Thunder, WebbIE and Techshare.
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- Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2007 19:17:44 -0400
The Blind Blogger (UK)
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Thunder, WebbIE and Techshare.
By Roger Wilson Hinds
Sunday, 16 September 2007
Well, life has been very hectic of late and there is a good deal to report.
We put a new version of Thunder up on the www.screenreader.net site and a new
version of WebbIE up at www.webbie.org.uk. Things are improving all the time.
I managed to sort things out with the Editor of the RNIB NB magazine and the
following Right of Reply will appear in the October issue.
My Right to Reply - 246 Words.
LOW AND NO COST SCREENREADERS FOR BLIND PEOPLE AT HOME
Full marks to NB for publicising the growing availability of affordable access
software for home computer users after years of high priced options only.
But I felt that the article in last month's NB was somewhat flawed in its
methodology and left readers still not able to pick a winner for their own
purpose. So I hope the following summary clarifies matters:
All three packages were given the thumbs up, are user-friendly and will cope
with MS Word, Notepad, Emails, the internet, live and listen again radio, as
well as podcasts and RSS news feeds which were not mentioned. Minimal tuition
is required for all three and there is plenty of help and training manual
material.
Thunder and System Access can be run on the modern Windows Vista but not
Mercury.
There is a magnification option with Mercury and WebbIE on the internet but not
with System Access.
Regarding pricing, System Access starts at £210.00 plus £70.00 p.a. No price
was given for Mercury but I understand it to be something over £800, but
including the PC so the software might be £400. Thunder is free for home use
but priced at £159 on a memory stick or for commercial use.
All in all it's a great time for the man or woman in the street to get to know
what a talking computer can do to improve their lives and independence.
I have spent a few days out in Estonia in Tallinn as part of our European
Partners' project to translate Thunder into other languages. So we now have
German, Italian, Estonian, Slovak and French well on the way.
We shall be starting on a new project very soon to create a version of Thunder
which will be usable by people with learning disabilities. We have received a
generous grant from the Esme Fairbairn Charitable Trust and are currently
gathering information as well as planning the detail of the user-friendly
Thunder interface.
Lastly, If you want to meet up with us, why not come along to the London
Techshare Exhibition and Conference at the Hammersmith Novatel on 4th or 5th
October between 10 and 5. Screenreadaer.net is on Stand 42 and we will be
proudly strutting our stuff. You will be amazed just how easy it is to enjoy
many excellent resources with Thunder and WebbIE.
One thing more. I have received three Blind Blogger responses saying how
difficult it is to comment on this blog. I am very sorry about this but the
fact is that I don't fully understand the technology and so can't work out an
easy accessible way for readers to respond. But I am working on it.
Posted by Roger WH at 13:03
http://theblindblogger.blogspot.com/2007/09/blog-thunder-webbie-and-techshare.html
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