Dang, y'all are old! I'm in a Computer Science graduate program. It's practically required that I have a Linux machine. I don't use it Linux exclusively. In fact, I just got this Ubuntu machine that I am on now. Why is Orca's speech so slow? I have it sped up to 100%, and it's still way too slow! Speaking of customization, the NVDA screen reader on windows allows me to set the speech rate to a level that is comfortable for me. Amanda[0] On 1/26/22, Linux for blind general discussion <blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > I use linux exclusively and for several reasons. > > 1. I worked in Unix and SunOS since 1986. So Linux was a familiar > environment > to transition into. > > 2. Because once I get it to work, it works. That keyboard configuration I > mentioned > occurred years ago and I haven't touched it since not even when I switched > to a different machine. Not even when I switched to different keyboards. > Not even when I switched to different versions of Linux. > > 3. Linux does what I want without backtalk, second guessing, ads, unwanted > upgrading, or mysterious crashes. > > > 4. Linux trades learning for power and flexibility. > The few times I tried learning Windows I quickly grew frustrated at just > how limited the software was and > how it forced the user to do things its way instead of letting me do them MY > way. > I spent more time fighting with windows than getting things done. > > 5. Everyone I know who uses Windows, spends far too much time complaining > about windows, fixing the > many problems windows causes by its quirks, arcane mysteries, shortcomings, > and built in faults, > so I see no reason to give it yet another try. > > On Wed, Jan 26, 2022 at 09:19:09PM -0500, Linux for blind general discussion > wrote: >> Okay then, >> This illustrates another point which got touched on in a different >> thread >> as well. >> The, you must be prepared to do programming if you are going to use Linux >> fluidly, if at all. >> On an entirely different list I am on, folks were complaining about >> windows >> 10 and windows 11, because of the changes. >> Computers are increasingly such critical parts of our lives, banking >> shopping, even voting, that many on the list spoke of just wanting to sit >> down at their computer and have things work...so they still use older >> editions of things like Windows XP? and Windows 7. >> I admit that is part of why the out of the box concept discussed here >> where >> Access is concerned seems a bit, speaking personally, like a >> misconception. >> Few on the list I referenced above are using adaptive tools, and some of >> them are scientists, with many not wanting configuring to be a part of >> their >> computer lives. >> So, why do you use Linux? >> what makes it worth the time the training and the trial / error? >> Oh, and is it your only operating system? >> Want to ask the latter because I know someone who indeed uses Linux >> exclusively, vowing never to touch windows again. >> Please feel free to express in detail, never mind my personal situation, >> because the journalist in me is interested as well. >> Karen >> >> >> >> On Wed, 26 Jan 2022, Linux for blind general discussion wrote: >> >> > Fair point. >> > >> > As regards the keyboard, I agree with the main keyboard philosophy, and >> > in fact speakup does allow you to customize it to use the main keyboard >> > instead of the >> > keypad. However, it took me a while to customize it to my liking and >> > required quite a bit of study and generating of personal keymaps, so >> > might not be of any interest to those who aren't comfortable making >> > some low level modifications. >> > >> > On Wed, Jan 26, 2022 at 08:16:08PM -0500, Linux for blind general >> > discussion wrote: >> > > Which may illustrate my point. >> > > I can use those without changing what I have now. >> > > Speaking personally if Linux does not provide equal access to both >> > > hardware >> > > and software speech, in both its command line and graphical >> > > platforms, I am >> > > unsure just where the advantage is for me personally. >> > > One thing I personally disliked with speakup, at least the times I >> > > tried it >> > > years back was the need to remove my hands from the keyboard for many >> > > things. >> > > That may not hold true all the way around, but I am a solid typist and >> > > do >> > > not like having to remove may hands, say use the number pad, if I want >> > > as I >> > > work content. >> > > That is me though, which is one magical thing about personal >> > > computers. >> > > everyone brings their desires and usage goals to their machines. >> > > Which to my mind again personally means Linux should, if it actually >> > > can, be >> > > flexible enough for all choices to work in it command line and >> > > graphical. >> > > Karen >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > On Wed, 26 Jan 2022, Linux for blind general discussion wrote: >> > > >> > > > I don't use Firefox. I use a text based browser, either lynx, w3m, >> > > > or links (the chain) depending. >> > > > >> > > > On Wed, Jan 26, 2022 at 07:48:42PM -0500, Linux for blind general >> > > > discussion wrote: >> > > > > Rudy, >> > > > > As an example, may I ask what edition of Firefox you are running >> > > > > with that >> > > > > dectalk Express? >> > > > > Karen >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > On Wed, 26 Jan 2022, Linux for blind general discussion wrote: >> > > > > >> > > > > > Karen, >> > > > > > I use Linux speakup with a Dectalk express