.

                                        - tj.




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Subject: inequality in accessing accessible materials
From: shandrow@enuxva.eas.asu.edu (Darrell Shandrow)
Organization: Arizona State University, Tempe AZ USA

I see a problem in the charging for connection to catalogs featuring
accessible material to the blind.  What does a sighted person do when
he/she wishes to find something in the library?  They go to the library
and use a terminal or card catalogue free of charge.  Why should we have
to pay to connect to something that should be free just as it is for the
sighted?  Remember that we already must pay more than the sighted to
actually obtain the material so why add to the cost for us?  This tends
to create a division among the blind that is unnecessary.  This is
between the information haves and the information have nots.  We need to
remember this even though, since we're on this network, we are probably
among the former group.  We are already divided from the sighted in this
area, we're the information have nots regardless of how much electronic
access we have, so let's try not to make this situation worse than it
already is.

Just my views on info access.  73





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Subject: adaptive tech companies and accessible material
From: shandrow@enuxva.eas.asu.edu (Darrell Shandrow)
Organization: Arizona State University, Tempe AZ USA

There is a problem with information access within the field of adaptive
technology which must be addressed.  I think the best way to illustrate
this is with an example.  Basically, even companies selling technology
to blind users charge more for disk, tape, and braille versions of their
documentation and newsletters.  The example I will cite is the Raised
Dot Computing Newsletter.

Before I get started on this illustration I wish to make it very clear
that I do not intend to defame RDC.  I was a user of their HotDots 3.01
and now of MegaDots 1.2 and love both products.  But there is a problem
in the accessibility department.
Look at the prices of the RDC Newsletter.  It costs $18 for print, $20
for audio cassette and braille, and $24 for Apple or Ms-Dos disk.  Look
at this.  What do you think?  I hope it's what I'm thinking.  Is this
company providing products for use by the blind as well as for
transcribers?  I thought so!  But, if one looks at this price list they
might wonder.  There is inequality in the information access, giving the
sighted user of the Newsletter more of an advantage than the blind
reader.  This must change!
First, I'm sure the Newsletter is originally produced on disk.  In
fact, the latest issue I received stated it was produced using MegaDots.
 If this is so, it shouldn't cost $24 to produce it and make a
reasonable profit if a reasonable profit is made by producing the print
copy for $18.  I would recommend $20 for the disk version as well as for
the print version.  This provides for a $2 extra cost for the disk which
is more than enough accounting for the extra cost.  Braille production
is the logical next step from the MegaDots file and only costs extra as
much as the cost of the braille paper minus the cost of the print paper
required.  This should be no more than $22.  Reading it onto an audio
tape must cost the most money since it is an entire different medium.
It cannot be derived from the other 3 production processes in that
someone must take either the braille or print copy and physically read
it into a tape and then duplicate the tape.  This might cost $23 or $24.
 As you can see, I'm being quite realistic about this.  Ideally, the
price would be exactly the same for all methods, say, $23 or $24 for all
copies regardless of format.

There are other examples.  I'm not trying to be radical or anything but
I feel strongly about this issue and hope all adaptive tech companies
consider it carefully, including RDC of course.







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Subject: Re: ASAP and Procomm Pluss 2.0
From: davidb@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (David Blair)
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

Hello All  I am new on the list,

If you copy the PCPLUS.PRM file that will restore Procomm Plus to its
previous configuration.  I have not used ASAP, so I cannot help you
with that program.

David L. Blair  davidb@uiuc.edu




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Subject: Ms-dos 6 and no manual
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]

Like your idea of writing software producers about getting manuals
in accessable format.  Of course they will respond that it costs
them extra money to make the manuals available in electronic
format. So, I propose that what we propose to all software
producers is that they give the blind person the option of
obtaining either a print copy of the documentation or the disk
based form of the documentation at no additonal price.  If the
blind person wants to purchase both print and disk based copies
then the blind person would be xpected to pay the additional cost
for the disk based form of the documentation.

