Re: microsoft reader and jfw

Yes I have used it and I have a message that I have saved, although it is 
from a long time ago and the links probably aren't current on the Microsoft 
site.
Did you install the speech?  You have to download and install the reader and 
also the speech package, available on the same page I think.  The hotkeys 
are at the very bottom of this message.
Hi Rocks,

Here, read this.  It is a article for our company newsletter that I am
writing, it's not complete but it should give you the information you
require to use MS Reader 2.0 properly!

It's a little long but I think it is rather informative.


Read on!

Microsoft Reader 2.0 is Out!!!

On Wednesday, October third, Microsoft released their second version of
Microsoft Reader, a program to read E-Books.  You might remember that
when the first version was released almost a year ago that Microsoft had
promised an "Accessible" version in the next release, at that time there
was major announcements that Microsoft was supporting the Daisy
consortium;
http://www.daisy.org/
(Which is a group dedicated to creating a new, "digital" form of Talking
Books), and that the blind would be able to participate in the next
version.

Well, that day is today!



You can go to the Microsoft Reader home page at:
http://www.microsoft.com/reader/default.asp

and download the reader program;
The file name is: msreadersetup.exe
File Size: 3.648 MB

Be sure to get the version for desktops and laptops though as the one
for pocket PC's won't work!

Once you have the Reader program installed you will also have to
activate the program by going to a web site and entering your passport
information, if you do not have a Microsoft passport or a "Hotmail"
account you will need to get one.

Now, to make it talk you will have to download and install the Microsoft
Reader Text-to-Speech Package 1.0, this will allow the program to be
self voicing and is what allows us blind folk to read the books.

Just go to:
http://www.microsoft.com/reader/download_tts.asp

and Download it and then install it!

File Name: ReaderTTSInstallENG.exe
File Size: 5.88 MB

Once you have both the reader program and the TTS package installed you
can start reading!

But, Microsoft has added a few bonuses that are kind of nice.

The EncartaR Pocket Dictionary is one such bonus; you can get it in the
standard English format or in one of the following versions.

English-German Pocket Dictionary
German-English Pocket Dictionary
English-French Pocket Dictionary
French-English Pocket Dictionary

You will have to download the file into the Microsoft Reader directory
at:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Reader\

For it to work properly.

standard English version of the EncartaR Pocket Dictionary
File Name: msebdict.lit
File Size: 2.35 MB

While reading an E-Book you can press Control L and "lookup" the word in
question.

Pretty nice!

Another of the bonuses Microsoft has come out with is a program to take
a Word document, any word document and turn it into a Microsoft Reader
.lit document.

You will have to get the Microsoft Word Add-In
"Read in Microsoft Reader".

Go to:
http://www.microsoft.com/reader/download_rmr.asp
To get it!

File Name: WordRMR.exe
File Size: 820 KB

And then install it.

Now you are ready to start reading!


First you will have to get some books in the Microsoft ".lit" format,
here are a few of the places I use to get either free E-Books or
purchase ones.


Science Fiction & Fantasy from Baen Books - Home Page
http://www.baen.com/

There is a free library at this site containing quite a few free E-Books
which you can get in many formats including RTF or the lit format that
the MS Reader uses.

I have personally purchased books from the 2 following sites and they
have worked perfectly with MS Reader and its speech.

Fictionwise:
http://www.fictionwise.com/

Amazon.com
http://www.amozon.com

Fictionwise has a much larger selection of Science Fiction books in the
lit format but they both have some good ones!

Look around, I'm sure you will find more books suited to your taste and
every one of the 6 E-Books I have bought since this version of MS Reader
has come out has worked fine, and the cost is so low for these E-Books
that it's worth a try anyway!

I mean the first book I purchased, which was from Amazon cost 2 dollars
and 65 cents!

The most expensive one I have gotten was less than 5 bucks!

And buying it on line was easy!

I tell you, it is so cool to be able to go to the same place where
everybody else goes to buy my books and I don't have to wait 6 months or
a year for the newest releases!!!

It's so cool!

If you're an avid reader like me you're going to love this thing!

I just wish I could change speech engines, I mean the MSTTS 5.0 voices
are not very good, but they are, well, listenable I guess.

I have also purchased E-Books in the PDF format to use with the Adobe
E-Book reader from Fictionwise but that Adobe E-Book reader is very
unstable!  Not to mention difficult to use, the MS Reader is _much
easier!

Here's some basic instructions to get you started reading!

Let's start out with a free book so you are not risking anything!

Unfortunetly, I only know where to get free Science Fiction books so is
Sci Fi isn't your thing I apologize and you will have to find another
book to try out someplace else!

Just go to the Science Fiction & Fantasy from Baen Books - Home Page at:

http://www.baen.com/

Now, tab through the links until you come to the link that says "Baen
Free Library!" and press enter.

When this page loads tab through until you come to the link that says
"The Books" and press enter.

You are now on a page with several, free, science fiction books.

The one I have chosen is called "1632" by Eric Flint.  This particular
book is about a small town in the southern appellation mountains that
gets transported back in time to the year, yes, you guessed it, 1632!

It's pretty good but we are just testing the Microsoft Reader so what
book it is really doesn't matter.

Tab through the links and Press enter on the one that says "1632", now,
when this page loads you have a choice of which format to download it
in, The links are as follows:

Download HTML Zip
Download MS Reader .lit
Download Palm, Windows CE and Psion .prc
Download Rocket .rb
Download RTF .rtf

Tab to the one that says "Download MS Reader .lit
"and press enter.

Once the download is complete you can open the Microsoft Reader program
and start reading!

How to read a book using Microsoft Reader

Follow these steps to read your first book!

Go to the desktop by pressing the Windows key and the letter D as in
Desktop.

Once the reader opens you are in the library, arrow down, it should
speak and tell you the names of the books in your library, the Microsoft
Reader Help, the EncartaR Pocket Dictionary, and finally, 1632 by Eric
Flint.

Once it says you are on the book you want to read press enter, now it
will say the title name again, press enter a second time.

Now, the book is opened and you are in the main part of the book.  All
you have to do is press Control P to start reading the book.

Some Reading hot keys

Reading Hot Keys

CTRL+P Begins reading of a book
Control S Stops Reading of a book
CTRL+B - Rewind within a book
CTRL+F - Forward within a book
CTRL+SHIFT+B - Move to previous section of a book
CTRL+SHIFT+F - Move to next section of a book
CTRL+K - Set a bookmark within a book

Program Hot Keys

Alt L will take you to the library
Alt S Go to the settings menu
Control L look up word in Dictionary
Control enter Activates hyperlink

Now, I of course can not go through and explain every feature of this
program, it's already taken up 5 pages and that is more than will
probley fit in the E-Zine but you can I hope now see the advantages of
the new version of the Microsoft Reader.

Happy Reading!!!

Scott D. hendershot
hendershots@xxxxxxx

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