[j-say list] Re: Official J-Say 6 What's New Text
- From: "Brian Hartgen" <brian.hartgen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <j-say@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2008 12:27:39 -0000
Hi Stephen
Thank you very much for your message.
Yes, I agree it is disappointing and somewhat frustrating that J-Say Pro 6
is not compatible with the new JAWS 9.0 update. However, as Scott has quite
correctly stated, there is a great deal involved with the J-Say compilation
and distribution. Because this question of JAWS compatibility arises a
great deal on the list I will just write a few lines about it.
The preparation for J-Say Pro 6 began in November when the coding commenced
with JAWS 9 build 519 which was available at the time.
In addition to writing extensive proprietary code for J-Say, we have to make
many many changes to the JAWS default files to ensure that JAWS "behaves"
and interacts in the way our users and Trainers prefer. The number of
changes we make increase as each version comes along.
Following this, the product goes through a period of internal alpha testing
and then beta testing with our J-Say beta testers around the world and
within several time zones. Features may be refined at this point and bugs
corrected. The beta testing cycle involves hundreds of Email exchanges and
at least two voice conferences per cycle.
When the code is finalised, the installer program is built, alpha tested,
then beta tested to ensure everyone is happy.
Alongside this, the documentation is prepared in all its different formats
including daisy, stating precisely which JAWS build is to be used. This is
then printed or CD's constructed and localised for the various countries
involved.
Finally, the different companies selling J-Say need to ensure they are fully
equipped to deal with the selling of the product and of course supporting it
correctly with our guidance naturally!
While we have known about the JAWS update for some time, we can do nothing
about making it J-Say compatible until Freedom Scientific have finalised it
completely. This would have meant making many changes at this stage prior
to getting the product out incurring further delays and many customers want
to upgrade which is natural enough.
We will endeavour to ensure that J-Say Pro 6 will be updated to accommodate
build 552 of JAWS9 as soon as we are able, but I will not give a commitment
at this stage as to when that will be. It just has to be appreciated
unfortunately that we may always be a little bit behind the regular JAWS
updates for the reasons I have set out.
Just to reiterate Scott's earlier point, the J-Say Pro feature pack will be
a free update for J-Say Pro 6 customers, as will any efforts made on our
part to update J-Say Pro 6 to coincide with any updates Freedom Scientific
may make to JAWS and that always has been the case. This is in line after
all with the JAWS upgrade policy. One would pay a charge for upgrading from
JAWS V8 to 9, but they would not pay for an update from build 519 to 552 and
rightly so. The same applies to J-Say upgrades and updates.
I don't think I have left anything out, and again Stephen you have my
assurance that as a company we will do everything possible to provide an
update to be compatible with 552 as soon as is humanly possible, precisely
for the reasons you state, but as you will see there are lots of people and
companies involved here all of which have input into this project.
I hope that helps but of course you are welcome to contact either myself off
list or indeed our Australian office should you have any further questions
on this point.
Best Regards:
Brian Hartgen
Product Development Manager
T&T Consultancy Ltd
temporary address until further notice
T&T Consultancy Ltd
Brampton House Ltd
Brampton House
Queen Street
Newcastle under Lyme
ST5 1ED
Tel: 01782644141
Fax: 01782 664856
Web Site, www.tandt-consultancy.com
NOTICE: The information contained in this email and any attachments is
confidential and may be legally privileged. If you are not the intended
recipient you are hereby notified that you must not use, disclose,
distribute, copy, print or rely on this e-mail's content. If you are not the
intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and then delete the
email and any attachments from your system. T&T Consultancy Ltd have made
strenuous efforts to ensure that emails and any attachments generated by its
staff are free from viruses. However, it cannot accept any responsibility
for any viruses which are transmitted. We therefore recommend you scan all
received e-mail messages.
Registered in England No. 4098268
-----Original Message-----
From: j-say-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:j-say-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Stephen Belbin
Sent: 27 January 2008 11:16
To: j-say@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [j-say list] Re: Official J-Say 6 What's New Text
Hi Scott,
Thanks for your quick response. Re the build of 552 of Jaws 9,I
realise that it was released on Friday,but J-Say 6 really needs to be
compatible with this build given the main reason FS have made it
available. I remember that with the last and final release of Jaws
8.0 which wasn't recommended we were told to use build 117 of Jaws
8,and that is where it stopped for Jaws 8. Now that might have been
ok for Jaws 8,but as I mentioned Jaws9 build 552 is a final release
insuring compatibility for Open Book 8 and Magic 11 it can't be
overlooked. If it is to late to include compatibility from T and
T-Consultancy,for J-Say 6,maybe the release of J-Say 6.0 should or
should have been delayed.
