On 27 Mar 2015, at 16:45, George Bell <george@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Hi Jackie,
For every single change, there has been very good reason. The UEB
project began over 20 years ago, and has been no secret.
Harmonising the rules such ALL English braille is the same, makes
perfect sense. Many readers may never receive hard copy English braille
from other countries, but be assured there is a great deal of material
which crosses borders internationally. Indeed it might surprise you to
know that many schools, universities and exam boards call for braille
from the UK and of course America.
Another major consideration is the huge cost of producing braille. You
can purchase an ink jet printer for as little as £40, but even a
personal braille embosser will set you back more than fifty times that,
before you even buy paper.
In the production arena, the cost of hardware is even more, but that's
only part of the exercise. Transcription itself has to be automated to
keep costs down. Good braille producers will proof read, but again this
means paying someone. But what is actually being proofed? I will
almost guarantee that well over 50% of mistakes found occur in the
original print version.
There is also a growing need to back-translate, and UEB eliminates many
of the issue there.
George
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Jackie Brown
Sent: 27 March 2015 15:23
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Changes in Braille
Hi Derek
I'm not against capitalisation, but I do rather wish Braille was left
alone.
Although I prefer audio books nowadays, I do still care passionately
about Braille, and have it as part of my life.
Kind regards,
Jackie Brown
Emails: thebrownsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Jackieannbrown62@xxxxxxxxx
jackie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Website: www.thebrownsplace.info
Twitter: @thebrownsplace
Skype: thejackmate
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Derek Hornby
Sent: 27 March 2015 14:51
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Changes in Braille
Hi Jackie
Capitalisation, should be taught at school, as part of computer related
lessons.
One may just as easily argue that we shouldn't have grade 2 Braille,
on the grounds the grade 2 abbreviations don't apply for print!
Regards, Derek
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Jackie Brown
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2015 1:42 PM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Changes in Braille
I'm not opposed to capitalisation, I think it is important for Braille
readers to identify the differences in written language. I will be
interested to read some of these changes in literature when they come
into effect. I guess whether I like it or not it's happening anyway!
(smile)
Kind regards,
Jackie Brown
Emails: thebrownsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Jackieannbrown62@xxxxxxxxx
jackie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Website: www.thebrownsplace.info
Twitter: @thebrownsplace
Skype: thejackmate
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Clive.Lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: 27 March 2015 13:30
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Changes in Braille
Hi Derek,
I feel the answer to point two is that it'll be easier to share books
across borders. It'll be a good thing in the long term if it means that
more books, or files for producing them, can be shared more widely and
read more easily throughout the English-speaking world.
As to point three, if you read capitalisation you'll more likely be
able to write it properly, and so your written communications will be
more presentable in what is, after all, a sighted world. The problem
is that only
64 symbols to play with, you end up with a complicated system of dot
sixes in different places to imply that a whole passage is capitalised,
or a whole passage has initial caps, or a word is entirely capitalised,
or a word has it's first letter written in upper case. This is what I
meant by the risk of letters drowning in a sea of additional braille
symbols. That's why I wrote all that random jibberish around the word
'Best', in my previous message. I won't do it again.
Best,
Clive
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of David Griffith
Sent: 27 March 2015 13:11
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Changes in Braille
I have taken the liberty of changing the subject line as the discussion
below whilst important now has little to do with RNIB Branding.
David Griffith
On 27/03/2015 12:49, Derek Hornby wrote:
Hi Dave
The problem I have with the Braille changes are:
1. The changes were not put to the vote.
So change was forced on us, or imposed on us.
2. Just because one side of the world does something doesn't mean
the
whole world must do same. So I do not see why each country
can not make it's own rules abot braille, given that
each country makes its own rules about terminology.
3. Braille, is not print, so I fail to understand why we need to
show uppercase in braille.
And why do we need to show boldface in braille!
4. RNIB has akready started cut backs in braille production
for
example New Beacon (NB) is now only online, same is true for
Insight.
Regards, Derek
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Dave Sheridan
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2015 12:14 PM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Off-topic - RNIB Branding
Whilst I agree fundamentally with the issue of terminology the
changes
being made to Braille and the rules that come with this are a
different matter and I have to disagree with you Jackie and Derek on
this. On the terminology matter, with sight loss covers much more
people than those who need the services of RNIB from my perspective.
Dave
Sent from my iPhone
On 27 Mar 2015, at 11:35, Jackie Brown
<jackieannbrown62@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Hi Derek
Couldn't agree with you more. Do people interfere with how
handwriting is
done? I don't mind embracing change, but I personally don't think
it is
necessary.
Oh dear, never mind, perhaps I'm just getting too old and too
cynical to
bother any more! (smile).
Kind regards,
Jackie Brown
Emails: thebrownsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Jackieannbrown62@xxxxxxxxx
jackie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Website: www.thebrownsplace.info
Twitter: @thebrownsplace
Skype: thejackmate
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of
Derek Hornby
Sent: 27 March 2015 11:21
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Off-topic - RNIB Branding
Hi Jac kie
And now it's back to school to learn the new Braille rules!
If not broken why do they try to fix it!
Derek
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of
Jackie Brown
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2015 10:50 AM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Off-topic - RNIB Branding
Hi Clive
There is some rebranding going on as RNIB now has this RNIB
Approved
feature
as well.
Kind regards,
Jackie Brown
Emails: thebrownsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:thebrownsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Jackieannbrown62@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:Jackieannbrown62@xxxxxxxxx>
jackie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:jackie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Website: www.thebrownsplace.info <http://www.thebrownsplace.info>
Twitter: @thebrownsplace
Skype: thejackmate
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of
Clive.Lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: 27 March 2015 10:34
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Off-topic - RNIB Branding
Hi all,
I'm not expecting a discussion here, but please can anyone tell me
off list
when the strap-line on RNIB's web pages changed from:
"Supporting Blind and Partially-Sighted People" to:
"Supporting People with Sight Loss". The supplementary question is:
Why?
Best,
Clive
Clive Lever
Diversity and Equality Officer
Kent County Council
Office: 03000 416388
Email: clive.lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Kent County Council
Room G37
Sessions House
Maidstone, Kent.
ME14 1XQ
