Blog: 4Free4All comes a bit nearer.
This last week has been pretty good for us and our free software cause. From Florida came a grand announcement that the Serotek Corporation too have launched one of their internet products as a freeby, SA2GO. There is a good deal of detailed information at http://blog.serotek.com/ which is the Serotek blog site. The AIR Foundation boldly states that “accessibility is a fundamental human right, regardless of financial or geographic constraints”. So now blind and partially sighted computer users worldwide have more free software at their fingertips as well as our Thunder and WebbIE.
But I was much more excited on Thursday to have access to an Apple notebook with Leopard installed. If that means nothing to you then read on and share my excitement.
Leopard is the latest Apple operating system and it comes with good quality and usable speech built in. I was able to listen to iTunes without special scripts or fuss. And then I discovered the magnification potential which is stunning. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, hold down the Control Key and move the mousewheel to control the level of magnification. With my old level of seeing I would have killed for that facility. But the greatest Apple gift this time round for me was that, when I plugged in my Alva Braille Display, Oh yes, it just worked and that is the tops.
So let’s look forward to this free access thing booming and its wonderful to know that we are not the only ones in the business. Our Thunder software is stable, efficient and innovative but we don’t mind at all being pushed to greater achievements by others with a similar mission and we are delighted that our users have a growing choice of free software.
Thunder already has five languages under its belt and well over 70,000 people have downloaded it. On Friday, out of the blue, came an offer to begin translation into Turkish…and so it goes on. Slowly but surely, there is a realisation that the costly traditional screenreader solutions have made a marvellous contribution to computer access for blind people but…and this takes nothing away from their achievement…its now getting time for 4Free4All and not just the elitist few receiving Government or charitable support to enjoy the computer age.
Showing posts with label Freedom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freedom. Show all posts
Monday, 4 February 2008
Sunday, 27 May 2007
BFreedom, Tactile Graphics and .
With a busy week behind me, I am looking forward to the weekend and an extra day’s holiday on Monday.
I was asked to sign a petition against Freedom Scientific, of JAWS Fame, taking legal action against The FreedomBox company. Well meant, but worrying. In the field of screenreaders, Freedom Scientific have patented the word Freedom as their trademark and must surely have the right to defend it when someone else in the same field chooses to use that word. So I did not sign alongside the other 150 blind screenreader users. It’s a great shame we can’t spend all our money and energy on meeting the needs of our clients. The rest is a distraction.
The subject of tactile graphics won’t go away. Over the years many gifted people have bent their minds and enthusiasms in the cause of creating meaningful raised maps and diagrammatic representations for those of us who can’t see. I come from a family of three visually impaired lads. I find tactile diagrams a struggle, almost an extra barrier to the learning, but my two brothers just love maps and diagrams and would, I am sure, be thrilled with the current developments taking place at the Royal National College here in the UK. I saw the device for myself while in Germany this week; but let the college promotion team sell the idea to you themselves: Maybe we have something to learn from this presentation.
Page Headline: T3 from RNC
T3 Talking Tactile Technology
"The beginning of a complete revolution in accessibility for the visually impaired"
"One of the most important inventions for blind people in the last century"
"Sensational"
"It has blown my mind"
"The potential is enormous"
Introducing the T3...
... A Whole New Way of Seeing
... A Whole New World of Learning
T3 - A touch sensitive, multi sensory device which provides instant audio feedback from tactile images. This combination of sound and touch transforms the way in which people who are visually impaired can access graphical information.
Operation is simplicity itself. The T3 is connected to a standard PC or laptop computer via a USB connection and the self-installing programme CD is inserted. To activate the system all that is needed is a T3 tactile diagram overlay to be placed on the surface of the device and touched by the operators finger.
Depending on the CD programme content, the operator now has access to a huge volume of information on any pre-selected subject. When a user presses on various parts of the tactile diagram they hear appropriate descriptive audio feedback.
T3 is successfully being used across a range of sectors including:
Education - from Early Years to Adult Training...
Public sector
Libraries, Arts and Museums
Industry and Commerce
This is what T3 users have to say about it...
"The beginning of a complete revolution in accessibility for the visually impaired"
"Sensational, it allows the person to access written resources with senses other than vision i.e. by touch and sound"
"At last, a piece of equipment that puts the user in charge"
"One of the most important inventions for blind people in the last century"
"If only it had of been around years ago - learning would have been so much easier"
"It has blown my mind... the potential is enormous, unimaginable really"
"So easy to use, intuitive and straight forward"
The T3 is brought to you by the Royal National College for the Blind, the UK's leading college of further education and training for people who are blind or partially sighted, a Beacon college and described by Ofsted as "Outstanding".
