Hello all,
I’ve been an optacon user for about 40 years, and it allowed me to work as a
systems programmer. My husband made a wooden cradle for my terminal screen so
that it could be horizontal to spare my arm and shoulder.
I don’t use my optacon much these days, but in fact got it out to read a
complex diagram just yesterday. It also comes to the rescue when OCR fails me.
I’ve lost some sensitivity in my left forefinger, so I can’t read as well as I
used to, but I can still manage when necessary and wouldn’t want to be without
an optacon.
I think teachers who don’t insist that blind children at least learn Braille
are doing a grave disservice to their young charges. OCR and dictation are
wonderful tools, but the illiteracy of many blind people shocks me. They don’t
even use punctuation, which makes reading their emails a painful process.
I could rant on about this for hours, but I’ll spare you that.
Cheers,
Anne
On 16 Feb 2016, at 05:21, David Moore <jesusloves1966@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi,
You are so right about today's music. I play the piano, and I am amazed at
how little singing there is in a song. Also, most of the instruments are
electric and just play in the background. I really like 70's and 80's music
with all of the great Guitar, drums, and many other instruments. I practiced
with the Optacon for a year three hours or more a day to get really good
with it and to be able to use it on the job. I read the computer with it,
but my right arm got so tired from holding the attachment up to the computer
screen Lol. I knew a woman who read the computer all day like that and typed
80 words per minute. Unfortunately, her blindness was a result of cancer and
she is no longer with us. Anyone who got to know her was sure blessed. Have
a great one.
-----Original Message-----
From: Judy Jones
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 9:40 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
So very true. Yet many of today's musicians put automatic sound bytes and
tracks together and call it good, at least to hear the pop music on the
radio today. My hat goes off to true musicians who work diligently at their
craft.
-----Original Message-----
From: Sandy Ruconich
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 4:44 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
One of the problems we have with promoting Optacon today is that kids
believe so much in instant gratification: just take a picture of something
and have it read immediately. The Optacon requires practice--and plenty of
it! We need to find a way to help kids understand that the time spent on
getting good with the instrument is worth spending--and spending
consistently. A concert pianist didn't play the piano virtuosically without
spending countless hours practicing every day!
Sandy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carolyn Arnold" <4carolyna@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 3:07:00 PM
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
And, the government!
Bye for now,
Carolyn
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Judy Jones
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 2:09 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
We have to have a "hook" that would grab the public, including sighted
professionals and organizations who have the money to invest.
Judy
-----Original Message-----
From: Ninette Legates
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 10:59 AM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
Producing a book is an intriguing idea, but the question is how to make
it
interesting to people who have never used the Optacon.--Ninette
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Carolyn Arnold
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 10:24 AM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
We could compile a big book about that. The Optacon is just about the
greatest barrier breaker we have!
Bye for now,
Carolyn
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Judy Jones
Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2016 9:24 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
Yep, for instance this morning. II was styling my hair, almost out of
mousse, but could not remember the brand I got. Was able to read the can
with the "guess-what!"
Judy
-----Original Message-----
From: Carolyn Arnold
Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2016 5:38 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
Richard Oehm sells refurbished Optacons and repairs Optacons. They're
great
for reading floor plans. You can read key pads with them, just all kind
of
things that scanners cannot do.
Here is his information:
Richard Oehm
Oehm Electronics
2194C Galveston Avenue
San Jose, California 95122-3617
Telephone: (408) 971-6250
Fax: (408) 271-9188
oehmelec@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Bye for now,
Carolyn
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of DavidPlumlee
(Redacted
sender "knobman" for DMARC)
Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2016 7:20 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
I have been using an Optacon for nearly forty years. Down through those
years, I have read many print items and a goodly number of displays and
screens which no scanning system can touch. Some of those items include
schematics from Popular Electronics Magazine and Radio Shack handbooks,
computer displays for some electronic equipment, proof-reading of my
checks,
and many other items. While Optacon reading is slower than reading
materials which a scanner will read, there is no substitute for the
"integrated package" of motor controller, image decoder, main processor,
and
Optacon which we find in a good mind, good hand to hand coordination to
move
the camera, and a well-functioning Optacon. We lost a marvelous resource
when the Optacon went out of production. Not only did we lose access to
the
material it can read, but we find less emphasis on learning print letters
and common print formats which students of the Optacon gained. With
raille
skills also being de-emphasized in many circles, blind children who rely
only on scanners and computer speech to get information will be sadly
shortchanged in their literary knowledge. I would dearly love to see the
Optacon or some kind of similar reading device brought back to
production.
