🚀 go-pugleaf

                            THE BLIND NEWS DIGEST

                                 Issue # 1164

                           Monday, August 28, 1995

Today's Topics:


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                          RESPONSE TO FEEL-A-VISION
                         Browsing_the_Web_with_Lynx
                            accessible web tools
                    Re: Where have all the Issue's Gone?
                               Re: Windows 95
            Electronic Mail - Special Notices - E-Mail Directory
                              August Phone Book
                              The_Lynx_browser
                                 BLT Release
                                FAX TUTORIAL


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                              Bill McGarry (Moderator)
                              (203) 926-6187



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Subject: RESPONSE TO FEEL-A-VISION
From: senkmj@ptbma.usbm.gov (Mark J. Senk WB3CAI)



Mark Senk       (412) 892-6513  ms5@usbm.gov

---------- Forwarded message ----------
 Date: Wed, 16 Aug 1995 19:42:31 -0700
 From: Robertj Jaquiss (503) 627-4444 DS 50-454 <robertj@tekgen.BV.TEK.COM>
 To: Multiple recipients of list <nfb-rd@lothlorien.nfbcal.org>
 Subject: RESPONSE TO FEEL-A-VISION

                    COMMENTS ON FEEL-A-VISION
                               By
                      Robert S. Jaquiss Jr.

                         August 16, 1995

     This letter is to the blind, their friends and other
interested persons.  Recently, David A Harrell has issued articles
on the Internet and has been in correspondence with the Research
and Development (R&D) committee of the National Federation of the
Blind.  The R&D committee has carefully reviewed Mr. Harrell's
articles and correspondence.  Because there has been discussion of
Mr. Harrell's proposal on the Internet, the R&D committee is
responding publicly.

     Mr. Harrell proposes that a system can be constructed which
will obtain an image, process that image and "display" it on the
skin of a person using an array of stimulators.  The manner of
stimulation could be electrical, mechanical (tickling or pressure)
or thermal (using a laser).  One of the premises used is that a
large number of stimulating elements would be used (100,000) in the
array.  There are some fundamental problems with this proposed
device.  These are:

1.   In order for a stimulator to work, there must be a nerve
     ending to be stimulated.  There must, in fact, be a nerve
     ending of the proper type for each of the stimulators.  The
     density of nerve endings varies from place to place on the
     human body.  The fingertips, hands and face have the greatest
     density of tactile nerve endings per square inch; while the
     back has fewer tactile nerve endings per square inch.  There
     are far fewer heat sensor nerves than tactile sensor nerves.
     A high resolution display is of no use unless it can be
     perceived.  A simple experiment can be done as a proof for
     this argument.  Feel the fur of a dog or cat with a bare hand,
     then put a thick glove on the same hand and again feel the
     fur.  The surface of the fur is a very high resolution image.
     Notice the difference, you cannot feel the fur as well (if at
     all) with the gloved hand.  The resolution of the image has
     not changed but your ability to perceive it has.  This same
     experiment can be tried on various surfaces such as a hair
     brush, highly textured apholstery or even a doormat.

2.   The second problem occurs, with the use of a two dimensional
     array to observe a three dimensional world.  Humans have
     stereoscopic vision and binaural hearing.  We see three
     dimensional objects because our eyes are set apart.  The brain
     receives two slightly different views of the same object.  The
     difference is used to provide depth perception.  People with
     only one eye have no depth perception.  Our ears provide two
     slightly different sound images.  These allow people to
     aurally locate sources of sound in all three dimensions.  It
     is very difficult to convert a three dimensional image into
     two dimensions.  This is why artists draw in perspective.
     Drawing in perspective allows an artist to make lifelike
     pictures.  One answer is to have the array of stimulators give
     variable amounts of stimulation.  This greatly complicates the
     construction of the array and its associated processor.

