Hi, I totally agree with all that, all I'm saying is that relatively speaking, the amount of electronic braille that is read will increase remarkably. hopefully while there probably will be a decline in hard copy reading, the actual amount of braille read will increase. Relatively, though, people are moving to electronic delivery methods for as much information as possible. Cheers Dave -------------------------------------------------- From: "Andy Collins" <andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 1:57 PM To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [access-uk] Re: when is the new Braille coming out as I have had some information Yes Dave, I understand this; I was really trying to address Derek's comments as much as anything, where he seems to think laziness rather than difficulty or alternative preference is the reason fewer people are reading hard copy Braille! I feel for those deaf-blind people, or others that for whatever reason can't access the technology, that are worried that Hard copy will eventually vanish from their lives, but maybe by then means of accessing Braille electronically will be less expensive, or the acquisition of the necessary kit will carry a subsidy for those less well off. I can't see Braille being allowed to disappear in hard copy, not to be available some how as alternative Braille for those that still need it, and not just for work, but for learning and leisure too! - Andy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Taylor" <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 1:18 PM Subject: [access-uk] Re: when is the new Braille coming out as I have had some information | Hi, one does have full control of the reading experience with electronic | braille. Though you can set automatic scrolling, you don't have to, and if | the document is even reasonnably well formatted, it's easier to find the | next paragraph or chapter than with hard copy braille. Also, of course, | there is vastly more available electronically that can be read on a | notetaker than there is actually in braille. So, while many people still | prefer actual hard copy braille, I think the percentage will, over several | years, drop away. | | Also, to cover a couple of other points, even some of the new braille | displays, but especially notetakers are tiny, can be held on your knee in | whatever position you need to be and have much clearer dots than any book | ever will, so are better for people with sensitivity, posture, or even | stamina issues with reading braille, plus you usually have speech backup if | you do get tired. | | Cheers | Dave | | | -------------------------------------------------- | From: "Andy Collins" <andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> | Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 11:51 AM | To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> | Subject: [access-uk] Re: when is the new Braille coming out as I have had | some information | | Dave - I agree with all the practical reasons you put forward as to why many | people prefer alternative media formats to Braille; some though will always | prefer to be in full control of the reading experience, in other words to go | at their own reading pace, but there is also a focus consideration as part | of all this too; for some it can be harder to listen and concentrate, and | the mind can wonder; this is less likely to happen when one is doing the | actual physical reading. I guess Braille for now , still has a place, but | that place is mostly in the home, or in the form of notes to take to | meetings etc, other formats are required when on the move. Also, what is | available in Braille or accessible alternative format is still just a | fraction of all printed material, but as scanning systems improve and become | more portable[and hopefully more affordable] the world of print will | continue to open up to us more and more - | | Andy | | | ----- Original Message ----- | From: "Dave Taylor" <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> | To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> | Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 PM | Subject: [access-uk] Re: when is the new Braille coming out as I have had | some information | | || Well, here we go again, making unfounded judgements about people! || || OK, let me give you some answers. You are simply going to have to realise || that what I and no doubt many others are saying is true. I know you won't || believe me, because you don't want to believe me, but you need to realise || the world is moving on! || || Some people who are braille readers find that the braille won't fit | through || their letter box, and would rather have it delivered in a format they can || have delivered any time. In fact, many get them by email now. || || Others do it simply because it is quicker to listen to something than it | is || to read it in braille. Others because they can put it on a portable device || and listen to it on the move, or even read it on a braille display without || having all the bulk. Others do it so they can keep back copies for longer. || Others do it because it is quicker to navigate an HTML file than a braille || volume. || || When, many years ago, I was on RNIB's Executive Council, I remember | starting || receiving committee papers by email. I was the first person to term up at | a || meeting with the entire papers on a Braille Lite. There was one point in a || particular meeting where the exact wording was being debated. There were || blind and partially sighted people in the meeting, but I was able to | search || for the relevant piece of text, find it within seconds, and read it out to || the whole group. This was over 10 years ago now! And these are just a few || examples. || || On your point about talking books, I know plenty who read loads of braille || so find them more relaxing, others who run out of braille reading, and so || on. || || And I also know many working people simply don't have time to read hard | copy || braille. Using notetakers gives them the advantage of both braille and | quick || navigation, so they have more choice how to consume the media they are | given || if it is electronic. This is the future of braille. While there will | always || be people and situations that demand hard copy, more and more will use || electronic devices, even with braille displays, more and more often, and | for || more and more tasks! || || Cheers || Dave || || || -------------------------------------------------- || From: "Derek Hornby" <derek.hornby_uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> || Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 9:41 PM || To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> || Subject: [access-uk] Re: when is the new Braille coming out as I have had || some information || || Iain says || || "McKerral is blind and a Braille reader as also is Jim McCafferty." || || Yes but how many on BAUK read Braille alot. || || For example, why do so many blind people choose a disk copy of an | RNIB || magazine, rather than a Braille copy? || Why choose talking books, rather than braille books? || || || Note I am of course aware many people not able to read Braille. || I am talking about those that can read braille, but choose not to. || lazy or what? || || Regards, Derek || || ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- || ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] || ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: || ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx || ** and in the Subject line type || ** unsubscribe || ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the || ** immediately-following link:- || ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] || ** or send a message, to || ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq || || || || || || Internal Virus Database is out of date. || Checked by AVG. || Version: 8.0.100 / Virus Database: 269.24.1/1469 - Release Date: 5/27/2008 || 1:25 PM || || ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- || ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] || ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: || ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx || ** and in the Subject line type || ** unsubscribe || ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the || ** immediately-following link:- || ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] || ** or send a message, to || ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq || | | ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- | ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] | ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: | ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx | ** and in the Subject line type | ** unsubscribe | ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the | ** immediately-following link:- | ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] | ** or send a message, to | ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq | | | | | | Internal Virus Database is out of date. | Checked by AVG. | Version: 8.0.100 / Virus Database: 269.24.1/1469 - Release Date: 5/27/2008 | 1:25 PM | | ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- | ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] | ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: | ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx | ** and in the Subject line type | ** unsubscribe | ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the | ** immediately-following link:- | ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] | ** or send a message, to | ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq | ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq Internal Virus Database is out of date. 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