RE: Advice for a programmer losing vision?
- From: BlueScale <bluescale1976@xxxxxxx>
- To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:00:49 -0400
Oh, I forgot to say, if all else fails you can probably still use
Eloquence with open-sapi. All you have to do is install it in Wine.
Here's the info:
http://code.google.com/p/open-sapi/
I use this to run Cepstral Dunkin (I bought it for Windows a long time
ago). It works fine so far but you will need the latest version of
Wine.
On Mon, 2009-06-15 at 20:48 -0400, BlueScale wrote:
> Hi,
> Who exactly should we write to? I have searched for this because
> eventually the library that still works in ubuntu will quit working as
> well. And, even though I don't use it now, it should be available for
> anyone who chooses to do so. Plus, it's not like it would be
> expensive, time consuming, or even difficult... all they gotta do is
> hit compile lol. So, if you have an email address or web form, let me
> know. Maybe we can flood their email until we get results *evil grin*
>
>
>
> On Mon, 2009-06-15 at 18:50 -0400, Ken Perry wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > You can but you can’t. If you go to the new executable standard
> > which is redhat 10 with gcc 4.3+ I think don’t quote me on the exact
> > numbers you cannot use eloquence. If you all are ticked about that
> > please write them and tell them you want them to compile it for the
> > new standard. I know this because it may affect some projects I am
> > on and they are saying they will no longer support eloquence in
> > deference for the “new” real speak voices. For those of us who love
> > it it will be missed in the future.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Ken
> >
> >
> >
> > From:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
> > BlueScale
> > Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 5:48 PM
> > To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: RE: Advice for a programmer losing vision?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Hi,
> > You can get Eloquence for Linux still from Voxin. I found out about
> > it after a year of using Espeak, and now Espeak actually sounds a
> > lot clearer and easier to understand I guess it's just what you get
> > used to hearing lol. Anyway, the Eloquence package can be purchased
> > from:
> > http://voxin.oralux.net/
> > It's not very expensive, like $7 or so if I remember right. There
> > is an old library that it depends on that is included in the
> > package. At some time in the possibly short future this package may
> > no longer be compatable, but it still works for now.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Mon, 2009-06-15 at 17:35 -0400, Ken Perry wrote:
> >
> > I think you got a couple good posts of advice for screen readers
> > plus magnification so I will say as a Access technology instructor
> > in Canada I found that screen reader plus magnification will save
> > you a lot of pain later. You can get used to the screen reader
> > before you have to use it and not use it when you don’t want to. I
> > am also now a full time programmer and 100% blind so vision means
> > little in the coding world if you’re willing to work at it.
> >
> >
> >
> > Now with that said you had mentioned cepstral. I do like cepstral
> > but the problem I fine with voices like it and realspeak solo, and
> > even neo speech which all have linux versions is while they sound
> > better they have a hard time emphasizing where they should and end
> > up sounding more mechanical in the end than Elequence and TT speak.
> > Unfortunately Elequence is no longer being compiled for Linux and
> > for those who think it never was just look at the Braille plus
> > running OE linux and using that engine. Anyway The only good speech
> > right now for linux that does decent at pronouncing and sounding is
> > TT synth which is just VIA voice from IB updated. You can buy it
> > anywhere from $5 bucks to $45 bucks I am not sure the $5 is really
> > legal but I have seen people get it for that much. Their home page
> > is at:
> >
> >
> >
> > http://www.ttsynth.com/
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > It has a link where you can listen to it. It is mechanical but it
> > does a better job of really speaking what is there.
> >
> >
> >
> > Ken
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > From:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
> > Bill Cox
> > Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 2:46 PM
> > To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: Advice for a programmer losing vision?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks, Jackie, and everyone for the replies.
> >
> > I have to say, it's a load off my shoulders knowing that
> > many other programmers succeed with visual impairment. I'm
> > more adaptable than most, and am pretty sure I'll do OK.
> > The emacspeak project looks most promising to me in my
> > situation (long-time emacs hacker, with peripheral vision
> > that should work long-term). I'll be able to use apps I'm
> > familiar with with magnification sometimes (like skype).
> > I'm having trouble installing any speech synthesizer it
> > works with on my Kubuntu 9.04 x64 system, though. I'll post
> > to the emacspeak list, and if I have to, I'll write some
> > support for other speech synthesis back-ends.
> >
> > Not that it's critical now, but if I'm going to bother
> > writing a back-end for emacspeak to support another speech
> > synthesizer, which synthesizer would you recommend? I've
> > installed both festival and espeak. I've also listened to
> > demos of Cepstral, which sound much better to me.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Bill
> >
> > On Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 2:12 PM, Jackie McBride
> > <abletec@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> > Hi, Bill:
> >
> > 1st, I do know what you're going thru. It bites.
> >
> > U asked a question about whether u should use magnification
> > or
> > screenreader. generally speaking, the conventional wisdom
> > has it that
> > once you're at 5x magnification or above, productivity
> > decreases to
> > such a level that screenreading software should be employed.
> > This is
> > not to say that being able to zoom in on a particular spot
> > might not
> > be helpful, but that it takes so much time to navigate the
> > screen
> > using magnification that productivity suffers. It should
> > also be noted
> > that eyestrain using magnification software can result in
> > headache &
> > fatigue. Often, if system requirements permit, screenreading
> > software
> > & magnification can function together to create a more
> > powerful
> > solution than either technology alone.
