Sorry Inthane, I just noticed your response. Yes, please feel free to send it along to whomever you wish; I don't mind at all. Stefik On Sun, Nov 22, 2009 at 3:05 PM, The Elf <inthaneelf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > hello Andreas, > > would you mind my passing this along to a couple other lists, I'm thinking > of the programming l list (I think I know someone on it that could forward > it), the blind access help, and the blind webbers list, all of who would > also have interest in this! > > inthane > proprietor, The Grab Bag, > for blind computer users and programmers > http://grabbag.alacorncomputer.com > Owner: Alacorn Computer Enterprises > "own the might and majesty of a Alacorn!" > www.alacorncomputer.com > > ----- Original Message ----- > *From:* Andreas Stefik <stefika@xxxxxxxxx> > *To:* programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; > Sodbeans<sodbeans-developer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > *Sent:* Thursday, November 19, 2009 10:09 AM > *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 > >