The T3 is the European version of the Talking Tactile Tablet (TTT) owned by Touch Graphics, New York. Initial development work was undertaken with support from Anglia Ruskin University.
Photo of Student using T3.
RNC are the leading creators of tactiles for the T3.
Complete T3 kit, hardware, software and tactiles.
© RNCB 2005 The cost is £600.
Now for my view: A lot of work is required to prepare materials. But it’s a great invention and the T3 will stimulate many imaginations. For more information, go to http://www.rncb.ac.uk/t3/index.html.
So maybe this is how we should be promoting Thunder and the free screenreader option:
Thunder – Free Talking software for Blind People.
Thunder – Financial Freedom, no need to pay.
"The beginning of a complete revolution in accessibility for blind and visually impaired people.
"One of the most important inventions for blind people in recent years.”
"Sensational" “The modern Braille”.
"It has blown my mind"
"The potential is enormous"
Introducing the computer revolution to all blind people.
... A Whole New Way of Seeing
... A Whole New World of Learning
Thunder software converts a modern computer into a talking computer within minutes. It’s a standard internet download from anywhere in the world. Thunder gives blind an visually impaired people access to the web, the privacy of email, the empowerment of mainstream information and equal opportunity to jobs, learning leisure.
Operation is simplicity itself. The software automatically installs and all that is required is for the operator to learn a few standard keystrokes and procedures. The user can then listen to a huge volume of information on any pre-selected subject.: Since its launch in August 2006, Thunder is already being used by over 14,000 individuals across a range of sectors including
Education - from Early Years to Adult Training...
Public sector
Libraries, Arts and Museums
Industry and Commerce
This is what Thunder users have to say about it...
"The beginning of a complete revolution in accessibility for the visually impaired"
"Sensational, It has changed my life. My literacy has been restored.”
"At last, "I can use the computer again like I did at work; and I don’t have to pay £700 I have not got.”
"One of the most important inventions for blind people in recent years."
"It has blown my mind... the potential is enormous,"
"So easy to use, intuitive and straight forward" Instead of the mouse, just a few keystrokes to learn.”
“Talking software has been around for years but so expensive and only the few could afford it. Now everyone can join in the computer revolution.”
“It’s the modern Braille. Louis Braille himself would have been thrilled.”
Thunder software was invented by Sensory software Ltd, an innovative company based in Stockport UK. The free version of Thunder is distributed by screenreder.net, a Community Interest Company in Peterborough UK. We believe that the benefits of the freedom scientific are denied to the mass of blind people simply because they don’t have the freedom financial.
The free version of Thunder is for home use, non-commercial use, and a licensed version can be purchased for use by organisations.
Thunder Download from www.screenreader.net .
Why not try Thunder first? It might be all you need.
When we first began work on a low cost screenreader some five years ago, I sought the advice of a senior Manager at the Royal National Institute for the Blind here in Peterborough. It has taken me these five years to get the message. He said: “It depends how its marketed”.
With a busy week behind me, I am looking forward to the weekend and an extra day’s holiday on Monday.
I was asked to sign a petition against Freedom Scientific, of JAWS Fame, taking legal action against The FreedomBox company. Well meant, but worrying. In the field of screenreaders, Freedom Scientific have patented the word Freedom as their trademark and must surely have the right to defend it when someone else in the same field chooses to use that word. So I did not sign alongside the other 150 blind screenreader users. It’s a great shame we can’t spend all our money and energy on meeting the needs of our clients. The rest is a distraction.
The subject of tactile graphics won’t go away. Over the years many gifted people have bent their minds and enthusiasms in the cause of creating meaningful raised maps and diagrammatic representations for those of us who can’t see. I come from a family of three visually impaired lads. I find tactile diagrams a struggle, almost an extra barrier to the learning, but my two brothers just love maps and diagrams and would, I am sure, be thrilled with the current developments taking place at the Royal National College here in the UK. I saw the device for myself while in Germany this week; but let the college promotion team sell the idea to you themselves: Maybe we have something to learn from this presentation.
Page Headline: T3 from RNC
T3 Talking Tactile Technology
"The beginning of a complete revolution in accessibility for the visually impaired"
"One of the most important inventions for blind people in the last century"
"Sensational"
"It has blown my mind"
"The potential is enormous"
Introducing the T3...
