🚀 go-pugleaf

                            THE BLIND NEWS DIGEST

                                 Issue # 1027

                          Wednesday, March 23, 1994

Today's Topics:


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                Re: Radio Shack misses the blind so often...
                 World Wide Web access by the blind is here!
                          Re: Help for blind friend
                            Re: Available Etexts
                                   Speech
                       trouble reading text on screen
                           Re: Listen-to-me files
                            Help for blind friend
                 Help needed: reading solution for Macintosh
                         UNIX vs. Visually Impaired


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thoughts in the next issue, please send electronic mail to
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Compuserve: 73170,1064

                              Bill McGarry (Moderator)
                              (203) 926-6187



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Subject: Re: Radio Shack misses the blind so often...
From: robocop@clark.net (matt roberts)
Organization: Clark Internet Services, Inc., Ellicott City, MD USA

In article <31647@handicap.news>,
Martin McCormick <martin@datacomm.ucc.okstate.edu> wrote:
>Index Number: 31647
>
>       It is an absolute shame that the electronics industries are doing
>so little to make ordinary consumer electronics useable by blind people.
>The industry mantra seems to be "Oh,! I didn't think of that.  Oh well. . ."
>
>       A really cleaver quote I heard, once, went something like:
>"Isn't it terrible that the public wants what it wants rather than what
>we want to sell it?"

How does the company know what the public wants, unless they ask?
I would like to see voice and visual technology put in all products.
What annoys me is I can't have a clock radio, because I can't set it myself.
--
                                        Matt Roberts 410-451-0790
                                        CompuServe: 73042,16
                                        Genie: g.roberts1




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Subject: World Wide Web access by the blind is here!
From: nu7i@indirect.com (Darrell Shandrow)
Organization: Internet Direct Inc (602)274-0100

Hello.  I have taken some time over my spring break to write this before
I leave town for a couple of days.  I hope it helps some blind internet
users out there!  Here it is:

A couple of months ago I began to notice something interesting happening
on the enormous world of the internet.  It horrified me at first but I
have found that there is a solution.

I have been on the net for over 2 years now.  At first, email, telnet,
and ftp were the only standards in wide use and they were great things.  Not
only were users able to use these tools to retrieve vast amounts of
information but there was nothing in the way of graphics that hampered
access to the blind.  While the requirement to remember an incredible
amount of information  necessary to keep track of the various domains
for all of the systems was quite a pain it worked great.

Then the wonderful world of gopher came along.  Many information
resources became available on a great little critter that even allowed
you to search much  information stored on hundreds of
computers around the world.  Yes, it was headed for graphics but it was
still very friendly to blind users on the net.  There was a choice
between using arrow keys and pressing numbers that were to the left of
each option.  For many of us either selection method worked equally
well.  For some, due to such problems as terminal emulation, using the
numbers was necessary.  But, it was far from difficult to use this
critter.  Granted, the gopher critter is still frequently utilized to
provide information on the internet.  However, I began to notice a
disturbing trend on the internet.  Applications were becomming graphical
in nature.  There have sprung up numerous internet tools for Microsoft
Windows, Macintosh systems, and Unix boxes running interfaces like
X-Windows.  I began to think we were going to have a problem.  "We still
might if screen access doesn't improve faster than its current rate but
we still have some time."  I will now discuss the new trend of providing
information via a new interface known as World Wide Web.

When I first heard about World Wide Web (WWW) I began to worry.  Those
who discussed it on the net and here at school talked about it in terms
of X-Windows and the X-terminals down in our Computing Commons.  I
thought, "Wow, here is another system we are locked out of until adaptive
technology companies and researchers get their acts together."  I also
noticed new services coming online with no gopher access.  I was worried
since I had become dependent on the friendly interface of gopher.  Two
examples of Web only services are the mtv.com system operated by Adam
Curry and the Palo Alto Weekly newspaper experiment.  Actually, the
gopher on mtv.com still exists but Adam was quoted as saying that he was
only going to be updating the material on the WWW server.  Well, I used
my ability to get around and found us blind users a solution.

