🚀 go-pugleaf

Initially, I posted this message to comp.sys.mac.app and misc.handicap. The
latter newsgroup failed to receive it.

>I have a friend who is legally blind. His eye disease will eventually lead
>to total blindness.

>Yesterday, we were having a discussion about computers for the blind when
>he made the statement that GUI's such as on the Mac or Windows is of no use
>to a blind person.

>While work has been done to get computers to "speak" regarding plain old
>command line stuff, I was wondering if anyone has wrestled the GUI problem
>to the ground?

The best feedback I received of an existing Mac product is from Berkley
Systems(yes, the makers of AfterDark, the Mac/Windows screensaver). The
product is called "Out Spoken" which lists for $495. It uses the Macintalk
voice synthesizer driver to generate the voice. A key testimonial to the
product is that both tech support persons on this product are visually
impaired. The product has been on the market for 3 years. The Windows
version of this product is in development.

Also, Bo Kersey of the Univ. of Texas has a friend who is working on
software for the Mac that reads text intelligently. Hopefully, I will get
some more feedback from Bo's friend on the project.

While voice input was not requested, someone did remind me of Voice
Navigator(by Articulate Systems) as well as Apple's continuing work in this
area(code name "Casper").

Other findings brought a number of misc. phone numbers of which may be of
use but I have not had time to explore them.

Trace R&D Center 608-262-6966
Closing the Gap 612-248-3294
Apple Community Affairs 408-974-2974

Thanks for all of your feedback!

Kevin D. Sears
GE Medical Systems
searsk@med.ge.com
(insert disclaimer here)
(insert funny here)
(insert wisdom here)