The main two items I miss these days is a good way to read displays on
modern electronic equipment - some of which are "sunken" in a frame, set
at
an angle in a frame, surrounded by many controls preventing a standard
Optacon camera from reading them, or flashing on and off. Some kind of
"latching" memory would probably be needed to capture those "flashing"
screens.
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Carolyn Arnold
Sent: Sunday, 14 February, 2016 4:53 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
Marcia. There is this guy in California. I gave his information to my
girl
friend in Texas. She is over joyed, getting her Optacon repaired.
Richard Oehm
Oehm Electronics
2194C Galveston Avenue
San Jose, California 95122-3617
Telephone: (408) 971-6250
Fax: (408) 271-9188
oehmelec@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Bye for now,
Carolyn
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Marsha Macchi
Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2016 2:26 PM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
Hello, Marsha here. As a long-time Optacon user I can agree a hundred
percent with that one. I don't have an Optacon now because the one I had
was
unfortunately stolen from me and since they aren't making them anymore, I
haven't seen anyone out there with them. Yes, the Optacon has saved my
bacon
countless times especially when I was using the Selectric typewriter with
the typing attachment that I got for work in order to fill out those
pesky
forms that were an ever-present part of the job.
I must further say that having learned the Optacon I was somewhat more
able
to fully understand some of the Windows concepts that are around today
because of that long-ago learning of what print looked like, the layout
of
both paper and the computer screen and the spatial layout of some of the
forms that have come across my desk. I'm with you, you can't get this
kind
of information with today's scan-and-read devices.
Marsha
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Lisa-Maree
Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2016 4:26 AM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
The optacon can never be beaten by such technology as scanning software,
no
matter how good it is claimed to be, because it is being used by a
person,
and interpreted by the brain, the same way reading by sight is, instead
this
is touch instead of look, and there is no way you can beat that.
I feel it is just laziness in not wanting to teach children who cannot
see
well enough to read print the print letters so they can learn with the
optacon, so they claim scanning is better, and you can just listen to it.
It could be taught from scratch in school in conjunction with normal
reading, but I think that would be too logical for those making the
decisions on that level, lol [smile].
My latest experience was my wonderful Christmas present to myself of a
system with internet radio, digital Fm, Bluetooth, and of course wi-fi.
So,
setting up the network, you had to choose your connection on the screen.
Yes, I was actually able to read that with the optacon. Now you can't
beat
that with today's technology, [smile].
Lisa-Maree
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Carolyn Arnold
Sent: Monday, February 8, 2016 8:00 AM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
True. When I lived alone, I never had help with my mail - thanks to the
good
old Optacon!
Bye for now,
Carolyn
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of David Moore
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2016 2:00 AM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
Hi Robert,
Glad to hear from you. I have used an optacon since the 80's and read my
math and science books with it. I tutor math to the sighted, because I
know
what all of the advanced math symbols look like, because I felt all of
them
with the optacon. I can write the symbols for them. I can read all math
texts with the opticon. It is amazing how so many people are trying to
come
up with math scanning software and how the blind do not have access to
math
and science materials when the Optacon is the answer to accessing all of
these materials. I mourned when the Optacon was not made anymore. There
are
so many things you can do with the Optacon that you never could do with
scanning software. Have a great one.
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Feinstein
Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2016 1:21 AM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Wanted to say hi and relate an experience
It's Robert in NY. I received an important letter in the mail, and had
to
mail it back in a return address envelope that was included. I noticed
with
the optacon that there was a code on the envelope near where my return
address would go. I was able to put my return address label on the
envelope
so as not to block the code. without the optacon, ths would not have
been
possible.
Robert
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a
message
to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a
message
to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a
message
to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a
message
to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a
message
to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a
message
to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a
message
to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a
message
to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a
message
to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a
message
to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a
message
to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a
message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a message
to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a message
to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a message
to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
to view the list archives, go to:
www.freelists.org/archives/optacon-l
To unsubscribe at any time, just send a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
Tell your friends about the list. They can subscribe by sending a message to:
optacon-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "subscribe" (without the
quotes) in the message subject.
