Ubuntu and most other linux distributions, are free of cost. You can download an iso image which you then burn onto a cd and boot up with that. It is about a 700 megabyte download. If you do not have a good internet connection, you can look on the ubuntu web site for alternative ways of getting hold of ubuntu. Regards, Willem On Wed, 14 Jan 2009, Larry Higgins wrote: > Willem, thanks very much for your quick and helpful response. I've got plenty > of information to work from. > > One thing I forgot to ask about is the cost for a copy of Ubuntu. And no, I > don't expect for you to tell me that it is free <g>. But hopefully, it will be > reasonably priced, especially since this venture is more or less an > experimental one at this stage of the going. I don't know how long it will > even take me to even get started, but when I do, you and the list will be > hearing plenty from me I'm sure. > > Take care, and thanks again, > > Larry > > At 06:00 AM 1/14/2009, you wrote: > >Good to hear you are finally ready to give linux a go. > >IMHO, one of the most painless ways to get a running, talking linux iwith > >most options included, is to go for Ubuntu. > >These days, Linux can speak from the console/command-line as it could do > >for a long time, as well as speak from the gnome gui. > >I use speakup for speech from the command line and use orca, the gui gnome > >screen-reader when I have to. > >Many people these days only use orca, and they are still alive. > >Go for the latest version of ubuntu called intrepid. > >This is not only because you will have better hardware support on most > >machines, but also because it makes the installation of speakup a lot > >easier. > >Google for audio tutorial ubuntu orca to find the mail archive on the > >orca-list where you can find the links to audio tutorials prepared by > >blind people from the community on installing ubuntu using its own > >software speech and orca from the live cd. > >If you go for Ubuntu, make sure that you get the matching tutorial for the > >intrepid 8.10 version, as there were some changes over time regarding the > >exact installation procedures. > >After a standard Ubuntu installation, you will have orca installed, but > >not speakup yet. > >Another popular linx these days is called grml, giving you a talking > >command-line linux. > >I have not personally worked with that, but by the sound of it, it works > >well. > >Linux, at any rate from the command-line, can be made quite > >speech-friendly. > >Orca, the gui screen-reader is moving forward quickly and I am sure with > >time will also be speech-friendly with most applications. > >For now, it works very well with some apps and less so with others. > >In short, things did get a lot easier over the last number of years with > >regards to linux in general. > >Hope this give you enough to start off with. > >There is a speakup mailing list and an orca one, both archived, so you > >should be able to find info there. > >Because of a lot of changes in the last year, I would suggest that you do > >not look at emails regarding any of these things where the post is older > >than about six months. > >Regards, Willem > > > > > >On Wed, 14 Jan 2009, Larry Higgins wrote: > > > > > Hello listers, > > > > > > My name is Larry Higgins from Sycamore, IL. I am a first time > > poster to this > > > list, although I have been subscribed to this list for God knows how long, > > > anywhere from 8 to 10 years probably, and have taken only a > > passing interest > > > in possibly installing Linux of some variety on one of the many > > computers that > > > have past through my life over these many years, but could never > > find the time > > > or drive space to do so. My reason for getting at least serious enough to > > > inquire is as follows. > > > > > > A neighbor of mine took it upon himself to buy for me for Christmas a Dell > > > Inspiron 530 computer that I really didn't need. This thing came > > with Vista, > > > and I thought that after playing around with Vista for the first > > time over the > > > next few days, I might get brave and tackle installing a version > > of Linux on > > > that computer, either running a dual boot, or just removing Vista > > and starting > > > from scratch. > > > > > > Of course, my questions are the usual ones that might come from > > the greenest > > > novice.Which version of Linux is best and most popular among Blinux list > > > members, and what would I need to make installation > > as convenient, if not as > > > easy as possible? I do not have a refreshable Braille display, > > only speech in > > > the form of Window-Eyes, which I know from the outset will do me > > absolutely no > > > good <g>. > > > > > > Will I need lots of sighted help in order to get Linux installed, > > or is there > > > anything like a hands off installation routine, or am I dreaming? After > > > getting Linux installed, how speech friendly can it be made to be > > these days? > > > Also, is there any way to make a GUI speak in Linux, one similar > > to Windows? > > > > > > With that, I think I'll wait for your answers. I must say, I have > > heard some > > > nightmarish stories about these kinds of installations, so just hope I'm > > > really ready for this. Heck, if I really want to attempt this, I > > made need a > > > mentor or two <g>. > > > > > > Any help with these issues will be greatly appreciated, > > > > > > Larry > > > > > > PS I'm sure you might ask if I have been reading this list over these many > > > years, and the answer is no, I am ashamed to say, and I haven't kept an > > > archive of my own either. I will proceed to slap myself on the > > hand real hard > > > <g>. > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Blinux-list mailing list > > > Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx > > > https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list > > > > > > > > > >-- > >This message is subject to the CSIR's copyright terms and conditions, e-mail > >legal notice, and implemented Open Document Format (ODF) standard. > >The full disclaimer details can be found at > >http://www.csir.co.za/disclaimer.html. > > > >This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by > >MailScanner, > >and is believed to be clean. MailScanner thanks Transtec Computers for their > >support. > > > >_______________________________________________ > >Blinux-list mailing list > >Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx > >https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list > > _______________________________________________ > Blinux-list mailing list > Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx > https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list > -- This message is subject to the CSIR's copyright terms and conditions, e-mail legal notice, and implemented Open Document Format (ODF) standard. The full disclaimer details can be found at http://www.csir.co.za/disclaimer.html. This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. MailScanner thanks Transtec Computers for their support. _______________________________________________ Blinux-list mailing list Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list