Regards
Stephen Belbin
At 09:43 PM 27/01/2008, you wrote:
>Stephen,
>
>JAWS build 9.0.552 was just released on friday and cannot be
>supported at this time. The exact reasons are script related but I'm
>sure Brian will follow this up.
>XPSP3 does work as I tested it when in beta and found no issues
>myself with it, however, do remember that it is not officially
>supported by the screen-reader vendors and it is a release candadate
>so therefore, not everyone will update to it.
>
>Hope this helps.
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Belbin"
><stephenbelbin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: <j-say@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 8:42 PM
>Subject: [j-say list] Re: Official J-Say 6 What's New Text
>
>
>>Hi Brian,
>>
>>
>>In response to your update message re compatibility of J-Say 6.0
>>in particular Jaws 9.0 build 519,I'm a little concerned that the
>>current release as of January 08 Build552 is not supported. This
>>build has been in beta as a update among other things to be
>>completely compatible with the upcoming new releases of Open-Book v
>>8 and Magic 11. As I train and also use the extra FS products I
>>would hope that the J-Say6 release would let me take advantage of
>>the enhancements in Jaws build 552. Also with the eminent release
>>of Service Pack 3 for Windows XP in the next couple of weeks will
>>users of J-Say 6 be able to take advantage of this important
>>Windows update as well?
>>
>>Many thanks
>>
>>Stephen
>>At 07:32 PM 27/01/2008, you wrote:
>>>Hi
>>>
>>>For anyone interested, please find the text which forms part of the J-Say
>>>Pro 6.0 What's New and Upgrade document and which will be posted to our
web
>>>site this week.
>>>
>>>WHAT'S NEW IN J-SAY PRO 6.0
>>>
>>>INTRODUCTION
>>>
>>>This document lists the new features and significant enhancements which
are
>>>now available within J-Say Pro version 6.0. At T&T Consultancy Ltd, we
are
>>>extremely excited about the new improvements within this release of the
>>>product!
>>>
>>>J-Say Pro 6.0 is known as a "compatibility release". We have worked hard
to
>>>ensure that this exciting voice input/output technology is compatible
with
>>>the latest releases of the primary Access Technologies on which J-Say
>>>relies, together with the most recent versions of the Microsoft Windows
>>>operating system and Office suite. Although this has been challenging,
in
>>>addition to ensuring complete compatibility with the above, we have
included
>>>a number of new features detailed in this document.
>>>
>>>Users of J-Say Pro Version 6 technology will be able to take advantage of
a
>>>"Feature Pack", to be released at the end of April 2008, which will
provide
>>>even more flexibility and improvements to the product. The "Feature Pack"
>>>will be a free update to all J-Say Pro 6.0 users.
>>>
>>>We are convinced that the responsiveness and stability of J-Say Pro when
>>>used within the Microsoft Windows Vista and Office 2007 environments is
as
>>>good as can be found within previous releases, provided the
specifications
>>>of the computer as detailed within the Installation Guide are met and
that
>>>the Windows operating system and associated applications are customised
in
>>>line with our recommendations.
>>>
>>>Compatibility
>>>
>>>J-Say Pro version 6.0 is directly compatible with the following
>>>technologies:
>>>
>>>Access Technologies
>>>
>>>. JAWS for Windows version 9.0 Build 519.
>>>. Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional version 9.5.
>>>
>>>Mainstream Technologies
>>>
>>>. Microsoft Windows XP - all releases.
>>>. Microsoft Windows Vista - all releases.
>>>. Microsoft Office 2003.
>>>. Microsoft Office 2007.
>>>
>>>Learning and Reference Materials
>>>
>>>We have changed the way in which the DAISY recordings of the three books
>>>which comprise the J-Say Pro User Guide are produced. Rather than using
>>>synthetic speech to deliver the reading of the texts, due to customer
>>>requests the books are narrated using a human voice. Particularly when
>>>working through the J-Say Pro Learning Module, (a Training Guide for the
>>>technology), the human narrated DAISY book should make the topics much
>>>easier to understand!
>>>
>>>In addition, the Learning Module has been revised to include reference to
>>>the new J-Say Pro 6 features and therefore provides a user with over four
>>>hours of learning material in DAISY format. In addition, the Command
>>>Summary includes all new voice commands and the Installation Guide gives
>>>instruction on customising the computer, mainstream and specialist
software
>>>for use with J-Say, irrespective of the operating system or Microsoft
Office
>>>suite being used.
>>>
>>>New Features in J-Say Pro 6.0
>>>
>>>J-Say Pro Configuration Wizard
>>>
>>>The most significant change you will notice within J-Say Pro 6.0 is the
new
>>>Configuration Wizard. The purpose of the Configuration Wizard is to
enable
>>>J-Say users to manipulate many of the special functions within the
product.
