From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: (qmail-queue invoked by uid 503); 24 Aug 1996 07:06:11 -0000 MBOX-Line: From blinux@leb.net Sat Aug 24 09:02:39 1996 Received: (qmail-queue invoked by uid 504); 24 Aug 1996 06:48:05 -0000 Received: (qmail-queue invoked from smtpd); 24 Aug 1996 06:48:02 -0000 Received: from cublx2.cube.net (194.97.64.61) by goldfish.cube.net with SMTP; 24 Aug 1996 06:47:44 -0000 Received: from beirut.leb.net ([206.127.55.2]) by cublx2.cube.net with SMTP id <24965-345>; Sat, 24 Aug 1996 00:01:29 +0100 Received: from localhost (oedipus@localhost) by beirut.leb.net (8.6.12/8.6.9) with SMTP id SAA20497; Fri, 23 Aug 1996 18:01:44 -0400 Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 18:01:44 -0400 (EDT) From: BLINUX Documentation and Development Project X-Sender: oedipus@beirut.leb.net To: blinux news release , access-l@io.org, blind-l@uafsysb.uark.edu, linux-access@ssv1.union.utah.edu, linux-doc@vger.rutgers.edu, uab-l@sawnet.com, uaccess-l@trace.wisc.edu, webwatch-l@teleport.com Subject: Braille and Linux Documentation Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII List-Id: Hello Listers! A lot of work has been going on behind the scenes at the BLINUX Documentation Project concerning the question of braille documentation. In order to ensure that the braille documentation produced by the BLINUX project is of the highest possible quality, we need your input. We believe that full BLINUX documentation will require two types of braille. Type One is "braille on the web". This entails braille-ready documentation mounted on the web, which can be read via a refreshable braille display. Type Two is "downloadable" braille--files that can be downloaded and archived for reading and/or embossing. And here's where you come in. We'd like to know: 1. what formats you prefer for the archived braille files, including language, grade, page dimensions, and type of braille (i.e. UBC, computer braille, or other type.) Note that the conventions adopted for the markup of the "downloadable" braille will also be used in the marking up of the "braille on the web" 2.. If you use a braille display as your mode of net access, let us know what you'd like the brailled web page to feel like. Yes, that's right--we want to develop web pages which are refreshable-braille friendly, a sort of blind person's PDF! 3. We also need testers for the "braille on the web" part of the project. If you are interested in testing "braille on the web", please email Poehlman@clark.net to provide the BLINUX Documentation Project with the following information: 1. type of braille display 2. how you connect to the net, i.e. netscape, lynx, or some other browser including whether you use a shell account or not. 3. how does braille feel with links set to numbers in in lynx, and how might this effect grade two braille? We'd like the grade two to actually be used as hypertext inside and outside of the document. We'll be exploring ways to let someone know that they are about to enter a grade two site. We'll provide straight text and grade two choices for all the documents in the test and in what ever form things take after that. We hope to develop a standard that can be ported through out the web. We'd also like suggestions as to an agent who can reproduce hard copies of the archived "downloadable braille", as many who do not own embossers will need to have the archived braille files reproduced for them. Now that I've droned on for awhile, let me give you a little background on myself. I have several years experience in the pc field as a blind pc user and a professional in the field of access issues as they relate to technology. I've taught braille production from the standpoint of an experienced braille reader and duxbury user, and have produced quite a bit of braille myself. I do a little webbing too, but then doesn't everybody? I'm not as technically minded regarding unix as many of you--in fact, I use DOS for all the things I do--but I do want a better operating system, even if only to thwart the big MS in the sky. >>>From what i've read on blinux-list and elsewhere, I firmly believe that this not only can, but will happen, but only if we blind folk assume an active role in its development. I leave you with one last question. What specific documents would you want brailled if we don't do them all? In other words, if we go into hard copy production, and can't do them all, please pick your poison! This also applies, although not as much, to the archive, as gregory has been given the Empire State Building in which to store documents. One last thought--please address your comments to me (poehlman@re.member.org) and Cc them to blinux@leb.net, as well as this list. Thanks! David Hands-On-Technolog(eye)s touching the internet Call for services. voice only 1-(301) 949-7599 E-mail poehlman@clark.net or poehlman@re.member.org ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/poehlman http://www.clark.net/pub/poehlman ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributed by the BLINUX Documentation and Development Project http://leb.net/blinux ftp://leb.net/pub/blinux ftp://leb.net/incoming/blinux The BLINUX Documentation Project is an outgrowth of BLINUX-LIST ----------------------------------------------------------------------------