Announcing the first (beta) release, speakup v-0.10 Speakup is a screen review package for the Linux operating system. It allows you to hear all output directed to the console and move around the screen using the typical screen review functions. This is a beta release which means it is by no means complete but seems stable and has been well tested. It is quite usable in it's current incarnation though, with the blaring lack of cursor output support. That means in an editor it doesn't read each line as you move up and down the screen. It tracks the cursor so you just need to do a say current line but it doesn't do it all by itself. There is more to be said for cursor tracking and speaking than meets the ear at first glance. Speakup is a set of kernel patches which means you should have some experience with kernel compiling. It currently works on the Linux kernels 2.2.18 and 2.4.0-test10 and above. As of this release we are at kernel level 2.2.18 and 2.4.0-test12. What's new in v-0.10? Speakup now has /proc/speakup entries for controlling synth options such as rate and volume. Speakup now supports a number of various synthesizers including the DoubleTalk PC, the LiteTalk and DoubleTalk LT, the Accent PC and SA, the Artic Transport, the Speakout, Dectalks external and Express, the Audapter, the Braille 'N Speak and the Apollo2. The current version is now configurable within the make config system which will make installation much more straight forward. Another new feature is that speakup comes with an install script which will apply the patches automatically and keep backups for upgrading from cvs in the future. The new features include: The /proc/speakup configuration system, The ability to turn keyboard echo on or off, Experimental cursor tracking announcement, The ability to turn speakup totally off in individual consoles, User defined extended character support, Rudimentary support for other screen review software through the /dev/synth device. There is a mailing list for speakup which you are welcome to join if you are interested in it's on going development. You can subscribe to the mailing list by sending a message to speakup-request at braille.uwo.ca with a line in the body of the message like this: subscribe The mailing list is currently a very low traffic forum so you probably won't be overwhelmed with mail, although that is changing as more and more blind people discover Linux. You can also subscribe to the mailing list by following the links on the web page. The official speakup distribution point is ftp://linux-speakup.org/pub/linux/speakup. The ftp area includes all of the current speakup files and utilities. It also includes a subdirectory containing older versions of speakup. There is a new directory tree which contains the base debian installation disks with speakup already installed, as well as boot images for Redhat and Slackware. So if you have any of the supported synths you can down load the disk images and install your entire system with speech. The installation disks currently contain speakup version-0.09 but those will probably be upgraded soon. We are in the middle of writing a set of web pages for speakup. You can check them out at http://www.linux-speakup.org. We would like to hear what you think of them and will gladly consider recommendations on their improvement. We have what we consider a way cool logo for the speakup project as well, it would be nice to hear your opinions on that also. Speakup is written by Kirk Reiser and Andy Berdan. It is covered by the GPL (GNU General Public License). So, like I think that's about it. If you have any questions feel free to write me at kirk at braille.uwo.ca. If you have any of the synths now covered by speakup, we could really use your feedback. If you are just dying to get involved in a software project, boy do we have a bridge to sell you! 'grin' Kirk email: kirk at braille.uwo.ca phone: (519) 679-6845 (home)
