[BNU] Re: Bookshare inaccessibility, how much is due to Windows CE 6?

Devin Prater <d.prater@xxxxxx> · Sat, 25 Oct 2014 07:18:48 -0500

Well, APH can either wait, or fall behind. If it waits, it'll be waiting 
forever. If it falls behind, it'll be behind forever. 

Sent from my iPad

> On Oct 24, 2014, at 6:02 PM, Joseph Lee <joseph.lee22590@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> It's more than CE6 - most of it comes down to the fact that KeyWeb runs on
> top of IE6 (see the list archive for a lively discussion we had a few months
> ago).
> As for dedicated braille terminals for Android, from what we've seen so far,
> they never took off - rather, they fell behind and are facing early exit. If
> you look at history of blindness notetakers since 2000, the ones that
> managed to stay up had certain features that made them stand out, such as
> integration of mainstream technologies and services, UI adaptations, braille
> support and connectivity. A few years ago, some notetaker users predicted
> that the days of notetakers are numbered, and with introduction of devices
> such as Braille Edge and Focus Blue series, the era of wireless braille
> displays has arrived. Unfortunately, one of the hard hit devices was Braille
> Plus 18, which I believe is a flop at this point (although APH is looking at
> upgrading the firmware to Android Jellybean, it is too late, as Google just
> announced that there is a huge internal change between the "current" version
> of Braille Plus 18 firmware and Android 5.0 (Lollipop).
> Second, it is not a good thing to see some people blaming the operating
> system (kernel) for lack of innovation and compatibility issues. It is true
> that certain features require newer operating systems, such as multicore
> notetakers (none at the moment except Braille Plus 18). However, you need to
> look at the specific guy which powers specific features, such as iE6 for
> KeyWeb. This is more so if access to web is being discussed - it is not
> entirely the fault of Windows Embedded CE 6.0 that we're faced with these
> problems; rather, it's the old browser engine. Complicating this issue is
> the fact that Windows CE and IE are tied together, so if you need a better
> browser, you need a new version of CE kernel (highly unlikely, and this
> critical fact affects Braille Sense family as well).
> Lastly, changing an operating system isn't a matter of using a CD to install
> a new version of Windows. For a device such as an Apex, changing an
> operating system is a significant investment. Simply put, if you wish to
> move from say, Windows CE 6.0 to Android 5.0, you need to learn how Android
> works, write a KeySoft app for Android, test it on a mainstream tablet,
> select hardware components, write drivers for hardware such as braille
> display, test the new KeySoft image and provide a way to migrate existing
> users to the new platform. This is complicated by the fact that you need to
> learn a new programming language (KeySoft.exe and its various components are
> written in C++, and Android apps (at least up to 4.x) is written in a subset
> of Java). Thus if you wish to suggest change of OS (which means change of
> firmware for which the Apex's hardware runs on), you need to be careful
> about what you say, as changing OS is a significant change.
> As for my use of Apex, I use it mostly to read books, send and receive
> emails and to let it act as a braille display for my phone and my computers.
> As for Bookshare, I mostly use my computer to download books, but there are
> times when I do access Bookshare on my Apex to download books, so I'll also
> wait and see what happens next week. As I said earlier, it is not a good
> idea to equate inaccessibility of Bookshre solely on CE's inability to
> understand newer technologies, as there are other variables involved.
> Please tell me if I was too technical today.
> Cheers,
> Joseph 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: braillenote-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:braillenote-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jessica Brown
> Sent: Friday, October 24, 2014 4:38 PM
> To: brajmund2000@xxxxxxxxx; bn list
> Subject: [BNU] Re: Bookshare inaccessibility, how much is due to Windows CE
> 6?
> 
> Yes. I agree. Make something that uses a mainstream operating system, but
> has a braille keyboard, display and speech.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: RAJMUND <brajmund2000@xxxxxxxxx
> To: 
> braillenote@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,lucysirianni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,peter.19.gre
> co@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Date sent: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 23:11:53 +0100
> Subject: [BNU] Re: Bookshare inaccessibility, how much is due to Windows CE
> 6?
