From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: (qmail 6864 invoked by uid 0); 14 Sep 1996 01:46:43 -0000 MBOX-Line: From nn201@cus.cam.ac.uk Sat Sep 14 03:43:45 1996 Received: (qmail 6366 invoked by uid 504); 14 Sep 1996 01:07:19 -0000 Received: (qmail 6358 invoked from smtpd); 14 Sep 1996 01:07:09 -0000 Received: from cublx1.cube.net (root@194.97.64.60) by goldfish.cube.net with SMTP; 14 Sep 1996 01:07:07 -0000 Received: from ursa.cus.cam.ac.uk by cublx1.cube.net with smtp (Smail3.1.29.5 #1) id m0v1cwl-0002fhC; Fri, 13 Sep 96 20:26 MET DST Received: from nn201 by ursa.cus.cam.ac.uk with local (Exim 0.56 #1) id E0v1ct6-00028p-00; Fri, 13 Sep 1996 19:22:48 +0100 Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 19:21:59 +0100 (BST) From: Nikhil Nair X-Sender: nn201@amasis.trin.cam.ac.uk Reply-To: Nikhil Nair To: blinux-list@goldfish.cube.net, linux-access@ssv1.union.utah.edu Subject: Soft Braille for Linux: BRLTTY 1.0.1 Release (fwd) Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII List-Id: Hi all, This version has little added functionality to version 1.0 (unless you want speech from a CombiBraille :-) ). It does, however, have some improvements which will be very useful to anyone making installation/rescue rootdisks. The executable can now stand alone, without its data files, reducing space requirements; also, freeze mode is fixed so now works on a root filesystem mounted readonly (this was part of a complete rewrite of the screen-reading library). Now for the restructuring - don't hold your breath ... Nikhil. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 17:34:16 +0100 (BST) From: Nikhil Nair To: linux-announce@news.ornl.gov Subject: Soft Braille for Linux: BRLTTY 1.0.1 Release **** **** * ***** ***** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * **** **** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * **** * * ***** * * * Access Software for Unix for a Blind Person Using a Soft Braille Terminal By Nikhil Nair Nicolas Pitre Stephane Doyon Version 1.0.1 13 September 1996 ----------------------------------- We are proud to announce the official release of BRLTTY, a software system to allow access to the console of a Unix system for users of soft Braille displays. BRLTTY currently runs under Linux (kernel version 1.1.92 or later) on a PC or DEC Alpha. The package has been uploaded to sunsite.unc.edu in the directory /pub/Linux/Incoming. We expect it to move to /pub/Linux/system/Access at some later date (please note the move from /pub/Linux/utils/console). See the Linux Software Map entry below for details. --------------- EXTRACT FROM THE README FILE --------------- INTRODUCTION FOR THOSE NEW TO SOFT BRAILLE ========================================== There are two common ways in which blind people access computers. The first, and more widely known, is synthesized speech, which, while having many advantages (e.g. speed for reading plain text), does have its drawbacks: speech output generally gives little information about formatting, making tables, spreadsheets etc. difficult to use; it can also be difficult to use speech output with particularly technical material containing lots of symbols (though many determined people do use it for such things). The other solution, which attempts to answer some of these problems, is Braille output. A soft (or refreshable) Braille display typically consists of a single row of either 20, 40 or 80 characters, each made up of a matrix of 4X2 (4 down, 2 across) dots. Each dot is individually driven by a separate motor, making the whole assembly extremely expensive. A soft Braille display would connect to a PC by either the serial or parallel port. Software on the PC drives the display, reproducing a rectangle of the screen image (which we will call the window) in Braille. Buttons on the Braille display itself are used to send signals back to the software, instructing it to move the window around the screen, or some other specialised function. With a soft Braille display of 40 or 80 cells, it is quite easy for a blind user to appreciate the format of information on the screen, and even allows the reading and editing of on-line Braille documents (a concept not widely enough utilised). INTRODUCTION TO BRLTTY ====================== While soft Braille displays have been used for some years under