When you pay $700 or $800 for a commercial software such as Paradox
Dbase or many of the other big packages you shouldn't be expected
to pay an additional $40 or more for the manuals in an accessable
format and have expensive print manuals laying around that are
doing you absolutely no good.

I wonder if we could get ACB and NFB to back such a proposal to
Mcrosoft, Borland, WordPerfect, etc.

    D. T.

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




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Subject: Open book changes
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 <Apr 26 10:18>, Peter Scialli of 1:109/432 writes:

 PS>           Arkenstone is also promising imminant availability of
 PS> nine new
 PS>           speech drivers.  I know the system currently supports
 PS> DECtalk,
 PS>           Accent, Keynote Gold, Symphonix, LiteTalk/Laptalk
 PS> Doubletalk
 PS>           PC and Audaptor.It may also support Echo external
 PS>           synthesizers, but I'm not sure.

'

I think you are mistaken about OpenBook supporting Synphonix. It
probably will in a few months, but it does not at present.  I am
involved with testing one of the new drivers and that driver will
make the Accent SA able to be used with OpenBook and thus will also
open up access for Artic Transport but not the Synphonix internal
cards.  Actually though, it would seem that someone should be able
to use the SoundingBoard driver for OpenBook which has been around
ever since last fall to make an artic driver since the two
synthesizers are very similar.

    D. T.

P.S. In talking with Bill out at Arkenstone today the list he gave
me of the improvements for version 1.1 was very similar to your
list.  TThey do seem to be hading in the right direction, but they
certainly have a long way to go to catch up to where their
commercial software product is in many ways

    D. T.

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




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Subject: Health care - new york
From: Brian.Lingard@f24.n3602.z1.fidonet.org (Brian Lingard)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:3602/24 - ADAnet One (tm) Net, Pinson AL


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

My guide dog's Toronto veterinarian did not offer automatic
discounts for guide dogs, but I understand would negotiate if the
owner was on welfare etc.

My dog's veterianarian in Ottawa offers 1/2 price for the
consultation and lab work, but drugs are at regular prices.

Note;  if a dog needs drugs on a regular basis, ask your pharmacist
about the cost of getting the drugs at the drug store instead of
from the veterinarian.

I was surpised i could save one half the veterinarian pill price by
going to a regular drug store.

They just put DOG and your last name on the prescription slip.

If you have multiple dogs, they say which one, eg DOG LINUS Lingard etc.

I can see prescription for a horse or cat.

Take one in morning with hay or with catnip.

The drug store was not offering a reduced price for the stuff for a
guide dog, but charging its regular price.

73 88 de Brian & WooF
===
 * DeLuxec #1551 * New Highway gets Railroaded.
 * RoseMail 2.10: ADANet > Synapse BBS - Gatineau, Que 819-561-4321

 # Origin: ADAnet(tm) NetHub Birmingham, Alabama (205)854-9074  (94:94/1)

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!3602!24!Brian.Lingard
Internet: Brian.Lingard@f24.n3602.z1.fidonet.org




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Subject: Re: tiny talk & sound bla
From: Tom.Brennan@f24.n3602.z1.fidonet.org (Tom Brennan)
Organization: FidoNet node 1:3602/24 - ADAnet One (tm) Net, Pinson AL


[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

I've been using Tinytalk for almost a year and it seems to do
pretty well.  Have v1.41 and am looking for a place to use v1.45.
I'm using it with an Echo GP.  Have a SBPro card but it hangs with
the thing and needs about 190k to run.  Have been told that v1.45
helps with a lot of those problems. For the $75 registration, I
wouldn't consider anything else!  Far as that goes, I havn't seen
one of these expensive programs that I thought was worth anywhere
near the money they wanted for it.  If I really get stuck, I'll
write my own for the IBM like I did for the Apple.

 # Origin: Rooselvelt Warm Springs, Georgia  (94:7069/1)

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!3602!24!Tom.Brennan
Internet: Tom.Brennan@f24.n3602.z1.fidonet.org




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                 End of Issue # 925 of the Blind News Digest

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