> >
> > Regarding learning braille, there are a variety of factors
> > to
> > consider, including tactile sensitivity & desire to learn. I
> > recommend
> > it for those who can, but, for example, many w/diabetic
> > retinopathy/neuropathy find it to be more frustrating than
> > it's worth.
> >
> > I really suggest that u not only avail yourself of the
> > resources on
> > this list, which are considerable, but also contact your
> > state
> > vocational rehabilitation department/commission for the
> > blind, as the
> > case may be. They should surely be able to assist u,
> > especially as it
> > relates to learning braille. Also, Hadley School for the
> > blind in
> > Winnetka, IL, has braille courses, though I think u probably
> > have to
> > be legally blind in order to access those.
> >
> > Please let me know if u think I may be of further
> > assistance.
> >
> >
> > On 6/15/09, Haden Pike <haden.pike@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > The orca screen reader, part of gnome, supports
> > magnification.
> > >
> > > Haden Pike
> > > Email: haden.pike@xxxxxxxxx
> > >
> > > --------------------------------------------------
> > > From: "Holdsworth, Lynn" <Lynn.Holdsworth@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 11:16 AM
> > > To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Subject: RE: Advice for a programmer losing vision?
> > >
> > >> And there must surely be a plethora of free and cheap
> > screen
> > >> magnification solutions for Linux. Anybody know anything
> > about those?
> > >>
> > >> -----Original Message-----
> > >> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > >> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
> > Of Tyler
> > >> Littlefield
> > >> Sent: 15 June 2009 16:09
> > >> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > >> Subject: Re: Advice for a programmer losing vision?
> > >>
> > >> Bill,
> > >> Something you might check out is the speakup project
> > found at:
> > >> http://linux-speakup.org
> > >> They have a mailling list, and a good community.
> > >> Basically speakup is the community for one of the linux
> > screen readers
> > >> that is out, that uses espeak,flite,or festival.
> > >> HTH,
> > >>
> > >> Thanks,
> > >> Tyler Littlefield
> > >> Web: tysdomain.com
> > >> email: tyler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > >> My programs don't have bugs, they're called randomly
> > added features.
> > >>
> > >> ----- Original Message -----
> > >> From: "Bill Cox" <waywardgeek@xxxxxxxxx>
> > >> To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > >> Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 9:03 AM
> > >> Subject: Re: Advice for a programmer losing vision?
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>> Thanks, Jim.
> > >>>
> > >>> It makes me feel a lot better to hear you say that.
> > I've been here
> > >>> before,
> > >>> with the typing problem, and there wasn't much of any
> > community at the
> > >>
> > >>> time
> > >>> to help. Yes, I will most likely stay in the linux
> > world, though I
> > >> would
> > >>> not rule out controlling linux boxes through cygwin bash
> > shells and
> > >> emacs
> > >>> like I did before. I also hope to help with development
> > of some of
> > >> the
> > >>> tools being used.
> > >>>
> > >>> Bill
> > >>>
> > >>> On Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 10:47 AM, Homme, James
> > >>> <james.homme@xxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>>> Hi Bill,
> > >>>>
> > >>>> You can definitely be productive as a programmer in
> > your situation.
> > >>>> According to me, you have come to the right place to
> > ask these kinds
> > >> of
> > >>>> things. We have a lot of great people on this list. Do
> > you want to
> > >> stay
> > >>>> in
> > >>>> the Linux world?
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Thanks.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Jim
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> ----------
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Jim Homme, Usability Engineering.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> 412-544-1810.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Note: I will reply to email and voice mail within four
> > hours.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> "Nothing in this world can take the place of
> > persistence.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> "Talent will not; nothing is more common than
> > unsuccessful people
> > >> with
> > >>>> talent.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> "Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a
> > proverb.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> "Education will not; the world is full of educated
> > derelicts.
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> "Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."
> > >>>>
> > >>>> - Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933)
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> *From:* programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:
> > >>>> programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] *On Behalf Of
> > *Bill Cox
> > >>>> *Sent:* Monday, June 15, 2009 10:32 AM
> > >>>> *To:* programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > >>>> *Subject:* Advice for a programmer losing vision?
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Hi.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Sorry if you get a lot of first-time dumb posts, like
> > this. I've got
> > >> a
> > >>>> rare genetic defect that's causing me to lose my
> > central vision.
> > >> It's a
> > >>>> lot
> > >>>> like macular degeneration, but I'm only 45 years old.
> > I've been a
> > >>>> programmer all my life, and have succeeded in dealing
> > with disability
> > >>>> before. I could not type for three years. I mostly
> > program in C on
> > >>>> Linux.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> What tools should I learn, what forums should I join,
> > and what skills
> > >>>> should I develop to stay a productive programmer? I'm
> > very good at
> > >>>> building
> > >>>> custom environments, which I did when I couldn't type.
> > For example,
> > >>>> should
> > >>>> I bother with Braille, and which screen readers are
> > best for mail,
> > >> web
> > >>>> browsing (and which browser?), and controlling shells
> > and emacs? I
> > >>>> expect
> > >>>> to have peripheral vision for a long time. Do
> > programmers with only
> > >>>> peripheral vision fare better reading text up close, or
> > using screen
> > >>>> readers?
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Thanks,
> > >>>> Bill
> > >>>>
> > >>>> ------------------------------
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> > --
> > Change the world--1 deed at a time
> > Jackie McBride
> > Check out my homepage at:
> > www.abletec.serverheaven.net
> > & please join my fight against breast cancer
> >
> > <http://teamacs.acsevents.org/site/TR?px=1790196&pg=personal&fr_id=3489>
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