Hi, Jana. I've never used a braille display with my PC. I have a serial port on the PC, but like I said, not the laptop. I've always wanted to hook up the Braille Lite and use it as a braille display, and with the M40, they make it easy. I just haven't done it. Take care. Julie Morales Email and Windows/MSN Messenger: inlovewithchrist@xxxxxxxxxxxxx When God puts a tear in your eye, it is because He wants to put a rainbow in your heart. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jana Jackson" <jana@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2004 3:51 PM Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Another look at recorded books Hi, Julie! I am the same way. I don't have a hearing impairment, but for some reason, I've always preferred reading Braille. Thanks to Web Braille and Bookshare, I always have more than enough reading material! <Smile> I've heard that Freedom Scientific is increasing Braille support for a future release, to the point that it will be possible to use the PC with Braille only if desired. I'm anxious to try it out! Jana ----- Original Message ----- From: "J.M." <inlovewithchrist@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Friday, September 03, 2004 8:44 PM Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Another look at recorded books > Hi, Jim. Yay! Another person who feels as strongly about braille as I do! I > have a whole stack of hardcopy braille books sitting over here to read and > enjoy every minute of it. I also have a Braille Lite, and I'm actually the > opposite of Shelly. I use the speech extremely rarely and use the braille > most of the time. The only way I know of connecting it to a computer, > though, is through a serial port, and my laptop doesn't come with one. It > appears they're fazing them out, but oh, well. I still use my braille lite > all the time in reading Bookshare books and still read hardcopy braille, > too. Take care. > Julie Morales > Email and Windows/MSN Messenger: > inlovewithchrist@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > When God puts a tear in your eye, it is because He wants to put a rainbow in > your heart. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jim Denham" <jdenham@xxxxxxxxx> > To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2004 6:16 AM > Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Another look at recorded books > > > I guess, in my mind, recorded books are the same as books read with > synthetic speech. Yes, it is possible to examine electronic text using > synthetic speech, but how many of us actually do this when reading a long > novel. I do consider both recorded books and electronic books reading > because it is gaining access to information. However, with that being said, > I am a very strong advocate for any totally blind person, especially > students, learning Braille. Yes, reading with Braille may be slower as > compared to reading with the ears, but you pick up things like spelling and > proper punctuation that you just don't get when listening to either a > recording or synthetic voice. Whenever the parent of a blind student asks > me why their student needs to learn Braille when all they will ever need is > on tape or in electronic format, I have a standard response. I tell them > that their are no talking elevator buttons or restroom signs and being able > to access these two types of information is critical if a visually impaired > individual wants to live independently. > Shelly, I don't want to pick on you and I apologize in advance if I come > across that way, but for people on list who are like you, have access to > refreshable Braille but only use it occasionally, may I suggest the > following. Find a relatively short book and read it using only Braille. > Yes, if your Braille skills are slow, this may take a while, but the only > way you will get faster is by practice. I think that you will find that > reading with refreshable Braille is a really rewarding experience as you > will pick up so much more from the book. Not saying you can never read a > book with speech again, because we all do this. But, once in a while, pick > up that refreshable Braille display (Or God forbid a hard copy Braille book) > and read it cover to cover in Braille. I think you will be glad you did. > I'll get off my soap box now. > > Jim > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Cindy Lou Ray [mailto:cindy.l.ray@xxxxxxxxx] > Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 11:35 PM > To: bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Another look at recorded books > > > I don't think how many read the book or whether it is more interesting than > the movie makes much difference. But I do think that if someone finds > "reading" the book with recording easier than seeing with the eyes, then you > don't want to discount what they are doing. I do think that people who read > from tape and refuse to learn alternative techniques like braille, unless, > of course, there are circumstances which make this necessary, are at least > shortchanging themselves. Also, if listening to a recorded book is not > reading, then is listening to one with computer speech not reading either? > > I think these are rather interesting philosophical questions kind of like if > a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it does it > still make a sound? Oh, dear, I should get the laundry taken care of and get > off of these questions. > > Sorry for all this. > Cindy > > > > > > > > > >