>>>Rather than being accommodated within the JAWS Virtual Viewer (which was
the
>>>case with J-Say Pro version 5.0), the new Configuration Wizard is
presented
>>>within a standard Windows Dialog Box. The contents of the "Configuration
>>>Wizard" are available on the computer screen. All options can be
>>>manipulated using voice input, keyboard or computer mouse. Full support
for
>>>the J-Say "Where am I?" and "What Can I Do?" facilities exists within the
>>>Configuration Wizard and the help given is very context sensitive to a
>>>user's location within the Wizard. The Configuration Wizard is launched
>>>from its own keyboard shortcut, via a voice command or from the JAWS
>>>Start-up Wizard which is new to users of version 9.0.
>>>
>>>The Configuration Wizard contains 18 options. The first 10 of these can
be
>>>enabled or disabled, while the remaining 8 activate further screens or
carry
>>>out specific tasks. The options are presented in a vertical list.
>>>
>>>Alongside each option can be found a Help Window. This is a Read Only
Edit
>>>Field containing a brief description of the focused option together with
the
>>>voice commands to manipulate it in the future without having to enter the
>>>Wizard.
>>>
>>>Back-Up and Restore Utilities
>>>
>>>We have extended the concept of the utilities which are in place to make
a
>>>copy of the user's Dragon NaturallySpeaking "speech files".
>>>
>>>The shortcuts to launch the utilities have been moved from the Windows
Start
>>>Menu to the J-Say Configuration Wizard.
>>>
>>>Users now have the option to back-up or restore speech files either from
the
>>>local hard disk (Drive "C") or from any mapped drive available to the
>>>computer. This could be a USB storage device or perhaps a network drive.
>>>When this latter function is activated, J-Say presents all the drives
>>>available to the computer in a convenient List Box together with their
>>>descriptions, such as "local hard disk C" or "CD-ROM drive D". Simply
>>>choosing a drive will cause the back-up or restore function to commence
>>>relative to the selected drive.
>>>
>>>Additional J-Say Configuration Wizard Options
>>>
>>>The "My Words" facility for storing unfamiliar terminology which will be
>>>spoken and the tool to learn the Phonetic Alphabet can now be launched
from
>>>the Configuration Wizard.
>>>
>>>For further details concerning the Configuration Wizard, please refer to
>>>Chapter 13 of the J-Say Learning Module, where it is described in great
>>>detail including a complete list of options and controls.
>>>
>>>Braille Mode
>>>
>>>"Braille Mode" is for those people using a JAWS compatible Braille
display.
>>>
>>>
>>>Ordinarily, as users dictate text, the Braille display will show the
newly
>>>dictated text together with a tactile representation of the cursor
position.
>>>This is extremely useful in most situations since users can determine
where
>>>the cursor is located to ensure they are dictating into the desired
position
>>>within the document or Email message.
>>>
>>>However, if Braille representation of what the software has understood is
>>>required then "Braille Mode" should be activated. When enabled, "Braille
>>>Mode" will display the contents of the Dragon NaturallySpeaking "Results
>>>Box". This is an area of the screen which displays to the seeing
individual
>>>what has been recognised by the Dragon software. For example, if a
command
>>>has been dictated, and it has not been acted upon, it may be useful to
>>>examine the contents of this box to establish the words which have been
>>>recognised.
>>>
>>>When enabled, "Braille Mode" shows the letters "RB" followed by a
full-stop
>>>(period), then the text in the "Results Box". If the contents of the
>>>"Results Box" cannot be accommodated fully on a Braille display line, the
>>>display can be scrolled to the right (known as "panning") so as to reveal
>>>the remaining text. Pressing any one of the "Cursor Routing" buttons on
the
>>>display at any time will dismiss the contents of the "Results Box" until
a
>>>new phrase is dictated, whereupon the Braille display is refreshed so as
to
>>>show the new text.
>>>
>>>The Microsoft Office 2007 Ribbon Bar
>>>
>>>The Ribbon Bar is a new feature belonging to Microsoft Office 2007. Its
>>>presence will be noticed within such applications as Microsoft Word,
>>>Microsoft Excel and in some components of Microsoft Outlook.
>>>
>>>Full support exists within J-Say Pro version 6 to navigate the "Ribbon
Bar"
>>>and to gain excellent context sensitive help specific to the control
which
>>>has focus. This command will also advise you what role the focused
control
>>>plays in direct relation to Microsoft Office. For example, when focused
>>>upon a Button labelled "Copy", J-Say will advise you that this Button is
>>>used to copy items or text to the windows clipboard.
>>>
>>>Microsoft Outlook 2007 Calendar Support
>>>
>>>J-Say Pro 6.0 provides a unique and specially designed interface to
support
>>>the Microsoft Outlook 2007 calendar. JAWS for Windows keyboard users can
>>>benefit from a similar interface when using our J-Days product.
