From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: from imo-r09.mx.aol.com ([152.163.225.105]) by speech.braille.uwo.ca with esmtp (Exim 3.35 #1 (Debian)) id 17GRD8-0002ZN-00 for ; Fri, 07 Jun 2002 17:23:54 -0400 Received: from AthlonRobNF@cs.com by imo-r09.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v32.5.) id f.ab.1d1cc790 (5710) for ; Fri, 7 Jun 2002 17:23:20 -0400 (EDT) Received: from robxp (acae0bfc.ipt.aol.com [172.174.11.252]) by air-id04.mx.aol.com (v86.12) with ESMTP id MAILINID43-0607172319; Fri, 07 Jun 2002 17:23:19 -0400 Message-ID: <00be01c20e69$9d83ca10$0200a8c0@robxp> From: "AthlonRob" To: Subject: Information Request Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2002 14:23:46 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_00BB_01C20E2E.EF1EE8E0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Sender: speakup-admin@braille.uwo.ca Errors-To: speakup-admin@braille.uwo.ca X-BeenThere: speakup@braille.uwo.ca X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.9 Precedence: bulk Reply-To: speakup@braille.uwo.ca List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: Speakup is a screen review system for Linux. List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: ------=_NextPart_000_00BB_01C20E2E.EF1EE8E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi- I have a friend who is completely blind. She *really* wants to get online a= nd have direct access to email, at the very least. Currently, her husband i= s having to read all the information to her after he downloads it in Windows= 95. We have three laptops they could use. One is based on a Cyrix MediaGX 233,=20= another a Pentium II 266, and the third a 486 DX4/75. I am currently runnin= g Slackware on the Pentium II system without any problems. Now... JAWS, it seems, would cost them several hundred dollars. This simply= isn't an option; they don't have enough money to rationalize spending that=20= much just for her to be able to read/listen to their email herself. There w= as another Windows screenreader which, if I remember correctly, was just as=20= expensive. Are our options any better in the GNU/Linux realm? I've seen mention of sof= tware synthesizers for Linux, but no mention of screenreaders to go with the= m... if that is an issue? I also read Speakup will not work with a software= synthesizer, but don't understand why not, if they're available. Are the h= ardware synthesizers that are compatable with Speakup able to interface with= the main system via either PCMCIA, serial/parrallel ports, or USB ports? H= ow expensive would such a thing be... and where would I look to buy one? I really really want to help her out. Money is definitely limited, though.=20= I do hope there are some GPL options available out there for folks in a sit= uation like this... Thank you for any input/direction you are able to give me! Rob ------=_NextPart_000_00BB_01C20E2E.EF1EE8E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Hi-

I have a friend who is completely blind.&nb= sp; She=20 *really* wants to get online and have direct access to email, at the very=20 least. Currently, her husband is having to read all the information to= her=20 after he downloads it in Windows 95.

We have three laptops they could use. = =20 One is based on a Cyrix MediaGX 233, another a Pentium II 266, and= the=20 third a 486 DX4/75. I am currently running Slackware on the Pentium II= =20 system without any problems.

Now... JAWS, it seems, would cost them seve= ral=20 hundred dollars. This simply isn't an option; they don't have enough m= oney=20 to rationalize spending that much just for her to be able to read/listen to=20 their email herself. There was another Windows screenreader which, if=20= I=20 remember correctly, was just as expensive.

Are our options any better in the GNU/Linux= =20 realm? I've seen mention of software synthesizers for Linux, but no=20 mention of screenreaders to go with them... if that is an issue? I als= o=20 read Speakup will not work with a software synthesizer, but don't understand= why=20 not, if they're available. Are the hardware synthesizers that are=20 compatable with Speakup able to interface with the main system via either=20 PCMCIA, serial/parrallel ports, or USB ports? How expensive would such= a=20 thing be... and where would I look to buy one?

I really really want to help her out. = Money=20 is definitely limited, though. I do hope there are some GPL options=20 available out there for folks in a situation like this...

Thank you for any input/direction you are a= ble to=20 give me!

Rob

------=_NextPart_000_00BB_01C20E2E.EF1EE8E0--