I have been a member of the National Federation of the Blind for a
considerable time now (over 6 years).  "Well, it's a considerable time
for me anyhow."  As I wrote the message to adam@mtv.com complaining about
the problem with using WWW for the blind I remembered that we are taught
that we are not to allow our blindness to get in the way of accomplishing
our goals.  We are to compete on equal terms with the sighted.  I also
remembered mentions of a program called Lynx which was a text-based WWW
interface.  Before my revelation I figured, "well, the web uses hypertext
and this depends on highlighted text so how can it possibly work for the
blind?"  I decided to give it a fair chance.

I was quite surprised to find that the Web is fairly accessible to us
afterall.  No, we can't access any of the image files in a meaningful way
but we can most definitely see the text.  As I mentioned earlier, the web
uses hypertext.  WWW uses the concept of a universal resource locater
(url) which keeps track of documents that are stored on computers
throughout the world.  It works like this:
The user activates the web program and is placed on the home page of a
default server.  This page not only has relevant information for that
institution but also points the way to other resources.  One selects
items on the web by placing the cursor on various parts of the screen
that contain highlighting.  These are known as hypertext links. When a
link is selected the relevant document or page is brought up.  I guess
It's supposed to be like using a hypertext document on a standalone
computer from something like Hypercard but I wouldn't know that yet.
The user also has the choice to specify an url on another machine
directly to facilitate quick access to needed information.  So, I will
now spill the beans on how Lynx works.

As I have stated earlier, Lynx is text-based.  However, there are still
hypertext links and all the concepts that come with them.  Lynx allows
the user to select links by pressing the up and down arrow keys only.
The cursor is placed on the first letter of the current link.  The up and
down arrows move between links.  There are often several links on a
line.  The up key moves to the left and wraps up while the down key moves
to the right and then wraps down.  The user presses either the right
arrow or the enter key to select a link.  The left arrow key is used to
go back up to the previous level.  That would be where you were at before
selecting the link.
Reading links is not difficult.  As I said earlier, the cursor is put on
the first letter of the link you are pointing at.  The user simply
directs his/her screen access software to read the current line.  Often,
there are several links on that line.  The user then gets more specific
by reading the current word.  This word is the first word of the
link in question.  Since links normally consist of a couple of words it
is easy to figure out which words on that line consist of your link.
Once the user figures out this process he/she will master reading lines
that consist of 3 or more links.
A braille display completely solves this problem.  Since at least a forth
of the line is on the braille display at one time the user can feel where
the cursor is located and the words following it.  Often, the link is
right under the user's fingers or one advance of the display away from
complete visibility.  Of course, the display's cursor tracking function
must be active when using Lynx in order to have this benefit.  I
recommend, when humanly possible, the use of both speech and braille when
using Lynx.
To "go" to another url press the g key.  There will be a prompt asking
where to go.  The user must type an url in the form:
http://uu-gna.mit.edu:8001
and press enter.  This is a real example.  If you have Lynx ( or any
other web browser for that matter) try this.  The page selected is on an
MIT computer and one of the links is the Globewide Network Academy.  Move
up or down to find this link and press enter.  Select various links by
moving, reading the ccurrent word, and pressing the enter or right arrow
key.  Remember that left
arrow always goes back up one level.  Don't worry, it is difficult to
mess up WWW.  Press the q key when ready to quit Lynx and absorb these
concepts.

