Re: KeySoft: a modern version under current OS's
- From: Alex Hall <mehgcap@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2010 21:57:19 -0400
Good point, I had forgotten about that one.
On 9/9/10, Ken Perry <whistler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Well it has more than an sdk it has the ability to use open source software
> out there already compiled for ARM OE linux which is pretty amazing. I was
> just playing gnu chess at the command line on mine.
>
> ken
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Alex Hall
> Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 8:24 PM
> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: KeySoft: a modern version under current OS's
>
> Sounds complicated. Well, as I said, I do not have the money for one
> of these, unfortunately. Still, it is great that a braille
> notetaker/pda finally has an sdk!! If only the big players in the
> market would catch on...
>
> On 9/9/10, Ken Perry <whistler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> Yes and if a library doesn't exist you can do one of two things. You can
> get
>> ipk's from some of the OE arm web sites out there and most will install if
>> they don't you can install the entire OE dev kit from out there and the
> tool
>> chain for the ARM pxa 270 and make any libraries you need. That or get
> one
>> of us to make a library for you. I guess that was three things.
>>
>> Ken
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Alex Hall
>> Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 8:01 PM
>> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: Re: KeySoft: a modern version under current OS's
>>
>> Sounds like a lot of fun to develop on. Will it run any code? For
>> example, could I take the Solitaire game I wrote in Python, replace my
>> wx code with ui elements specific to the Icon, and run it, even if my
>> game needs a library or two?
>>
>> On 9/9/10, Ken Perry <whistler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>> I can't take credit for that. Levelstar created the Icon and contracted
>>> with APH to build the Braille+ they are basically the same machine one
> has
>> a
>>> Braille keyboard added around the edges where the other you must use the
>> two
>>> 9 key input methods or a docking station or usb keyboard. I will point
>> out
>>> that the Braille+ also has docking station that adds battery life qwerty,
>>> Ethernet bigger speakers and makes it look more like the Pacmate when you
>>> stick the Braille+ or Icon in it. Any way back to your question. The
> sdk
>>> is basically built off a single python class called a widget which
> handles
>>> both speech and Braille output and Braille input. That widget is
>> inherited
>>> by things like ListWidget, TextBox, Container (dialog like) , Menus, and
> a
>>> bunch of other odds and inns. Looking at it, it works a lot like GTK but
>> is
>>> more simplified. For example in the Braille plus we don't have the
>> concept
>>> of a button. That might sound weird but after you get used to it it's
>> pretty
>>> cool. For example if you want to activate something on a list you pick
>> the
>>> item and you hit the ok hardware button on the Braille plus if you want
> to
>>> exit the dialog there is a cancel button on the device beside the menu
> and
>>> ok button. So our buttons are hardware but the display is speech or
>> Braille
>>> UI. The menu button works like the alt/context key and opens menus no
>>> matter where you are.
>>>
>>> Anyway that's a basic over view. It takes about 5 or 6 minutes to get up
>>> and running using a Braille+ or Icon but there are tricks to make things
>>> faster and easier as you go.
>>>
>>> Ken
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Alex Hall
>>> Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 7:47 PM
>>> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> Subject: Re: KeySoft: a modern version under current OS's
>>>
>>> Exciting, I did not know that. On a programming front: how did you get
>>> Python to create an entire front-end interfacing with a kernel in C? A
>>> lot of CAPI usage I assume?
>>>
>>> On 9/9/10, Ken Perry <whistler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>> Yes.
>>>>
>>>> Ken
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Alex Hall
>>>> Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 7:01 PM
>>>> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> Subject: Re: KeySoft: a modern version under current OS's
>>>>
>>>> Wait, you are saying this thing has a full SDK? I know it is
>>>> Linux-based, but I mean you can code for it and integrate with the
>>>> keyboard and other hardware?
>>>>
>>>> On 9/9/10, Ken Perry <whistler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>> Again the Braille+ with no Braille display is 1395$ , with Braille
>>>> display
>>>>> 18 cell that also works with Iphone and Ipad etc. add 1695$. Now as
> for
>>>>> your question about word processor we have a word processor we wrote.
>> It
>>>>> has a python front end and supports full Braille translation backward
>>>>> forward mixed etc. Both units fit in a case which we are now selling
>>> that
>>>>> is the size of a vcr folded over on itself. It speaks using Elequence
>>> and
>>>> I
>>>>> wrote the tuner program for it before I even got the job with APH
>> because
>>>>> there is even a developer / IDE for the device that you can code
>> directly
>>>> on
>>>>> the device on.
>>>>>
>>>>> I am not saying this thing is a full replace meant for a computer but I
>>>> went
>>>>> all csun and only logged on to my windows box 2 times to voice chat
> with
>>>> my
>>>>> wife because currently the Braille+ does not support voice chat.