3.   The third problem is that of constructing such a complicated
     device.  100,000 stimulators will each have (Depending on
     the type.) several components.  This makes the component
     count very high.  A machine of this complexity would have
     nearly as many components as a commercial jet airplane.
     The problems of manufacturing and maintenance are
     enormous.  There is also the problem of power
     consumption.  If each of 100,000 stimulators required .01
     watt to operate, the user would need a power source of
     one kilowatt.  This is more power than used by a full
     sized microwave oven, coffee maker, iron or hair dryer.
     Carrying enough batteries for several hours of use would
     be difficult to say the least.

     In conclusion, the Research and Development committee of the
National Federation of the Blind does not consider the device
proposed by David Harrell to be possible, or practical.  We do not
recommend that funds be sought or provided for this kind of
research.  For those readers not familiar with the National
Federation of the Blind, we are an organization of blind people
working to obtain security, opportunity and equality for all
persons who are blind throughout the world.  The National
Federation of the Blind has and will continue to change that it
means to be blind.




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Subject: Browsing_the_Web_with_Lynx
From: arnhelg@ismennt.is (Arnthor Helgason)

I have seen recently some requests for information
about software which can be used by blind people to
browse the Web.

I have for some time used the dos-based Kermit-program
for all my Internet communications.  If you are
looking at the Web the easiest way is to use the LYNX
command like this:
lynx -show_cursor http://www. etc.

The -show_cursor makes the cursor to appear at the
beginning of a highlighted text, thus enabling a blind
person to use most of the services which are not too
image-based.

For those who want to make their services accessible
for blind users it is important to bear in mind that
the appearance of textguides are as cursor-based as
possible

Arnthor Helgason
The Icelandic Library for the Blind
arnhelg@ismennt.is




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Subject: accessible web tools
From: dashiell@nadc.nadc.navy.mil (J. Dashiell)

You want to document the lynx-learn list in the book.
Also the tourbus list since it helps to have sites to
access and try out but these aren't available without
a source.
lynx-learn if I remember correctly is at majordomo@netcom.com.
The web site at welcome to the whitehouse Has links to
documents of interest for web accessability too.

jude <dashiell@nadc.nadc.navy.mil>



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Subject: Re: Where have all the Issue's Gone?
From: gcampbel@hpbs2500.boi.hp.com (Gary Campbell)
Organization: Hewlett Packard - Boise Printer Division

In article <37313@handicap.news>, KSEVEN <KSEVEN@delphi.com> wrote:
>Index Number: 37313
>
>from $100.00 to $1000.00. I have not yet found a DOS based scanner package,
>so do need to use my speech access to WINDOWS in order to take advantage of
>this  very low cost OCR process, but I am not sure a DOS version  doesn't
> exist.

I doubt many do.  Most of the big OCR companies are writing for
Windows because of the memory management, user interface components,
and other things that make the Windows environment so much more
attractive to developers than DOS.  While this is especially true for
applications like OCR, which require large amounts of memory, it is
also true for other applications, and is why you have seen the last,
or almost  the last, versions of many programs for DOS.

>wonder several things.
>     1.  Why don't more of us know about general market products that would
>meet our specialized needs?

Because access to them has not been available that long, and is not
yet that wide-spread.  One product I have heard of but have not
checked out is Text Bridge, which is supposed to have the same OCR
engine as Reading Advantage, but which sells for $100.  About products
like WORDSCAN, I have heard that some of the features are or were hard
to access.  As our Windows access packages get better this will become
less true.  Reports on usability  of all features of the product, like
scanner settings, error messages, document conversion, etc. would help
people know whether they can really access the off the shelf stuff or
not.  As people find out that they can indeed get full access to
off-the-shelf OCR I think that need for special products for the blind
will decrease.

>     2.  Why don't vendors of products for blind people reflect such
>availability in the pricing of their products?

Such availability should lower the cost of the OCR engine to blindness
product developers, but whatever they do will still cost and will have
to be paid for by a small market.  That's why I think that access to
off-the-shelf OCR will replace special packages rather than bring the
price down.  The only way they will continue to exist is if they can
find enough features that blind people want that sighted people don't
that make blind people want to buy them.  Of course, there's the issue
of blind people knowing of the products, as you say.