speech synthesizer. >> > > > > > And I believe speakup also handles the >> > > > > > slot card version of dectalk though you'll need a desktop PC >> > > > > > that supports it, so the software is there. >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > Rudy >> > > > > > >> > > > > > On Wed, Jan 26, 2022 at 05:22:35PM -0500, Linux for blind >> > > > > > general discussion wrote: >> > > > > > > Kyle, >> > > > > > > i do not consider my hardware decktalk provided via my reading >> > > > > > > edge to be an >> > > > > > > example of text to speech. >> > > > > > > By definition, and there are many, the term, which refers to >> > > > > > > taking >> > > > > > > information in text format and rendering it aloud does not, >> > > > > > > speaking >> > > > > > > personally, equal pronunciation ease. >> > > > > > > In fact one theory about this has to do with preserving the >> > > > > > > audiobook >> > > > > > > market. >> > > > > > > granted, as was pointed out in a thread some time ago, I am >> > > > > > > not likely to >> > > > > > > learn about Linux screen readers, no driver exists for my >> > > > > > > hardware speech, >> > > > > > > and software synthesizer sources currently do a number on my >> > > > > > > brain. >> > > > > > > Karen >> > > > > > > >> > > > > > > >> > > > > > > >> > > > > > > On Wed, 26 Jan 2022, Linux for blind general discussion >> > > > > > > wrote: >> > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > That being said, the audiophile in me cannot resist pointing >> > > > > > > > out that >> > > > > > > > pronunciation abilities of tts are of far less quality than >> > > > > > > > those >> > > > > > > > provided by many actual screen readers, at least the ones I >> > > > > > > > have >> > > > > > > > used...which???? does not include any for Linux. >> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > That being said, the technofile in me cannot resist pointing >> > > > > > > > out the >> > > > > > > > fact that every screen reader for every OS uses nothing but >> > > > > > > > TTS >> > > > > > > > technology to read the screen. Well, I guess BeMyEyes >> > > > > > > > doesn't, but it's >> > > > > > > > not exactly a screen reader, unless you need the volunteer >> > > > > > > > to read a >> > > > > > > > screen for you. >> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > ~ Kyle >> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ >> > > > > > > > Blinux-list mailing list >> > > > > > > > Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx >> > > > > > > > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list >> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ >> > > > > > > Blinux-list mailing list >> > > > > > > Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx >> > > > > > > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > -- >> > > > > > Rudy Vener >> > > > > > Website: http://www.rudyvener.com >> > > > > > Twitter: https://twitter.com/RudySalt >> > > > > > The difference between truth and falsehood is that truth remains >> > > > > > constant no matter which political party holds the majority. >> > > > > > - A. R. Vener >> > > > > > >> > > > > > _______________________________________________ >> > > > > > Blinux-list mailing list >> > > > > > Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx >> > > > > > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > _______________________________________________ >> > > > > Blinux-list mailing list >> > > > > Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx >> > > > > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list >> > > > >> > > > -- >> > > > Rudy Vener >> > > > Website: http://www.rudyvener.com >> > > > Twitter: https://twitter.com/RudySalt >> > > > The difference between truth and falsehood is that truth remains >> > > > constant no matter which political party holds the majority. >> > > > - A. R. Vener >> > > > >> > > > _______________________________________________ >> > > > Blinux-list mailing list >> > > > Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx >> > > > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list >> > > > >> > > > >> > > >> > > _______________________________________________ >> > > Blinux-list mailing list >> > > Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx >> > > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list >> > >> > -- >> > Rudy Vener >> > Website: http://www.rudyvener.com >> > Twitter: https://twitter.com/RudySalt >> > The difference between truth and falsehood is that truth remains >> > constant no matter which political party holds the majority. >> > - A. R. Vener >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Blinux-list mailing list >> > Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx >> > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list >> > >> > >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Blinux-list mailing list >> Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx >> https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list > > -- > Rudy Vener > Website: http://www.rudyvener.com > Twitter: https://twitter.com/RudySalt > The difference between truth and falsehood is that truth remains constant no > matter which political party holds the majority. > - A. R. Vener > > _______________________________________________ > Blinux-list mailing list > Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list > > _______________________________________________ Blinux-list mailing list Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list