From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: from cantata.rednote.net ([66.92.170.86]) by speech.braille.uwo.ca with esmtp (Exim 3.36 #1 (Debian)) id 1AYxIN-0002be-00 for ; Tue, 23 Dec 2003 19:54:39 -0500 Received: from cantata.rednote.net (localhost.localdomain [127.0.0.1]) by cantata.rednote.net (8.12.3/8.12.3/Debian-6.6) with ESMTP id hBO0sZ0h001562 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=EDH-RSA-DES-CBC3-SHA bits=168 verify=OK) for ; Tue, 23 Dec 2003 19:54:36 -0500 Received: (from janina@localhost) by cantata.rednote.net (8.12.3/8.12.3/Debian-6.6) id hBO0sZJ6001560 for speakup@braille.uwo.ca; Tue, 23 Dec 2003 19:54:35 -0500 Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 19:54:35 -0500 From: Janina Sajka To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." Message-ID: <20031224005434.GD3259@rednote.net> References: <6.0.1.1.0.20031223100651.029b0eb0@pop1.sympatico.ca> <20031223164459.GB3259@rednote.net> <6.0.1.1.0.20031223115728.029c6eb0@pop1.sympatico.ca> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <6.0.1.1.0.20031223115728.029c6eb0@pop1.sympatico.ca> User-Agent: Mutt/1.3.28i Subject: Re: Talking bios X-BeenThere: speakup@braille.uwo.ca X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.3 Precedence: list Reply-To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." List-Id: Speakup is a screen review system for Linux. List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2003 00:54:39 -0000 I should think the opposite is a bios you can't read without sight. Allan Shaw writes: > From: Allan Shaw > > > ... I wouldn't consider having to connect a Braille 'N Speak to your system > a system with a perfectly accessible bios, in fact the exact opposit! > > At 11:45 12/23/03, you wrote: > >Let's generalize this a bit further. > > > >Virtually all non Intel computers can be accessed over a serial port at > >9600 baud. At least, this has been historically true for systems from > >DEC, Sun, etc. > > > >In other words, the inaccessible bios was first created for Intel > >computing platforms. > > > >I believe this is an important point which should not be forgotten in > >any advocacy for accessibility on future bios implementations. We're not > >asking for something new. We're asking that something be maintained. > > > >For example, my DEC Alphastation 200 has a perfectly accessible bios. I > >simply disconnect the monitor and plug a Braille 'N Speakup into its > >first serial port and have at it. It's brilliant, and this is how I > >configured the bios on the computer that is now my home server. > > > >My experience with this ten year old DEC is the historic norm for > >computing. > > > >Allan Shaw writes: > >> From: Allan Shaw > >> > >> > >> Back in the very early days of the 8286 CPU's one of the leading bios > >> manufacturers at that time whom i believe was called Phoenix had a > >utility > >> which came with any system containing there bios which would allow you to > >> modify/configure/set the parameters within the bios by running this > >utility > >> from at that time a command prompt. > >> > >> I had a system with this type of bios and was using the Artic speech > >> product and could change anything I require within the bios and then only > >> had to reboot my machine to pick up the changes. > >> > >> so as with many things, all we need to do is once again make the old > >> something new again and develop something similar for the modern day bios > >> and make our life a little easier. > >> If the Phoenix company is still around, maybe that would be a good > >place to > >> start. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Speakup mailing list > >> Speakup@braille.uwo.ca > >> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > >-- > > > >Janina Sajka > >Email: janina@rednote.net > >Phone: (202) 408-8175 > > > >Director, Technology Research and Development > >American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) > >http://www.afb.org > > > >Chair, Accessibility Work Group > >Free Standards Group > >http://accessibility.freestandards.org > > > >_______________________________________________ > >Speakup mailing list > >Speakup@braille.uwo.ca > >http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > > _______________________________________________ > Speakup mailing list > Speakup@braille.uwo.ca > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup -- Janina Sajka Email: janina@rednote.net Phone: (202) 408-8175 Director, Technology Research and Development American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) http://www.afb.org Chair, Accessibility Work Group Free Standards Group http://accessibility.freestandards.org