> 
> Hello,
> If a company cares, it could be done. First of all, they should of perhaps
> moved on to android by now. And that would mean we could upgrade our
> browsers. That's all they would need, at this point. Well, to start off
> with. When something is mainstream, but still the classicle braille
> keyboard, that's what we still need, I feel.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Peter Greco <peter.19.greco@xxxxxxxxxxx
> To: 
> brajmund2000@xxxxxxxxx,braillenote@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,lucysirianni@ear
> thlink.net
> Date: Friday, 24 October 2014 11:00 pm
> Subject: Bookshare inaccessibility, how much is due to Windows CE 6?
> 
> 
> 
> Is this due to the Apex using CE 6?
> It seems that every time a website is updated it becomes less
> accessible with the Apex.
> I did try asking Patrick Wallace about this, and reading between
> the lines, if you can do that with a verbal conversation, I 
> think
> that the Apex and perhaps other notetakers are going to be
> refreshable braille displays for mainstream devices.  I have 
> said
> for some time that these units are going to be "museum bound".
> Perhaps we're all "lusers" rather than "users"!
> You can hear Patrick's interview, go to
> www.rphadelaide.org.au/links/VE.mp3
> Technology is moving just way too fast for these devices, that's
> an observation not a criticism!
> The I-phone 4 s which was out barely 3 years ago is now regarded
> as ancient!
> How can the Apex which is 5 years old compete?
> Again, an observation not a criticism!
> Peter
> 
>  ----- Original Message -----
> From: RAJMUND <brajmund2000@xxxxxxxxx
> To: braillenote@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,lucysirianni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Date sent: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 22:33:52 +0100
> Subject: [BNU] Re: [blindkid] Important Info for Bookshare Users
> with Braille Notes!
> 
> Hello,
> Sorry to say this, but HIMS has a bookshare app for like 2 
> years,
> so even though their app is not working right now, it will not
> effect them.  Humanware should of done one for ages.  oh well,
> what can we do? Its just going to be like 9.1.  They'll release 
> a
> thing, that you install, and will be able to use bookshare 
> again.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Lucy Sirianni <lucysirianni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> To: braillenote@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Friday, 24 October 2014 10:28 pm
> Subject: [BNU] [blindkid] Important Info for Bookshare Users 
> with
> Braille Notes!
> 
> 
> 
>  Hi all,
> 
>  I just received this rather upsetting information from another
>  listserv and thought it might be of use to others on this list.
>  I hope that those of us who rely on Bookshare's services and 
> who
>  prefer or need to use the site with a BrailleNote can make both
>  Bookshare and HumanWare aware of how extremely problematic this
>  incompatibility is.
> 
>  Lucy
> 
>   ---- Original Message ------
>  From: Allison Hilliker via blindkid <blindkid@xxxxxxxxxx
>  Subject: [blindkid] Important Info for Bookshare Users with
>  Braille Notes!
>  Date sent: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 20:56:20 +0000
> 
> 
>  Hello Everyone,
> 
>  The updated Bookshare website is set to launch next week.  
> While
>  there are many improvements that will help our members, we are
>  aware of potential bugs with select partner technologies.
> 
>  The BrailleNote will not be able to download books directly 
> from
>  Bookshare.  We recommend that you download books from Bookshare
>  prior to our planned website downtime on Monday, October 27 at
>  5PM Pacific Time.  Afterwards, you can continue to read
> Bookshare
>  books by downloading from a separate device like a computer and
>  transfer them to your BrailleNote.
> 
>  HumanWare has been notified about this issue, and we are 
> working
>  with them to find a solution to use our updated website.  Thank
>  you for your patience.
> 
>  Best,
>  Allison Hilliker
>  Bookshare Operations Associate
> 
>  _______________________________________________
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> 
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> 
> IMPORTANT: By default, replies will be sent to individuals. If 
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> Website: www.braillenoteusers.info
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> Website: www.braillenoteusers.info
> 
> IMPORTANT: By default, replies will be sent to individuals. If you feel that 
> your reply would be useful for others, please use "reply to all" feature in 
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[BNU] Re: Bookshare inaccessibility, how much is due to Windows CE 6?

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