Soft Braille for Linux: BRLTTY 1.0.1 Release (fwd)

Soft Braille for Linux: BRLTTY 1.0.1 Release (fwd)

[Nikhil Nair]

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 <nn201@cus.cam.ac.uk>
To: linux-announce@news.ornl.gov
Subject: Soft Braille for Linux: BRLTTY 1.0.1 Release



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		Access Software for Unix for a Blind Person
		       Using a Soft Braille Terminal


                                    By

		     Nikhil Nair <nn201@cus.cam.ac.uk>
		       Nicolas Pitre <nico@cam.org>
		 Stephane Doyon <doyons@jsp.umontreal.ca>


			       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 <jrbowden@bcs.org.uk>, 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