>>>>>
>>>>> Ken
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Alex
> Midence
>>>>> Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 12:16 PM
>>>>> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>> Subject: Re: KeySoft: a modern version under current OS's
>>>>>
>>>>> Good god! That's a lot of memory! How much does one of these puppies
>>>>> set a man back? My bs 32 (no pun intended) was like 3 grand, I think.
>>>>> I got it from my state commission. Does braille plus have a way to
>>>>> save in .doc formats and the like? Where's a website I can look at
>>>>> its features. I am enormously intrigued. What's the wordprocessor?
>>>>> Emacspeak? Technically not a word processor but, ... I bet it can be
>>>>> made to serve the same purpose.
>>>>>
>>>>> Alex M
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 9/9/10, Ken Perry <whistler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>> Oh one more thing about the Braille plus it has a 60 GB 1.8 inch drive
>> I
>>>>>> carry about 40 gb of music on mine right now.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Ken
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Joseph Lee
>>>>>> Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 3:47 AM
>>>>>> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>> Subject: RE: KeySoft: a modern version under current OS's
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>> You'd have 8 GB under BSP. The only linux-based one I know of is
>>>>>> Icon/Braille Plus.
>>>>>> Cheers,
>>>>>> Joseph
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Alex
>> Midence
>>>>>> Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 12:44 AM
>>>>>> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>> Subject: Re: KeySoft: a modern version under current OS's
>>>>>>
>>>>>> You know, it would be really awesome if someone came up with a braille
>>>>>> note taker that ran on linux. I have a braille sense plus 32 and it
>>>>>> has 16 gb of on board memory. You just need 1 or 2 gigs to run a
>>>>>> vinux distro on a machine. It seems a waste to only have these
>>>>>> devices run on windows mobile or, worse, as in the case of the bs 32,
>>>>>> windows CE. They could implement their own desktop specifically
>>>>>> taylored to the machine with their own apps on it but still give the
>>>>>> user access to the command line interface and all the apps and tools
>>>>>> that run in that. Wish I had a note taker I wasn't using and the
>>>>>> funds not to go all shaky at the thought of experimenting with such an
>>>>>> expensive device. Might provide hours of fun tinkering.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Alex M
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 9/9/10, Joseph Lee <joseph.lee22590@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>> Hi Alex,
>>>>>>> That's my point as well: why spend time on it when there are
>>>> alternatives
>>>>>>> availible? as it is, the current keysoft.exe was specialized to a
>> given
>>>>>>> platform and OS combinations. Writing a modern port of old KS would
>>> mean
>>>>>>> re-defining programming strategies to take advantage of new CPU's, as
>>>>> well
>>>>>>> as redesigning interface and algorithms to give users a feell of
> using
>>> a
>>>>>>> BrailleNote app on modern computers.
>>>>>>> From what I read on the BrailleNote List on Wednsday and after
>>>> consulting
>>>>>>> former and current KeySoft developers, I came to the conclusion that
>> it
>>>>>> can
>>>>>>> be done in theory, but creating such a clone is far from reality at
>>> this
>>>>>>> point. I'd say a word from Jamal, Tyler and other expert programmers
>>>>> might
>>>>>>> resolve this situation.
>>>>>>> Cheers,
>>>>>>> Joseph
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Alex
>>> Midence
>>>>>>> Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 12:25 AM
>>>>>>> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: KeySoft: a modern version under current OS's
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Now, that's a blast from the past. I used Key Soft in high school
>>>>>>> back in the early 1990's. My very first laptop was a Keynote
>>>>>>> (predates keynote gold which I drooled over but never got). I can
> see
>>>>>>> that app doing well in linux but am hard pressed to see how it would
>>>>>>> be worth the trouble to prot to windows xp or windows 7. There are
>>>>>>> many better mainstream alternatives to choose from. Linux, though
>>>>>>> would probably be a good place for it since accessible applications
>>>>>>> are fewer there from what I've been able to find. MIght be a nice
>>>>>>> addition to Vinux.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Alex M
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 9/8/10, Joseph Lee <joseph.lee22590@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>>> Hi folks,
>>>>>>>> Someone on the BrailleNote List is looking to port KeySoft for
>>>> DOS/Win95
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>> modern OS's such as Linux, Win7 and so forth. I think he is looking
>>> for
>>>>>>>> someone to help him out with this task, with an eventual goal of
>>>>>> releasing
>>>>>>>> as an open-source product under GPL license.
>>>>>>>> If you want to contact him, write to jkenn337@xxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>>> Cheers,
>>>>>>>> Joseph
>>>>>>>>
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>>>> Alex (msg sent from GMail website)
>>>> mehgcap@xxxxxxxxx; http://www.facebook.com/mehgcap
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>
>
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