RE: Sodbeans Update --- and Release Schedule
- From: "Homme, James" <james.homme@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:57:35 -0500
Hi,
This really sounds cool.
Jim
Highmark recipients, Read my accessibility
blog<http://mysites.highmark.com/personal/lidikki/Blog/default.aspx>
"If a green on green tree falls in the forest and you're there, can you see it?"
"Not unless you have a screen reader." :)
From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Andreas Stefik
Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 1:09 PM
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; Sodbeans
Subject: Sodbeans Update --- and Release Schedule
Howdy folks,
I wanted to drop in and give an update on the Sodbeans project. Development on
our project is moving ahead at breakneck speed. First, starting in January, we
will have three developers working on the project, one focusing on screen
reader compatibility issues, one working on compiler and debugger issues, and
another (me) working on the code for both. On this note, we have split off the
Sodbeans code base into two primary pieces:
1. Sappy: Sappy is a side project that includes a number of self-voicing but
screen reader compatible fixes to accessibility in NetBeans. This package is
very general and, on our internal build, fixes a number of accessibility
problems in NetBeans proper, through a combination of internal NetBeans API's
and other tricks. You can do anything that you could do normally in NetBeans
using Sappy (e.g., Java, php, ruby on rails, sappy development.), but much more
accessibly, especially on Mac OSX
2. Sodbeans itself is a custom compiler/debugger/programming language added
into NetBeans that we are testing to try and determine the best possible
sounds/features that would work for the blind. Since it includes all custom
components, this environment is more accessible than the Sappy build (and
dramatically more so then NetBeans proper), but, for technical reasons,
includes the special accessibility features only for our language. Sodbeans
also includes all fixes in Sappy.
In other words, Sappy is our general accessibility fixes, while Sodbeans is a
proof of concept trying to show the best possible Blind Programming IDE. In an
effort to get more blind individuals involved in Sappy and Sodbeans
development, we will be releasing Sappy separately, which will make it much
easier for folks to contribute to the Sappy/Sodbeans projects.
And finally, while we don't have a release date yet for Sodbeans, we already
have pre-release builds of Sappy on our deployment server for testing and will
be distributing it to a few select individuals within the next few weeks for a
pre-alpha screening. If all goes well, we are hoping to have a formal release
by early March.
Sincerely,
Andreas Stefik, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Computer Science
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
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