That's about all there is to the basics of WWW.  I have told you
virtually everything I know about this subject at this point. Howevwer,
this information is enough to help us navigate through much information
stored on web servers throughout the world.  I hope this explanation
helps at least a few blind users out there.  You may email or call me at
anytime.  Please don't send any print-only snail mail though as I simply
will not read it till my rehab counsellor gets his act together and
delivers the new OCR system that is being or has been ordered.  Below is
my contact information:

Darrell Shandrow
600 E. University Drive
Manzanita Hall
Box 233
Tempe, AZ 85281-2030
(602) 784-0211.
Internet: nu7i@indirect.com
Other internet addresses:
shandrow@enuxsa.eas.asu.edu
audxs@acvax.inre.asu.edu
GeNie: d.shandrow2
Packet radio:
nu7i@n6qmy (directly forwarded to internet)
nu7i@kc7y.az.usa.na (home pbbs)
73



--
Darrell Shandrow at Arizona State University
Member: National Federation of the Blind
(The complete information access agenda - You print it you braille it too!)




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Subject: Re: Help for blind friend
From: rrock@clark.net (Kerby Hill)
Organization: Clark Internet Services, Inc., Ellicott City, MD USA

In article <31699@handicap.news>, Remos <rjohnson@unlinfo.unl.edu> wrote:
>Index Number: 31699
>
>I am looking for any information on how my blind friend can use a
>computer.  I've seen someone else use what looks like a little,
>brail-type keyboard that hooks directly to the printer.  I would
>appreciate _any_ information.  Thanks in advance.

well does your friend know a typewriter keyboard or for that matter, a
regular computer keyboard?  I'm blind also and I use speech software with
my computer and I also have a braille printer but my keyboard isn't
brailled.  I don't feel that I need it.  I use jaws as my screen reader
and it works great for me and I use a braille 'n speak as my synthesizer
for my computer.

--
Kerby Hill: 410-538-4301 Howard Stern is the radio god of morning drive.
Compuserve: 73162,536 Don and Mike are the radio gods of afternoon drive.
David Letterman is the TV god of late night.




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Subject: Re: Available Etexts
From: person@badlands.NoDak.edu (Brett G Person)
Organization: North Dakota Higher Education Computing Network


Umm.. All of these files are available free from several sources. BBS's
and several internet/bitnet sites.

For those of you on Internet, check out ftp.etext.org. they seem to have
a lot of etexts.

Write me for more details






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Subject: Speech
From: cpaulus@clark.net (Chris Paulus)
Organization: Clark Internet Services, Inc., Ellicott City, MD USA



I run on a tred mill every day, but it's a pain to have a sighted
person looking at the reading when i'm through...Is the6e a way
that my mill could be wired to read the indicators on there?  I'm
sure it would be expensive.

If this isn't possible, is there a device like oone of those things
that you carry around, and it keeps track of how much you walk per
day (the name slips my mind)...was wondering if such a device like
this is available with speech.

Just a shot in the dark.

Chris

--
Chris Paulus     cpaulus@clark.net   Howard Stern is God of morning drive!
410-477-8591  CENSORSHIP SUCKS!  Don and Mike aRe Gods of aftn. Drive!
CompuServe: 71541,1617         RACISM SUCKS!! "
A spirit with a vision is a dream with a mission" -- Rush




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Subject: trouble reading text on screen
From: dmn@christa.unh.edu (Dana M Nibby)
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway

A friend of mine uses Mac Kermit to read e-mail from her UNIX account, and
has trouble reading the (small) text. Is there a special version of Mac
Kermit that makes the characters on the screen larger? Or can anything
else be done short of buying a larger monitor?

Thanks,

  Dana

Please respond via e-mail.

--
<

------

>
| Dana Nibby                     |                                     |
|                                | "We should not act and speak as if  |
|                                |  we were asleep." --- Heraclitus    |
| dmn@kepler.unh.edu             |_____________________________________|
|                                |                                     |
|                                | PHILOSOPHER: WILL THINK FOR FOOD    |
\________________________________|_____________________________________/




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Subject: Re: Listen-to-me files
From: Henry@g0gku.demon.co.uk (Henry Brugsch)
Organization: Kidderminster Chaos computing at home under seige

In article <31671@handicap.news>
           JBARM@acadvm1.uottawa.ca "John Armstrong" writes:

> Index Number: 31671
>
>  CREATING LISTEN-TO-ME FILES FOR PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS
>
>    I have owned a Sound Blaster (by Creative Labs) for a couple
> of years, but its main use has been for games with digitized
> sound, and for voice input. As my disability is not visual, I had

(Much deleted)--
I think this is an interesting idea, using smooth-talker, and speech
files.
But here's another thought.
I don't know if my compatible card which is called a Calypso, will work
with smooth-talker files.
But here's an idea. There exists a small program called play-rec. This
program will let you listen to, and prepair voc sample files at will.
All you need is a sound blaster compatible card, a mike input to the
card, and a speaker attached to the card.
You can then create "listen" files at will.
They tend to be a tad unwieldy in as much as they are samples. But you
can sample speech at a very low rate, say 250hz. This will allow you to
put 5 minutes on a file of some few hundred k.
Don't know if this has any real use for those of us out there. But one
application I can see is, using it to derive sonic snapshots of someone
we are in correspondence with.
"hi, here's a small file of my voice giving a greeting."
Then this could be uuencoded, and then posted forward.
I have the program here, not one I have written, but one I found on one
of my ftp prowls.
Anyone who wants to have a play with it, let me know, and I'd be glad to
uuencode it, and mail it forward.
I can also put it up on the handicapped archive.
Reactions here, first though.

Henry Brugsch
aka hbj elsewher, CIS: 75366.317.com
hbj@bix.com, Moderator of adaptive.tech conference, bix
telnet and internet connectivity $13 per month
(Join adaptive.tech) for info on adaptive tech for disabilities
telnet x25.bix.com
The freedom of information is a right not a privilege.




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Subject: Help for blind friend
From: rjohnson@unlinfo.unl.edu (Ross Johnson)
Organization: University of Nebraska--Lincoln

I am looking for any information on how my blind friend can use a
computer.  I've seen someone else use what looks like a little,
brail-type keyboard that hooks directly to the printer.  I would
appreciate _any_ information.  Thanks in advance.

Ross Johnson    rjohnson@unlinfo.unl.edu
--
I am user.  Hear me ROAR!!!!




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Subject: Help needed: reading solution for Macintosh
From: danc@cac.washington.edu (Dan Comden)
Organization: UW Computing

Greetings,

I'm working with a student who uses a Ke:nx system to operate a Macintosh.
Much of his time on the computer is spent using a communications package
(Zterm) to access email. Due to a learning disability, he has a difficult
time reading and would like to use voice output to have his mail read to
him.  We have tried Outspoken, but the commands for Outspoken cannot be
used with Ke:nx. This has been verified by both the manufacturers of Ke:nx
(DJDE) and Outspoken (Berkeley Systems). Downloading individual messages
and using Write:OutLoud is cumbersome. Anyone have any ideas to get voice
output working for this person? Any suggestions are welcome.

--
-*- Dan Comden               (danc@cac.washington.edu)
    Adaptive Technology Lab
    University of Washington




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Subject: UNIX vs. Visually Impaired
From: jeff@falcon.cc.ukans.edu (Jeff Bangert)

I've been trying to help a visually impaired student

    Kim Morrow
    kimberly@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu

but I'm not sure I'm doing a very good job.  ;-(

There are several computers here she can get accounts on.  She has
been running fairly successfully on a VMS system.

I suggested she get an account on a UNIX system because I thought that
the old editors, ed or ex, would allow her to do one line at a time
editing, which might make things easier for her.

She has the account on UNIX now, and the first thing she experiences
is that the man pages are very hard to read.

So, what I think would be really great -- if a visually impaired
person who is experienced with UNIX could write to her ( or me ) and
help her -- or if a person experienced with several operating systems
could write and explain why UNIX is a bad choice?

Writing to me is OK, since she does not feel confident with computer
terminology, yet.

--
Jeff Bangert, Computer Center, University of Kansas
jeff@falcon.cc.ukans.edu




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                 End of Issue # 1027 of the Blind News Digest

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