My first computer text-to-speech system was not a screen reader, it was a Texas Instruments TI99/4A with a Terminal Emulator 2 cartridge in 1980 that I used at home, with a TI Basic word processor that I wrote for myself over a period of months. Later I converted my TI Basic word processor to TRS80 Basic and used that on a Model 4 with an Echo GP at work. I next converted my own program to GW Basic on an IBM compatible Tandy 1000 at work, then began using the screen reader Flipper with the Echo GP in the 1980's for commercial software that my employer was using. I moved from Flipper to JAWS 2.0 for DOS, and have been using JAWS since that time, going through the various hardware and software development stages. I am currently using JAWS 9.0 in the latest build with Windows XP SP3. The speech access software was a major tool that allowed me to continue successfully in employment as my eyesight dropped progressively from legal blindness in the early 1970's to total blindness in the 1990's. I became Superintendent of the Springfield Wastewater Treatment Plant in 1975, and continued in that position until I retired in January 2004 with a total of 39 years of service with the City. the LORD has blessed me in many ways!
Mike Justice, www.MPNHome.net----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Moore" <donmoore@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2008 2:56 PM Subject: Re: Your first screen reader!
Hi Ben, Danny and all,When my vision got to the point that reading text on the screen was becoming difficult, I got an Echo II box for my Apple II compatible computer; I used software called Talking Textwriter. That was in the early nineteen nineties.Then, I got a DOS machine with Artic Business Vision. When Windows 3.1 came out, I upgraded to Artic WinVision. Unfortunately, that software didn't keep up with the times and newer versions of Internet Explorer, beyond IE 3.2 didn't work with it.At that point, I switched to JAWS for Windows, version 3.5 and have been with JFW ever since.Regards, Don----- Original Message ----- From: "Danny Wells" <dd-wells@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 9:42 PM Subject: Re: Your first screen reader!My first screenreader was Braille Edit with an Echo II synthesizer on an Apple II E, and then I moved up to JFD Jaws for Dos in 1985.Danny----- Original Message ----- From: "Ben J. Bloomgren" <ben.j.bloomgren@xxxxxxxxx>To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 7:09 PM Subject: Your first screen reader!Hello all, Without getting off topic regarding Jaws, I'd be interested to know whatyour first memories of screen readers are. Mine begin with Jaws 3.2 on an old Gateway PC back in 1997. Good oal Doubletalk PC couldn't even handle theRomance languages for heaven's sake! Thanks, Ben -- JFW related links: JFW homepage: http://www.freedomscientific.com/Scripting mailing list: http://lists.the-jdh.com/listinfo.cgi/scriptography-the-jdh.comJFW List instructions: To post a message to the list, send it to jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxTo unsubscribe from this mailing list, send a message to jfw-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.Archives located at: //www.freelists.org/archives/jfwIf you have any concerns about the list, post received from the list, or the way the list is being run, do not post them to the list. Rather contact the list owner at jfw-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx-- JFW related links: JFW homepage: http://www.freedomscientific.com/Scripting mailing list: http://lists.the-jdh.com/listinfo.cgi/scriptography-the-jdh.comJFW List instructions: To post a message to the list, send it to jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxTo unsubscribe from this mailing list, send a message to jfw-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.Archives located at: //www.freelists.org/archives/jfwIf you have any concerns about the list, post received from the list, or the way the list is being run, do not post them to the list. Rather contact the list owner at jfw-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx-- JFW related links: JFW homepage: http://www.freedomscientific.com/Scripting mailing list: http://lists.the-jdh.com/listinfo.cgi/scriptography-the-jdh.comJFW List instructions: To post a message to the list, send it to jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxTo unsubscribe from this mailing list, send a message to jfw-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.Archives located at: //www.freelists.org/archives/jfwIf you have any concerns about the list, post received from the list, or the way the list is being run, do not post them to the list. Rather contact the list owner at jfw-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-- JFW related links: JFW homepage: http://www.freedomscientific.com/ Scripting mailing list: http://lists.the-jdh.com/listinfo.cgi/scriptography-the-jdh.com JFW List instructions: To post a message to the list, send it to jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send a message to jfw-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the subject line. Archives located at: //www.freelists.org/archives/jfw If you have any concerns about the list, post received from the list, or the way the list is being run, do not post them to the list. Rather contact the list owner at jfw-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