MS-DOS, and are even starting to be used under Windows, it seems that they have not been used on Unix consoles. This could well be because blind people have been able to access Unix systems through accessible terminals. With the advent of PC-based Unix systems (such as Linux), the need becomes evident. BRLTTY attempts to fill this gap. It runs as a daemon, possibly started at boot-time, and allows a soft Braille user to access text mode applications. Since BRLTTY is written as a daemon, it should allow a user a completely free choice of application and development tools. FEATURES ======== - Full implementation of the standard screen review facilities. - A wide range of additional optional features, including blinking cursor and capital letters, screen freezing for leisurely review, attribute display to locate highlighted text, hypertext links, etc. - `Intelligent' cursor routing. This allows easy movement of the cursor in text editors etc. without moving the hands from the Braille display. - A cut & paste function. This is particularly useful for copying long filenames, complicated commands etc. - An on-line help facility. - Support for multiple Braille codes. - Modular design allows relatively easy addition of drivers for other Braille displays, or even (hopefully) porting to other Unix-like platforms. CURRENTLY SUPPORTED HARDWARE ============================ BRLTTY requires Linux kernel 1.1.92 or later (for `/dev/vcsa0'). It has been tested on - a variety of PCs: both laptops and desktops; processors from 386SX20 to Pentium with a huge range of memory sizes; Linux distributions including Debian and Slackware; a number of Linux kernels, including both 1.2.13 and 2.0.0. - a DEC Alpha: only tested once, under RedHat Alpha Linux on a noname board kindly lent to the Cambridge University Computer Laboratory by DEC in Reading, England. The following Braille displays are supported (serial communication only): - Tieman B.V.: CombiBraille 25/45/85; - Alva B.V.: ABT3xx series; - Telesensory Systems Inc.: PowerBraille 40 (not 65/80), Navigator 20/40/80 (latest firmware version only?). If you want another Braille display to be supported, please contact the maintainer. Ability to add more Braille displays does, however, depend on the level of cooperation from the manufacturer in providing programming information. THE BRLTTY TEAM =============== There are currently three active developers: - Nikhil Nair: founder of the BRLTTY project and author of the Tieman B.V. CombiBraille driver E-Mail: nn201@cus.cam.ac.uk - Nicolas Pitre: Author of the driver for the Alva series E-Mail: nico@cam.org - Stephane Doyon: Author of the driver for the TSI displays (Navigator and PowerBraille 40) E-Mail: doyons@jsp.umontreal.ca Any comments and/or criticisms regarding BRLTTY in general should be addressed to all three of the above. In addition, James Bowden , the original coauthor, is now acting in an advisory capacity. --------------- THE LINUX SOFTWARE MAP ENTRY --------------- Begin3 Title: BRLTTY - Access software for Unix for a blind person using a soft Braille terminal Version: 1.0.1, 13SEP96 Entered-date: 13SEP96 Description: BRLTTY is a daemon which provides access to a Unix console for a blind person using a soft Braille display (see the README file for a full explanation). BRLTTY only works with text-mode applications. We hope that this system will be expanded to support other soft Braille displays, and possibly even other Unix-like platforms. Keywords: Braille console access visually impaired blind Author: nn201@cus.cam.ac.uk (Nikhil Nair) nico@cam.org (Nicolas Pitre) doyons@jsp.umontreal.ca (Stephane Doyon) jrbowden@bcs.org.uk (James Bowden) Maintained-by: nn201@cus.cam.ac.uk (Nikhil Nair) Primary-site: sunsite.unc.edu /pub/Linux/system/Access 112kb brltty-1.0.1.tar.gz (includes the README file) 6kb brltty-1.0.1.README 1kb brltty-1.0.1.lsm Platforms: Linux (kernel 1.1.92 or later) running on a PC or DEC Alpha. Not X/graphics. Supported Braille displays (serial communication only): - Tieman B.V.: CombiBraille 25/45/85; - Alva B.V.: ABT3xx series; - Telesensory Systems Inc.: PowerBraille 40 (not 65/80), Navigator 20/40/80 (latest firmware version only?). Copying-policy: GPL End -- Nikhil Nair Trinity College, Cambridge, England Tel.: +44 1223 368353 Email: nn201@cus.cam.ac.uk nnair@debian.org