... A Whole New Way of Seeing
... A Whole New World of Learning
T3 - A touch sensitive, multi sensory device which provides instant audio feedback from tactile images. This combination of sound and touch transforms the way in which people who are visually impaired can access graphical information.
Operation is simplicity itself. The T3 is connected to a standard PC or laptop computer via a USB connection and the self-installing programme CD is inserted. To activate the system all that is needed is a T3 tactile diagram overlay to be placed on the surface of the device and touched by the operators finger.
Depending on the CD programme content, the operator now has access to a huge volume of information on any pre-selected subject. When a user presses on various parts of the tactile diagram they hear appropriate descriptive audio feedback.
T3 is successfully being used across a range of sectors including:
Education - from Early Years to Adult Training...
Public sector
Libraries, Arts and Museums
Industry and Commerce
This is what T3 users have to say about it...
"The beginning of a complete revolution in accessibility for the visually impaired"
"Sensational, it allows the person to access written resources with senses other than vision i.e. by touch and sound"
"At last, a piece of equipment that puts the user in charge"
"One of the most important inventions for blind people in the last century"
"If only it had of been around years ago - learning would have been so much easier"
"It has blown my mind... the potential is enormous, unimaginable really"
"So easy to use, intuitive and straight forward"
The T3 is brought to you by the Royal National College for the Blind, the UK's leading college of further education and training for people who are blind or partially sighted, a Beacon college and described by Ofsted as "Outstanding".
The T3 is the European version of the Talking Tactile Tablet (TTT) owned by Touch Graphics, New York. Initial development work was undertaken with support from Anglia Ruskin University.
Photo of Student using T3.
RNC are the leading creators of tactiles for the T3.
Complete T3 kit, hardware, software and tactiles.
© RNCB 2005 The cost is £600.
Now for my view: A lot of work is required to prepare materials. But it’s a great invention and the T3 will stimulate many imaginations. For more information, go to http://www.rncb.ac.uk/t3/index.html.
So maybe this is how we should be promoting Thunder and the free screenreader option:
Thunder – Free Talking software for Blind People.
Thunder – Financial Freedom, no need to pay.
"The beginning of a complete revolution in accessibility for blind and visually impaired people.
"One of the most important inventions for blind people in recent years.”
"Sensational" “The modern Braille”.
"It has blown my mind"
"The potential is enormous"
Introducing the computer revolution to all blind people.
... A Whole New Way of Seeing
... A Whole New World of Learning
Thunder software converts a modern computer into a talking computer within minutes. It’s a standard internet download from anywhere in the world. Thunder gives blind an visually impaired people access to the web, the privacy of email, the empowerment of mainstream information and equal opportunity to jobs, learning leisure.
Operation is simplicity itself. The software automatically installs and all that is required is for the operator to learn a few standard keystrokes and procedures. The user can then listen to a huge volume of information on any pre-selected subject.: Since its launch in August 2006, Thunder is already being used by over 14,000 individuals across a range of sectors including
Education - from Early Years to Adult Training...
Public sector
Libraries, Arts and Museums
Industry and Commerce
This is what Thunder users have to say about it...
"The beginning of a complete revolution in accessibility for the visually impaired"
"Sensational, It has changed my life. My literacy has been restored.”
"At last, "I can use the computer again like I did at work; and I don’t have to pay £700 I have not got.”
"One of the most important inventions for blind people in recent years."
"It has blown my mind... the potential is enormous,"
"So easy to use, intuitive and straight forward" Instead of the mouse, just a few keystrokes to learn.”
“Talking software has been around for years but so expensive and only the few could afford it. Now everyone can join in the computer revolution.”
“It’s the modern Braille. Louis Braille himself would have been thrilled.”
Thunder software was invented by Sensory software Ltd, an innovative company based in Stockport UK. The free version of Thunder is distributed by screenreder.net, a Community Interest Company in Peterborough UK. We believe that the benefits of the freedom scientific are denied to the mass of blind people simply because they don’t have the freedom financial.
The free version of Thunder is for home use, non-commercial use, and a licensed version can be purchased for use by organisations.
Thunder Download from www.screenreader.net .
Why not try Thunder first? It might be all you need.
When we first began work on a low cost screenreader some five years ago, I sought the advice of a senior Manager at the Royal National Institute for the Blind here in Peterborough. It has taken me these five years to get the message. He said: “It depends how its marketed”.
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