[mac4theblind] Re: braille on the Mac?

  • From: David Hilbert Poehlman <poehlman1@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: mac4theblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2011 13:30:15 -0500

you can get a new embosser for $1,400.000 unless they've stopped making blazie 
products.
You can find a solution re software via the lists I mentioned.

On Dec 8, 2011, at 12:58 PM, Jean Menzies wrote:

David and John,

Thanks for your input re braille embossing. By the sounds of it, I may just 
keep my old PC around and use it offline as a braille production system. 
LOL. Hopefully, the Mac will get better with braille, or should I say the 
embosser companies will modernize. Last I heard, Enabling was still offering 
USB parallel converters as one of their solutions. I've also heard it can be 
a hit or a miss with those.

Maybe I'll go buy a lottery ticket, as a new embosser is expensive.

Jean

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Hilbert Poehlman" <poehlman1@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mac4theblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 5:51 AM
Subject: [mac4theblind] Re: braille on the Mac?


Hi Jean,
There are a couple of lists you might want to discuss braille embossing on 
since at least one developer of one braille program hangs out on at least 
one or maybe both of them.

Macvisionaries@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
and:
macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
The developer of an translating/embossing program hangs out on macvoiceover. 
Mac visionaries is high volume but I do know they have discussed embossing 
from time to time.

I have not heard good things with regard to USB to parallel converters in 
terms of support for embossers.
On Dec 7, 2011, at 8:03 PM, Jean Menzies wrote:

Please let us know what you find out and also, you can ask 
accessibility@xxxxxxxxx for help too.

HTH!

Hi David,

I got the following from the apple site under supported applications for VO

Braille
list of 7 items
BrailleTranslate
HTML2Braille
Index Braille iBraille
LibLouis
Louis
NFBTrans
Turbo Braille
list end

Of course, I have no idea how any of these work, or if each has been fully
developed. The address for this page is

http://www.apple.com/accessibility/voiceover/applications.html

I also found a program called BrailleBlaster. I don't know if this project
actually got off the ground or not. It's home page is

http://www.brailleblaster.com/bbspec01.html

It sounds like it could be great, but I don't know how much is plans and how
much is a developed product. Anyone try this? When I read about how it is
installed, I thought maybe it is still a work in progress.

And, lastly, if my embosser were to work on the Mac, I know I would need a
USB to parallel converter. Sadly, I don't have 5 grand or better lying
around to buy a new embosser. But it would be nice if these adaptive
companies, re braille embossers, would be more up to date with their
connectivity. This embosser isn't that old. Oh well.

Jean

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Hilbert Poehlman" <poehlman1@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mac4theblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 5:31 PM
Subject: [mac4theblind] Re: Intro and first question


There is not much in the way of braille embossing on the mac.  Last I heard
or remember, there is a version of nfb trans for this but I don't know how
well and with which embossers it works.  One thing is certain though, your
embosser needs to be a usb embosser as mac does not support anything else
and I don't know of any bluetooth embossers.

On Dec 7, 2011, at 2:39 PM, Jean Menzies wrote:

Hi Bubba,

Ah, good questions. I'm not sure of my answers yet as to what I want. I
don't like being tethered to the computer in the basement, but then I'm not
sure about battery life. Processing power, well, I don't know for sure.
Obviously, I'm not a gamer, and I don't know if some Mac programs are memory
hogs like some of the Windows ones are. I don't know if I'll be adding a
Windows OS so I can use Duxbury or not. That depends on how well the
existing braille programs work in the Mac world, and if I can still use my
Juliet braille embosser directly from those Mac braille programs. .

So, obviously, I have to answer my own questions first. Thus the gathering
of various podcasts, websites, and just generally thinking of how I want to
do computing with whatever that next machine is.

Jean

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bubba" <bubbathegeek@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <mac4theblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 12:21 PM
Subject: [mac4theblind] Re: Intro and first question


Well, it depends on what you are looking for in a Mac? Do you want to be
stationary or mobile? Do you need lots of processer and ram and a big HD or
something more geared down? Also what kind of money are you wanting to
spend? With the answer to these questions we would have a better starting
place to point you. HTH


Sign,
Bubba
bubbathegeek@xxxxxxxxx


-----Original Message-----
From: mac4theblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:mac4theblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jean Menzies
Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 12:32 PM
To: Mac 4the Blind
Subject: [mac4theblind] Intro and first question

Hello all,

I am just beginning my adventure into the Apple world, and will be getting
an iPhone later this month. I have also decided to switch to a Mac sometime
next year, as our PC needs replacing and, well, my investigations tell me
that the Mac world is a great place.

A first question as I am trying to get oriented to this new environment. Can
people share their observations as to the various Mac versions? Having
always used a numberpad, I am hesitant to go to a Macbook without one. But I
also know not to compare Jaws to VO or Windows to the Mac. Just wondering
about the ease of use between the Macbooks and the full keyboard Apple PCs.

And, I'm just curious. No one knows, but do you think they might introduce
Siri and the Dictate feature now on the iOS5 4s iPhone into the operating
system for the Mac? When did the Lion operating system come out?

And a final note of thanks so far. Thanks to John. I found the Mac4theblind
website and it is a wonderful resourse. Thanks to Bubba, who has shared many
links for valuable resources. And, Mike Arrigo, if you're on this list, I
have listened to all of your Mac podcasts on BlindCoolTech. What a trip, and
thanks for doing those. It's amazing to see the progress. Even by the 2nd or
3rd one, I knew that the Mac was a good product.

Looking forward to my Apple plunge.

Jean

On the other hand, you have different fingers




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