>now needs to be on screen access, rather than on hardware to do the talking.
>But will even this be necessary six months from now? And will anyone tell us
>if it is not?

That is a special need, so I doubt it will be replaced by mainstream
software any time soon.  It might, however, allow access package
providers to use more parts of the system.  I remember having sighted
people tell me that commercial products that used speech would meet my
needs, only to find out that they didn't.  Still, it's worth watching
the trend and taking advantage of whatever does come along that is of
help.





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Subject: Re: Windows 95
From: gcampbel@hpbs2500.boi.hp.com (Gary Campbell)
Organization: Hewlett Packard - Boise Printer Division

In article <37310@handicap.news>, Kelly Ford <kford@teleport.com> wrote:
>Index Number: 37310
>
>issues but Windows 95 is still, to the best of my knowledge, not going to
>work with a screen reader on August 24.  So what's going to happen to

At the ACB convention Neil Cooper of Syntha-Voice said that Slimware
Window Bridge will work with Win95.  I don't know how well because I
don't want to risk trashing my system by installing the beta to find
out.

Gary Campbell




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Subject: Electronic Mail - Special Notices - E-Mail Directory
From: patt@squid.tram.com (Patt Bromberger)

>From The Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind
September 1995 Issue
Special Notices

National Braille Press is compiling an e-mail directory of blind
individuals and blindness organizations; to be listed, free of charge in
this directory, send your e-mail address along with your name or the name
of your organization, plus city, state and country to
        algayz@world.std.com
by October 2, 1995.

Patricia Ann Bromberger        -          patt@squid.tram.com
President, Student Organization for Every Disability United for Progress @
The Mamie and Frank Goldstein Resource Center for Students with Disabilities
Brooklyn College/CUNY  (718) 252-9230     patt@its.brooklyn.cuny.edu



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Subject: August Phone Book
From: philscov@netcom.com (Phil Scovell)

     If you are receiving a duplicate of this message, please let
me know because it means I have somehow unintentionally entered
your name twice in the monthly mailing list.  I don't want to make
anybody mad here.  Additionally, if for any reason you wish not to
be on this email list, for crying out loud, just say so now and
I'll delete your name from the mailing list.  Please don't kill
the messenger just because the news is bad.

     It's time for the monthly mailing of the phone book of blind
internet users and services.  The filename is pb119.zip and has
some new entries.  The phone book is now updated every two weeks
and emailed to those who want it around the first of each month.

     new.txt is a file updated weekly and contains all new entries
in their given files.  In this way you can quickly read new
entries which have been added without having to scan all the files
in the phone book.

     The blt archive file is now on the web via Jim Shaffer's home
page.  blt is my clever way of referring to my collection of ascii
text files of interest to blind readers.  It really stands for
Blind Library of Topical Texts. The blt has recently been updated
and all 481 text files are now available via Jim's home page and
are readable online.  The current file name is blt481.zip and it
also is available via ftp from my ftp sight.  Details of how to
obtain this archive and the phone book itself appear at the end of
this message.  Jim's home page is at
http://www.realtime.net/~shaffer/ so check it out.

     If you discover any typographical mistakes or notice anything
which should be changed in the phone book archive, please let me
know.  If you are not receiving this file as an attachment and
would like to, email me and let me know.  Also, if you know any
other blind internet users not on the list, forward the
information to them or send me their email address and I will send
them my standard information message on the phone book.  No one is
added to the phone book without their permission.

     finally, you can obtain the latest updated file by using ftp
and going to
ftp.netcom.com and using anonymous as your login name.  Then use
your complete email address as your password when prompted.
Finally, once you are logged in, type
cd /pub/ph/philscov and my welcome screen will tell you the rest.
Netcom's ftp sight only currently handles 100 callers at a time so
keep trying.  If you are really desperate, the phone book is also
available via the fidonet on my BBS at 1:104/810 with the magic
file name of PHONE.  The Electronic Library is on 24 hours a day
at 28800 at 303-935-6323 if you want to pay the freight.  I'll
even mail it back via the U S Mail if you'll send me a diskette.
Email me for my street address.

     Thanks to everyone for being in the phone book and for
helping me with it.  Your suggestions are always welcome but I
don't take criticism well so email that to
knucklehead@stupid.hardheaded.sitting.on.my.mind.side.ways.net
and he will handle those.  Till next month.

Phil Scovell
philscov@netcom.com




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Subject: The_Lynx_browser
From: arnhelg@ismennt.is (Arnthor Helgason)

I have on several occasions seen requests about
methods for blind people to browse the World Wide Web.

I have for some time been using the MS-Kermit program
to browse the web.  The most easy way of browsing the
web is through the LYNX command.  The following
combinations lets the Braille display or the speech
device follow the system cursor:

lynx -show_cursor (source name).

By using this command you can attend many of the
sources now available on the web.

Arnthor Helgason
arnhelg@ismennt.is
Icelandic Library for the Blind




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Subject: BLT Release
From: philscov@netcom.com (Phil Scovell)

The Blind Library of Topical Text files, or what is otherwise
lovingly referred to as the BLT for short,  has once again been
updated and released.  The new archive filename is BLT481.ZIP and,
of course, has 481 files.  It is nearly 1 megabyte in the archived
format.  No fooling.  There are 55 new files added since the last
blt release and 7 old files were updated with new information.
There is bunches of new information in this latest release; too
much for me to mention here.  If you'd like the blt archive, you
can get it several different ways.  First, it is available, on some
bulletin boards.  If you can file request, it is also available
with the magic filename of blt from my own bulletin board.
1:104/810 is my fidonet address.  You can also get it via the
internet with ftp by typing ftp ftp.netcom.com, logging in as
anonymous, and then using your complete email address as your
password.  From there, you'll be at the root directory of the ftp
sight.  Type cd /pub/ph/philscov and you'll get my welcome screen
which will inform you of the file names available.  The blt file
will be one of those files of course.  To get the file simply type
the word binary to switch to that mode, then type get blt481.zip
and it will happen.  If I can help you with this or if you'd like
me to email the file to you via the internet, let me know.  Keep in
mind that this ftp sight only allows 100 people online at any given
time so if you don't get in, try a few more times or come back
later.

Phil
philscov@netcom.com




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Subject: FAX TUTORIAL
From: philscov@netcom.com (Phil Scovell)

     If you prefer not to receive such email, please let me know
and I will remove your name from the mailing list.  In other
words, don't kill the messenger just because the news is bad.

     The most common question I receive from people calling about
my cassette tutorials is about fax software.    Though Word
Perfect 5.1 and 6.0 both have fax capability, many often run short
of memory, find it awkward to use, or don't have either version of
Word Perfect in the first place.  I always recommend, therefore,
Faxit, and or, SSFAXER as an alternative.  They are both simple to
install, easy to use, and very speech friendly.

     Now, for those who need it, there is a short, but concise,
Talk-Me-Thru tutorial which walks you through the installation and
application of both programs.  Faxit, of course, is freeware and
is a speech friendly interface written by Jamal; author of CTS and
Talking Directory.  SSFAXER is an inexpensive shareware program
which Faxit uses to transmit a file with the help of your fax
modem.  It can also function as a stand alone DOS command line fax
utility.  Faxit, on the other hand, is menu driven and serves as a
speech friendly interface.

     The most convenient aspect of Faxit is the two Word Perfect
5.1 macros which come with the program.  These macros allow the WP
5.1 user to write the document to be faxed in Word Perfect and
then saves it as a properly formatted ascii text file; ready to be
faxed.  Thus the Word Perfect macros, which come with Faxit, help
stream line the entire procedure.  Of course, if you don't use
Word Perfect, SSFAXER works great by itself.

     The TMT cassette tutorial is only five dollars.  If you would
like a diskette of the software along with the cassette tutorial,
it is just ten dollars for both.  To order toll free, call:
1-800-484-9586 extension 9579 or 303-936-2188 in Denver.  My
internet addresses are:
philscov@netcom.com or phil@crl.com if you prefer.

Phil.



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                 End of Issue # 1164 of the Blind News Digest

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