>>>
>>>At T&T Consultancy Ltd, we have thought long and hard about the language
and
>>>method used to present information concerning all day events and
>>>appointments and our approach is not so different to the experience
visually
>>>impaired people will find when using popular specialist PDA devices.
>>>
>>>In addition to allowing users to create appointments and all day events
with
>>>the human voice, J-Say presents the following features within the
calendar
>>>environment:
>>>
>>>. When a day is selected, J-Say reports the day of the week and
date,
>>>together with the number of appointments or events.
>>>. If an all day event exists, users can hear the number of days
over
>>>which the event spans, the start and end dates, or whether the selected
day
>>>is the start or within an event.
>>>. If a timed appointment exists, the start and end times are spoken
>>>together with confirmation of the number of minutes the appointment
>>>occupies.
>>>. When an appointment has focus, J-Say delivers a wealth of
>>>information using easy-to-understand language, designed to deliver
pertinent
>>>information concerning the item for rapid navigation or appointment
>>>searching. Such details include the appointment subject, the organiser
(the
>>>person originally composing the appointment), notification of
recurrences,
>>>whether the item contains explanatory notes and the appointment status
(such
>>>as "busy" or "tentative").
>>>. For people wishing to browse through the appointment or event
>>>details more slowly, all information can be output to the JAWS Virtual
>>>Viewer. This enables line by line analysis or copying to the Windows
>>>Clipboard. Explanatory notes are contained within the Virtual Viewer with
>>>line breaks occurring as they are presented within the original note.
>>>. "Where am I?" and "What Can I Do?" support provides step by step
>>>guidance on each appointment area for reviewing and completion. This
>>>includes Ribbon Bar items.
>>>. J-Say calendar support is extremely responsive when used within
>>>Microsoft Outlook Exchange Server environments.
>>>
>>>Playback within the Correction box
>>>
>>>It is possible that the Dragon NaturallySpeaking software has not
understood
>>>the word or phrase being corrected for reasons of pronunciation. It may
be
>>>helpful therefore to listen back to the way in which the word or phrase
was
>>>pronounced so as to gain an appreciation of its quality in order that
steps
>>>can be taken to pronounce it more distinctly the next time.
>>>
>>>While focused within the "Correction Box" the command "Playback"
>>>Can be spoken in order that a recorded segment of the user's voice can be
>>>heard of the way in which the word or phrase was spoken. While this
always
>>>has been a standard facility within Dragon NaturallySpeaking, previously
the
>>>JAWS speech would interrupt the recording. This has now been corrected.
>>>
>>>Automatic Installation of J-Say Authorisation File
>>>
>>>As users of J-Say will be aware, it is necessary to install a special
>>>"Authorisation File" in order for J-Say to function, which is linked to
your
>>>copy of JAWS for Windows via the JAWS for Windows serial number.
>>>Previously, this was located on a separate CD within an installer
program.
>>>
>>>The installation of the "Authorisation File" is now carried out at the
point
>>>of installing the J-Say Pro 6.0 software. There is no separate CD and
the
>>>process is automatic and extremely intuitive. We believe anyone
installing
>>>the J-say technology will therefore find the installation of J-say Pro
much
>>>easier to do.
>>>
>>>Brian Hartgen
>>>
>>>Product Development Manager
>>>
>>>T&T Consultancy Ltd
>>>
>>>temporary address until further notice
>>>
>>>T&T Consultancy Ltd
>>>
>>>Brampton House Ltd
>>>
>>>Brampton House
>>>
>>>Queen Street
>>>
>>>Newcastle under Lyme
>>>
>>>ST5 1ED
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Tel: 01782644141
>>>
>>>Fax: 01782 664856
>>>
>>>Web Site, www.tandt-consultancy.com
>>>
>>>NOTICE: The information contained in this email and any attachments is
>>>confidential and may be legally privileged. If you are not the intended
>>>recipient you are hereby notified that you must not use, disclose,
>>>distribute, copy, print or rely on this e-mail's content. If you are not
the
>>>intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and then delete
the
>>>email and any attachments from your system. T&T Consultancy Ltd have made
>>>strenuous efforts to ensure that emails and any attachments generated by
its
>>>staff are free from viruses. However, it cannot accept any responsibility
>>>for any viruses which are transmitted. We therefore recommend you scan
all
>>>received e-mail messages.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Registered in England No. 4098268
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
>>>signature database 2824 (20080126) __________
>>>
>>>The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>>>
>>>http://www.eset.com
>>
>
>
>
>
>__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
>signature database 2825 (20080127) __________
>
>The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>
>http://www.eset.com
>
Other related posts:
