Nabble - OATS Project Interest Group

Re: oats-sig Digest, Vol 58, Issue 2

2009-11-06T04:20:37Z

Gave it my "Love it!" vote!

John

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Today's Topics:

1. The $12 computer (Steve Lee)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 14:03:28 +0000
From: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Subject: [oats-sig] The $12 computer
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID:
<b30ac56c0911050603m87ac212p6455e8cac6f83003@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

Good for AT?
Playpower.org and the $12 computer - good summary presentation
http://bit.ly/3T6gc1

Steve

End of oats-sig Digest, Vol 58, Issue 2
***************************************

The $12 computer

2009-11-05T06:03:28Z

Good for AT?
Playpower.org and the $12 computer - good summary presentation
http://bit.ly/3T6gc1

Steve

BBC i-player

2009-11-02T03:51:51Z

Dear colleagues,

Surprise surprise, I have just learnt from a colleague on the vi-forum that the BBC is scrapping its audio streaming of programmes more-or-less imminently for home listeners but not overseas due to the i-player now being able to have flash content courtesy of Adobe! (There goes security on the Wii for a start!). If any of you are aware of an open source utility that will stream audio content from the i-Player, please let me know so I can forward the information on - Perhaps a new project in the making?

Best regards,

John.

Fwd: [Accessibility-atspi] Releasing Anumaan...

2009-11-01T08:09:24Z

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Naveen Kumar <nav007@...>
Date: 2009/10/30
Subject: [Accessibility-atspi] Releasing Anumaan...
To: accessibility-atspi@...

Hi,
We are announcing the release of alpha-0.1 version of Anumaan, a
perspective based, on-screen predictive text entry system for GNOME
desktop.Anumaan is an extension of an Input Method (IM) mechanism (on
GNOME desktop) in the sense that it extends its (IM) notion by
including the power of text prediction. It has support for UTF-8
unicode encoding. Anumaan is ported to Gtk+ text widget using AT-SPI
library.

Please do refer to my blog post for more details at
http://moebiuscurve.livejournal.com/26656.html.

Anumaan URLs:

Anumaan Main Page on CDAC Mumbai Website:
http://www.cdacmumbai.in/index.php/cdacmumbai/research_and_publications/research_groups/open_source_soft_division/projects/anumaan

AnumaanLinux source download:
http://www.cdacmumbai.in/projects/anumaan/downloads/AnumaanLinux-alpha-0.1.tar.gz
(released under GNU/GPL 3.0 License)

AnumaanLinux Documentation can be accessed at:
http://www.cdacmumbai.in/projects/anumaan/docs/AnumaanLinuxUserManual/index.html

Anumaan-standalone download:
http://www.cdacmumbai.in/projects/anumaan/downloads/Anumaan-standalone-alpha-0.1.tar.gz

Anumaan-standalone Documentation can be accessed at:
http://www.cdacmumbai.in/projects/anumaan/docs/AnumaanStandaloneUserManual/index.html

Anumaan Default Language Model download:
http://www.cdacmumbai.in/projects/anumaan/downloads/AnumaanDefaultLM.tar.gz

Anumaan demo Videos:

A session of AnumaanLinux: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSzLt9ZVnOY

A session of Anumaan-standalone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah9w37JY7ec

NB: The Application is still evolving, hence please do give us your
feedbacks, bug reports or feature enhancement requests.

Please mail us at mailto:predictanumaan@...

Thanks & regards
Naveen Kumar
Assistant Software Engineer
Open Source Software Division( http://ossrc.org.in/ )
C-DAC Mumbai ( http://www.cdacmumbai.in/ )
Mobile : +91 9987231547

( http://naveenk.wikidot.com )

_______________________________________________
Accessibility-atspi mailing list
Accessibility-atspi@...
https://lists.linux-foundation.org/mailman/listinfo/accessibility-atspi

--
Steve Lee

OSS Watch - supporting open source in education and research
http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk

Fwd: [dasher-text-entry] Digest Number 318

2009-11-01T07:59:43Z

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <dasher-text-entry@...>
Date: 2009/11/1
Subject: [dasher-text-entry] Digest Number 318
To: dasher-text-entry@...

There is 1 message in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1. New Gaze Tracker by ITU
From: drjuliusdeutsch

Message
________________________________________________________________________
1. New Gaze Tracker by ITU
Posted by: "drjuliusdeutsch" j.deutsch@... drjuliusdeutsch
Date: Sat Oct 31, 2009 3:57 pm ((PDT))

Hi, I just want to let you know that a new open source gaze tracker is
available. It can be downloaded at http://www.gazegroup.org/. As far
as I know is this the only eye-tracking system for Windows that is
currently available.
Julius

Messages in this topic (1)

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--
Steve Lee

OSS Watch - supporting open source in education and research
http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk

Re: Fwd: [TOS] Help turn the open Web into a rich learning environment: the Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge

2009-10-27T13:05:07Z

Interesting - might be good to post on SENIT Steve?

Cheers.

Simon

-----Original Message-----
From: oats-sig-bounces@... [mailto:oats-sig-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Steve Lee
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 10:22 AM
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group
Subject: [oats-sig] Fwd: [TOS] Help turn the open Web into a rich learning environment: the Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge

Here's an interesting announcement from Mozilla. Jetpack provides a simpler way to create Firefox Add ons

Steve Lee

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Frank Hecker <hecker@...>
Date: 2009/10/26
Subject: [TOS] Help turn the open Web into a rich learning
environment: the Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge
To: tos <tos@...>

I thought you all might be interested in the following announcement about a new Mozilla Education initiative we launched today, the Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge. Please feel free to forward this to anyone you think might be interested, be they educators, students, or anyone else.

Frank

=============

We invite you to help turn the open Web into a rich learning environment and explore new possibilities for using Firefox add-ons to support learning online, by participating in the Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge sponsored by the Mozilla Foundation with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation as part of its digital media and learning initiative.

We are looking for designers, educators and software developers who want to turn their innovative ideas about learning online into working prototypes in the form of Firefox add-ons. We'll help you refine your designs and teach you how to create Firefox add-ons using Jetpack and other Mozilla technologies. Participants creating the best prototpes will be invited to the Jetpack for Learning Design Camp and the SXSW Interactive conference in March 2010.

How does it work?

Come up with an innovative idea for a Firefox add-on that brings personal learning features to the open Web. Create a mock-up and submit it on the Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge web-site before midnight (US Pacific Time) on 27 November 2009. Based on the quality of submissions, up to 60 participants will be invited into a 6-week online course that covers design/UX and technical aspects of add-on development and will help you turn your mock-up into a working prototype. We'll select the most promising prototypes and invite up to ten of their creators to further refine their add-ons at a face-to-face Jetpack for Learning Design Camp in March 2010 and to attend SXSW Interactive immediately following the Design Camp.

What kind of ideas are we looking for?

We are looking for your ideas on how Firefox add-ons, preferably add-ons created with Mozilla's Jetpack technology, can turn the web browser into a platform for rich personal learning on the open web.
You are not restricted to work on any particular type of application.
Here are a few examples to get you started ...

* Turn social bookmarking and page annotation into effective learning tools (for example by including peer-assessment features)

* Allow users to easily compile personal e-portfolios (for example, by combining their own works - photos, comments, articles-with testimonials others have written about them)

* Let the browser suggest relevant materials for learning (for example, by automatically identifying additional articles based on what sites a person visits or which topics they search for)

* Support social learning communities (for example, by making it easy to find and connect with others who share similar learning interests)

Who should apply?

Participation is open to individuals and teams, but we especially encourage submissions from inter-disciplinary groups (designers, educators, and software developers). You don't need to be a computer geek, but participants are expected to implement their ideas as Firefox add-ons, which will require writing some software code.

You must be at least 18 years old in order to participate in the Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge. You must also make your submission and your add-ons available for public use under open licenses. See the Jetpack for Learning web site for complete rules.

Contact

You can find more information about the Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge, including how to apply, on our web site:

http://design-challenge.mozilla.org/jetpack-for-learning

Mozilla Foundation

The Mozilla Foundation is a non-profit organization that sponsors the Mozilla project and devotes its resources to promoting openness, innovation and opportunity on the Internet. We do this by supporting the community of Mozilla contributors and by assisting others who are building technologies that benefit users around the world.

Through the Mozilla Education initiative we work with computer science, design and business schools around the world to create learning opportunities for a new generation of Mozilla community members and help to drive a new wave of participatory, student-led learning. By doing this we hope to move closer to Mozilla's broader goal of making openness, participation and distributed decision-making more common experiences in Internet life. More information is available at education.mozilla.org.

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

The MacArthur Foundation supports creative people and effective institutions committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. In addition to selecting the MacArthur Fellows, the Foundation works to defend human rights, advance global conservation and security, make cities better places, and understand how technology is affecting children and society.

In 2006 MacArthur launched its digital media and learning initiative to explore how young people are changing as a result of digital media use and what the implications are for libraries, museums and schools.
More information is available at www.macfound.org/education.

--
Frank Hecker
hecker@...

--
Frank Hecker
_______________________________________________
tos mailing list
tos@...
http://teachingopensource.org/mailman/listinfo/tos

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Fwd: [TOS] Help turn the open Web into a rich learning environment: the Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge

2009-10-27T03:21:33Z

Here's an interesting announcement from Mozilla. Jetpack provides a
simpler way to create Firefox Add ons

Steve Lee

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Frank Hecker <hecker@...>
Date: 2009/10/26
Subject: [TOS] Help turn the open Web into a rich learning
environment: the Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge
To: tos <tos@...>

I thought you all might be interested in the following announcement
about a new Mozilla Education initiative we launched today, the
Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge. Please feel free to forward
this to anyone you think might be interested, be they educators,
students, or anyone else.

Frank

=============

We invite you to help turn the open Web into a rich learning
environment and explore new possibilities for using Firefox add-ons to
support learning online, by participating in the Jetpack for Learning
Design Challenge sponsored by the Mozilla Foundation with support from
the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation as part of its
digital media and learning initiative.

We are looking for designers, educators and software developers who
want to turn their innovative ideas about learning online into working
prototypes in the form of Firefox add-ons. We'll help you refine your
designs and teach you how to create Firefox add-ons using Jetpack and
other Mozilla technologies. Participants creating the best prototpes
will be invited to the Jetpack for Learning Design Camp and the SXSW
Interactive conference in March 2010.

How does it work?

Come up with an innovative idea for a Firefox add-on that brings
personal learning features to the open Web. Create a mock-up and
submit it on the Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge web-site before
midnight (US Pacific Time) on 27 November 2009. Based on the quality
of submissions, up to 60 participants will be invited into a 6-week
online course that covers design/UX and technical aspects of add-on
development and will help you turn your mock-up into a working
prototype. We'll select the most promising prototypes and invite up to
ten of their creators to further refine their add-ons at a
face-to-face Jetpack for Learning Design Camp in March 2010 and to
attend SXSW Interactive immediately following the Design Camp.

What kind of ideas are we looking for?

We are looking for your ideas on how Firefox add-ons, preferably
add-ons created with Mozilla's Jetpack technology, can turn the web
browser into a platform for rich personal learning on the open web.
You are not restricted to work on any particular type of application.
Here are a few examples to get you started ...

* Turn social bookmarking and page annotation into effective learning
tools (for example by including peer-assessment features)

* Allow users to easily compile personal e-portfolios (for example, by
combining their own works — photos, comments, articles—with
testimonials others have written about them)

* Let the browser suggest relevant materials for learning (for
example, by automatically identifying additional articles based on
what sites a person visits or which topics they search for)

* Support social learning communities (for example, by making it easy
to find and connect with others who share similar learning interests)

Who should apply?

Participation is open to individuals and teams, but we especially
encourage submissions from inter-disciplinary groups (designers,
educators, and software developers). You don't need to be a computer
geek, but participants are expected to implement their ideas as
Firefox add-ons, which will require writing some software code.

You must be at least 18 years old in order to participate in the
Jetpack for Learning Design Challenge. You must also make your
submission and your add-ons available for public use under open
licenses. See the Jetpack for Learning web site for complete rules.

Contact

You can find more information about the Jetpack for Learning Design
Challenge, including how to apply, on our web site:

http://design-challenge.mozilla.org/jetpack-for-learning

Mozilla Foundation

The Mozilla Foundation is a non-profit organization that sponsors the
Mozilla project and devotes its resources to promoting openness,
innovation and opportunity on the Internet. We do this by supporting
the community of Mozilla contributors and by assisting others who are
building technologies that benefit users around the world.

Through the Mozilla Education initiative we work with computer
science, design and business schools around the world to create
learning opportunities for a new generation of Mozilla community
members and help to drive a new wave of participatory, student-led
learning. By doing this we hope to move closer to Mozilla's broader
goal of making openness, participation and distributed decision-making
more common experiences in Internet life. More information is
available at education.mozilla.org.

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

The MacArthur Foundation supports creative people and effective
institutions committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful
world. In addition to selecting the MacArthur Fellows, the Foundation
works to defend human rights, advance global conservation and
security, make cities better places, and understand how technology is
affecting children and society.

In 2006 MacArthur launched its digital media and learning initiative
to explore how young people are changing as a result of digital media
use and what the implications are for libraries, museums and schools.
More information is available at www.macfound.org/education.

--
Frank Hecker
hecker@...

--
Frank Hecker
_______________________________________________
tos mailing list
tos@...
http://teachingopensource.org/mailman/listinfo/tos

Fwd: CSUN Hackfest and Exhibition: Call for Participation

2009-10-15T01:47:35Z

Great News

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Eitan Isaacson <eitan@...>
Date: 2009/10/14
Subject: CSUN Hackfest and Exhibition: Call for Participation
To: GNOME A11y <gnome-accessibility-list@...>
Cc: Stormy Peters <stormy@...>

Hello fellow GNOME a11y folks.

On March 22-27 2010, GNOME will have a booth presence at the CSUN
conference in San Diego. CSUN is one of the largest and most important
gatherings on the topic of technology and persons with disabilities.
This is going to be a great opportunity to bring the gospel of Free
Software to a space and industry that is largely proprietary, and to a
user base with special needs that sometimes could only be addressed
with Open Source software. This is going to be über exciting!

Along with the booth and a presentation or two, we will also be
hosting a GNOME assistive technology hackfest. The reasoning for this
being the fact that this is an assistive technologies conference, so
there really isn't a better place to draw inspiration, both by seeing
the "state of the art" proprietary products first hand, and by talking
with users who have needs that we could answer.

Are you a maintainer of one of GNOME's assistive technology modules?
Are you developing an on screen keyboard? An alternative means for
text input? A magnifier? Some trippy head-tracking app? Voice control?
Switch access? Something new and exciting for cognitive disabilities?
Are you hacking on new features for Orca? Are you working to provide
users with disabilities unfettered access to GNOME?

If the answer to any of the above is 'yes', we hope you will consider
joining fellow GNOME a11y folks at CSUN this year to help promote
GNOME and to hack with fellow AT developers.

We hope to have funding for this hackfest, but we don't yet really
know what that means. We know that we will have to be creative about
it to pull it off, so hopefully once you made up your mind to attend,
you could help figure out how to afford it, if your employer could
pay, if you have student discounts, etc. We will do our best to make
it affordable to people who should be there, but no promises. Hope to
have specifics about that in the future.

Please reply to this mail, or contact me if you have interest in
attending, or any other questions, suggestions or concerns.

Cheers,
Eitan.

_______________________________________________
gnome-accessibility-list mailing list
gnome-accessibility-list@...
http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gnome-accessibility-list

--
Steve Lee

OSS Watch - supporting open source in education and research
http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk

Re: Ang: Re: Using SVG images

2009-10-12T23:24:26Z

Steve,

many thanks for that...

numerous assertions regarding the lacunae.

~:"

On 12 Oct 2009, at 20:55, Steve Lee wrote:

> This interesting paper compares SVG and canvas support in web
> browsers, and one of the conclusion is SVG support is somewhat
> 'stalled' and though there are puglins available native IE support
> seems very unlikely.
>
> http://is.gd/4fPwE
>
> Steve Lee
>
> 2009/10/12 Steve Lee <steve@...>:
>> 2009/10/12 Mats Lundälv <mats.lundalv@...>:
>>> I will propel back up your challenge as best I can within the
>>> AEGIS, RtF and
>>> elsewhere.
>
>
>

Re: Ang: Re: Using SVG images

2009-10-12T12:55:14Z

This interesting paper compares SVG and canvas support in web
browsers, and one of the conclusion is SVG support is somewhat
'stalled' and though there are puglins available native IE support
seems very unlikely.

http://is.gd/4fPwE

Steve Lee

2009/10/12 Steve Lee <steve@...>:
> 2009/10/12 Mats Lundälv <mats.lundalv@...>:
>> I will propel back up your challenge as best I can within the AEGIS, RtF and
>> elsewhere.

Re: Last response: oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 4

2009-10-12T00:56:50Z

I am not saying that the Mac is better than OpenSource I was saying (if
you had read into my cryptic clue in the posting) that of the two closed
sources (Windows and Mac) Mac was better as it has been looking at it
seriously since 2005 - Windows 7 (4 years on) is playing catch up! Orca
is THE best!

Best regards,
John.

-----Original Message-----
From: oats-sig-bounces@...
[mailto:oats-sig-bounces@...] On Behalf Of
oats-sig-request@...
Sent: 10 October 2009 12:00
To: oats-sig@...
Subject: oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 4

Send oats-sig mailing list submissions to
oats-sig@...

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
http://lists.becta.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/oats-sig
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You can reach the person managing the list at
oats-sig-owner@...

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than
"Re: Contents of oats-sig digest..."

Today's Topics:

1. Re: Items 1 and 3 of oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3 (John Blake)
2. Re: Contents Item 4, oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3 (John Blake)
3. Re: Items 1 and 3 of oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3
(~:'' ???????????)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 12:39:57 +0100
From: John Blake <jblake@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Items 1 and 3 of oats-sig Digest, Vol 57,
Issue 3
To: <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID: <A7F1BA1B07FDD941802C15701C0C1988926A17@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Hi Peeps,
Would just like to say that of the two platforms (and I don't personally
own one) the Mac has to be better because it has been doing AT for
longer but I speak only in a 'closed-source' framework; somewhat ironic
that VoiceOver on the Mac works with OpenOffice.org 3.0 flawlessly - you
(the department) spent a large wad on Office for Mac and it is not
compatible with voice over! 'Buyer beware'... Of course Open Source is
best when one considers Orca and the best distribution that it works on
for my money is the specially crafted version of Ubuntu called 'Ultimate
Edition' now at 2.3. (No prizes for why the title is called 'Ultimate
Edition'!) It is crafted by one man (whose NIC is "Thee Mahn" - it is
the first Open Source distro that I have come across that worked well in
terms of the live F5 key (or is it F6) for Accessibility. In terms of
the best voice in Open Source that has to go to Fedora 11.0 but to my
cost when I was trying to install DVD video codecs it broke (repository
was trying to install bits from Fedora 12.0! Oh to be a hacker!) We have
to remember that Orca is written by people with disabilities who rely on
the technology day in, day out - now that's outstanding!

Best regards,
John Blake.
-----Original Message-----
From: oats-sig-bounces@...
[mailto:oats-sig-bounces@...] On Behalf Of
oats-sig-request@...
Sent: 09 October 2009 12:00
To: oats-sig@...
Subject: oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3

Send oats-sig mailing list submissions to
oats-sig@...

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
http://lists.becta.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/oats-sig
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
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You can reach the person managing the list at
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than
"Re: Contents of oats-sig digest..."

Today's Topics:

1. Re: Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK (Will Wade)
2. Using SVG images (Steve Lee)
3. Re: Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK (Steve Lee)
4. Re: Using SVG images (~:'' ???????????)
5. Re: Using SVG images (Steve Lee)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 14:15:05 +0100
From: Will Wade <Wade@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and
OSK
To: "OATs Project Special Interest Group"
<oats-sig@...>
Message-ID: <EBAB1F9BAA611B4C93524E76F7BA28CB34FC8F@aceserver2>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Bit slow on reading my newslists..
That video made me smile. I realise I come across as a complete mac
fanatic on these lists - I just wanted to say that if you aren't already
aware those "features" of osk and mag have been in OS X for a long time
(well since 2005 as far as my memory can remember)..

> -----Original Message-----
> From: oats-sig-bounces@... [mailto:oats-sig-
> bounces@...] On Behalf Of Steve Lee
> Sent: 21 September 2009 15:23
> To: OATs Project Special Interest Group
> Subject: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK
>
> This video shows how much the mag and OSK solutions bundled with the
> OS have improved (who at the back there said said "about time too"?).
>
> http://is.gd/3wIiE
>
> (via AbilityNet newsletter)
>
> Steve Lee
>
>

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 15:51:58 +0100
From: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Subject: [oats-sig] Using SVG images
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID:
<b30ac56c0910080751s4a46eb8eq83e8ec2041d1b0e0@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

Can we please develop better support for SVG please?

http://eduspaces.net/stevelee/weblog/756782.html

--
Steve Lee

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 16:38:48 +0100
From: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and
OSK
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID:
<b30ac56c0910080838s4dde15b6g82036c112e812d17@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

So you were trying to make us think you are not a 'Mac fanataic'? :-0

Though Apple are closed and the engineers won't with people like Mozilla
for Firefox accessibility they are doing good things. And it seems to be
getting better looking at the iphone/ipod voice over work.

Steve

2009/10/8 Will Wade <Wade@...>:
> Bit slow on reading my newslists..
> That video made me smile. I realise I come across as a complete mac
> fanatic on these lists - I just wanted to say that if you aren't
already
> aware those "features" of osk and mag have been in OS X for a long
time

> (well since 2005 ?as far as my memory can remember)..
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: oats-sig-bounces@... [mailto:oats-sig-
>> bounces@...] On Behalf Of Steve Lee
>> Sent: 21 September 2009 15:23
>> To: OATs Project Special Interest Group
>> Subject: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK
>>
>> This video shows how much the mag and OSK solutions bundled with the
>> OS have improved (who at the back there said said "about time too"?).
>>
>> http://is.gd/3wIiE
>>
>> (via AbilityNet newsletter)
>>
>> Steve Lee
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 19:20:03 +0100
From: "~:'' ???????????" <j.chetwynd@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Using SVG images
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID: <B02136DC-101F-4024-A3E2-52710FA37685@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"; format=flowed; delsp=yes

Steve,

I regularly raise this issue with a number of the W3C working groups.
The issue is complex and wont be resolved for some time.

best

~:"

Last week, I submitted a chapter proposal 'Beyond Open Source' for a
soon to be published book, on a very closely related topic.
Its my thesis that the specification process is structurally flawed,

its not so much that the authoring tools have not been implemented
rather that the specification was created by browser developers not by
and for
naive end-users,
authors including non-technically literate teachers,
authoring tool developers.
any of the above who may require alternative affordances.

testing with these groups, if there is any, is extremely limited.
so one cannot be over-surprised by the results....

in particular I am in the process of raising awareness regarding the
requirement for a W3C games working group also WHATWG etc...

Flash and Java are amazingly successful, but not native to the browser.
How did this get missed in the rush?

------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 19:43:17 +0100
From: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Using SVG images
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID:
<b30ac56c0910081143i4953219em956915905bb86596@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-2022-JP"

Thanks, I guessed you would have been active on this issue :-) We can
hope.....

Steve

2009/10/8 "~:'' ???????????" <j.chetwynd@...>:

soon to
> be published book, on a very closely related topic.
> Its my thesis that the specification process is structurally flawed,
>
> its not so much that the authoring tools have not been implemented
> rather that the specification was created by browser developers not by

> and for
> naive end-users,
> authors including non-technically literate teachers,
> authoring tool developers.
> any of the above who may require alternative affordances.
>
> testing with these groups, if there is any, is extremely limited.
> so one cannot be over-surprised by the results....
>
> in particular I am in the process of raising awareness regarding the
> requirement for a W3C games working group also WHATWG etc...
>
> Flash and Java are amazingly successful, but not native to the

browser.
> How did this get missed in the rush?
>
>

End of oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3
***************************************

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 13:01:20 +0100
From: John Blake <jblake@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Contents Item 4, oats-sig Digest, Vol 57,
Issue 3
To: <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID: <A7F1BA1B07FDD941802C15701C0C1988926A20@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Hi Peeps,

Has anyone looked at work undertaken by Zaineb Ben Fredj? I attended a
seminar at Tactile Graphics 2008 and it was very interesting - her work
is being undertaken at Oxford Brookes University and sponsored by i-log
a multinational graphics company who are keen to see a solution to
'meaningful' graphics to people with a visual/other disability (for a
copy of the notes I took plus bits copied from website links to the
above lady as the slides weren't up long enough to take a picture of
with my mobile are there - might be useful might be not - I am not
technical but it is a very interesting project. The notes can be found
here (in *.pdf format created via OpenOffice.org 2.4 on Sabayon 3.5.1!):

http://collaboration.becta.org.uk/docs/DOC-1520

Best regards,
John Blake.

-----Original Message-----
From: oats-sig-bounces@...
[mailto:oats-sig-bounces@...] On Behalf Of
oats-sig-request@...
Sent: 09 October 2009 12:00
To: oats-sig@...
Subject: oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3

Send oats-sig mailing list submissions to
oats-sig@...

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
http://lists.becta.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/oats-sig
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
oats-sig-request@...

You can reach the person managing the list at
oats-sig-owner@...

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than
"Re: Contents of oats-sig digest..."

Today's Topics:

1. Re: Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK (Will Wade)
2. Using SVG images (Steve Lee)
3. Re: Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK (Steve Lee)
4. Re: Using SVG images (~:'' ???????????)
5. Re: Using SVG images (Steve Lee)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 14:15:05 +0100
From: Will Wade <Wade@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and
OSK
To: "OATs Project Special Interest Group"
<oats-sig@...>
Message-ID: <EBAB1F9BAA611B4C93524E76F7BA28CB34FC8F@aceserver2>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Bit slow on reading my newslists..
That video made me smile. I realise I come across as a complete mac
fanatic on these lists - I just wanted to say that if you aren't already
aware those "features" of osk and mag have been in OS X for a long time
(well since 2005 as far as my memory can remember)..

browser.
> How did this get missed in the rush?
>
>

End of oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3
***************************************

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 16:36:34 +0100
From: "~:'' ???????????" <j.chetwynd@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Items 1 and 3 of oats-sig Digest, Vol 57,
Issue 3
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID: <5F2A2BBF-44CE-4E86-8D8B-1B2020AD3A8E@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"; format=flowed; delsp=yes

John,

on what basis do you make the assertion 'the Mac has to be better
because it has been doing AT for longer' ?

regards

~:"

End of oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 4
***************************************

Re: Ang: Re: Using SVG images

2009-10-12T00:25:10Z

2009/10/12 Mats Lundälv <mats.lundalv@...>:
> I will propel back up your challenge as best I can within the AEGIS, RtF and
> elsewhere.

Excellent.

Steve

Ang: Re: Items 1 and 3 of oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3

2009-10-11T17:29:17Z

VoiceOver on the Mac, fine!
But the OSK, has it ever been anything to be too excited about?
I don't think so.

Mats

-----<oats-sig-bounces@...> skrev: -----

Hi Peeps,
Would just like to say that of the two platforms (and I don't personally
own one) the Mac has to be better because it has been doing AT for
longer but I speak only in a 'closed-source' framework; somewhat ironic
that VoiceOver on the Mac works with OpenOffice.org 3.0 flawlessly - you
(the department) spent a large wad on Office for Mac and it is not
compatible with voice over! 'Buyer beware'... Of course Open Source is
best when one considers Orca and the best distribution that it works on
for my money is the specially crafted version of Ubuntu called 'Ultimate
Edition' now at 2.3. (No prizes for why the title is called 'Ultimate
Edition'!) It is crafted by one man (whose NIC is "Thee Mahn" - it is
the first Open Source distro that I have come across that worked well in
terms of the live F5 key (or is it F6) for Accessibility. In terms of
the best voice in Open Source that has to go to Fedora 11.0 but to my
cost when I was trying to install DVD video codecs it broke (repository
was trying to install bits from Fedora 12.0! Oh to be a hacker!) We have
to remember that Orca is written by people with disabilities who rely on
the technology day in, day out - now that's outstanding!

Best regards,
John Blake.
-----Original Message-----
From: oats-sig-bounces@...
[oats-sig-bounces@...] On Behalf Of
oats-sig-request@...
Sent: 09 October 2009 12:00
To: oats-sig@...
Subject: oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3

Send oats-sig mailing list submissions to
     oats-sig@...

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
     http://lists.becta.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/oats-sig
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
     oats-sig-request@...

You can reach the person managing the list at
     oats-sig-owner@...

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than
"Re: Contents of oats-sig digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. Re: Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK (Will Wade)
   2. Using SVG images (Steve Lee)
   3. Re: Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK (Steve Lee)
   4. Re: Using SVG images (~:'' ???????????)
   5. Re: Using SVG images (Steve Lee)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 14:15:05 +0100
From: Will Wade <Wade@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and
     OSK
To: "OATs Project Special Interest Group"
     <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID: <EBAB1F9BAA611B4C93524E76F7BA28CB34FC8F@aceserver2>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Bit slow on reading my newslists..
That video made me smile. I realise I come across as a complete mac
fanatic on these lists - I just wanted to say that if you aren't already
aware those "features" of osk and mag have been in OS X for a long time
(well since 2005 as far as my memory can remember)..

> -----Original Message-----
> From: oats-sig-bounces@... [...
> bounces@...] On Behalf Of Steve Lee
> Sent: 21 September 2009 15:23
> To: OATs Project Special Interest Group
> Subject: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK
>
> This video shows how much the mag and OSK solutions bundled with the
> OS have improved (who at the back there said said "about time too"?).
>
> http://is.gd/3wIiE
>
> (via AbilityNet newsletter)
>
> Steve Lee
>
>

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 15:51:58 +0100
From: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Subject: [oats-sig] Using SVG images
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID:
     <b30ac56c0910080751s4a46eb8eq83e8ec2041d1b0e0@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

Can we please develop better support for SVG please?

http://eduspaces.net/stevelee/weblog/756782.html

--
Steve Lee

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 16:38:48 +0100
From: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and
     OSK
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID:
     <b30ac56c0910080838s4dde15b6g82036c112e812d17@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

So you were trying to make us think you are not a 'Mac fanataic'? :-0

Though Apple are closed and the engineers won't with people like
Mozilla for Firefox accessibility they are doing good things. And it
seems to be getting better looking at the iphone/ipod voice over work.

Steve

2009/10/8 Will Wade <Wade@...>:
> Bit slow on reading my newslists..
> That video made me smile. I realise I come across as a complete mac
> fanatic on these lists - I just wanted to say that if you aren't
already
> aware those "features" of osk and mag have been in OS X for a long
time

> (well since 2005 ?as far as my memory can remember)..
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: oats-sig-bounces@... [...
>> bounces@...] On Behalf Of Steve Lee
>> Sent: 21 September 2009 15:23
>> To: OATs Project Special Interest Group
>> Subject: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK
>>
>> This video shows how much the mag and OSK solutions bundled with the
>> OS have improved (who at the back there said said "about time too"?).
>>
>> http://is.gd/3wIiE
>>
>> (via AbilityNet newsletter)
>>
>> Steve Lee
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 19:20:03 +0100
From: "~:'' ???????????" <j.chetwynd@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Using SVG images
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID: <B02136DC-101F-4024-A3E2-52710FA37685@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"; format=flowed; delsp=yes

Steve,

I regularly raise this issue with a number of the W3C working groups.
The issue is complex and wont be resolved for some time.

best

~:"

Last week, I submitted a chapter proposal 'Beyond Open Source' for a
soon to be published book, on a very closely related topic.
Its my thesis that the specification process is structurally flawed,

its not so much that the authoring tools have not been implemented
rather that the specification was created by browser developers
not by and for
     naive end-users,
     authors including non-technically literate teachers,
     authoring tool developers.
     any of the above who may require alternative affordances.

testing with these groups, if there is any, is extremely limited.
so one cannot be over-surprised by the results....

in particular I am in the process of raising awareness regarding the
requirement for a W3C games working group
also WHATWG etc...

Flash and Java are amazingly successful, but not native to the browser.
How did this get missed in the rush?

------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 19:43:17 +0100
From: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Using SVG images
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID:
     <b30ac56c0910081143i4953219em956915905bb86596@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-2022-JP"

Thanks, I guessed you would have been active on this issue :-)
We can hope.....

Steve

2009/10/8 "~:'' ???????????" <j.chetwynd@...>:

> Steve,
>
> I regularly raise this issue with a number of the W3C working groups.
> The issue is complex and wont be resolved for some time.
>
> best
>
> ~:"
>
>
> Last week, I submitted a chapter proposal 'Beyond Open Source' for a
soon to

> be published book, on a very closely related topic.
> Its my thesis that the specification process is structurally flawed,
>
> its not so much that the authoring tools have not been implemented
> rather that the specification was created by browser developers
> not by and for
> naive end-users,
> authors including non-technically literate teachers,
> authoring tool developers.
> any of the above who may require alternative affordances.
>
> testing with these groups, if there is any, is extremely limited.
> so one cannot be over-surprised by the results....
>
> in particular I am in the process of raising awareness regarding the
> requirement for a W3C games working group
> also WHATWG etc...
>
> Flash and Java are amazingly successful, but not native to the
browser.
> How did this get missed in the rush?
>
>

End of oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3
***************************************

Ang: Re: Using SVG images

2009-10-11T17:18:39Z

Regardless of any complications, you make a very good point Steeve, and I couldn't agree more!

I will propel back up your challenge as best I can within the AEGIS, RtF and elsewhere.

Cheers,

Mats

-----<oats-sig-bounces@...> skrev: -----

Till: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Från: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Sänt av: <oats-sig-bounces@...>
Datum: 2009-10-08 20:43
Ärende: Re: [oats-sig] Using SVG images

Thanks, I guessed you would have been active on this issue :-)
We can hope.....

Steve

2009/10/8 "~:'' ありがとうございました" <j.chetwynd@...>:

> Steve,
>
> I regularly raise this issue with a number of the W3C working groups.
> The issue is complex and wont be resolved for some time.
>
> best
>
> ~:"
>
>
> Last week, I submitted a chapter proposal 'Beyond Open Source' for a soon to
> be published book, on a very closely related topic.
> Its my thesis that the specification process is structurally flawed,
>
> its not so much that the authoring tools have not been implemented
> rather that the specification was created by browser developers
> not by and for
> naive end-users,
> authors including non-technically literate teachers,
> authoring tool developers.
> any of the above who may require alternative affordances.
>
> testing with these groups, if there is any, is extremely limited.
> so one cannot be over-surprised by the results....
>
> in particular I am in the process of raising awareness regarding the
> requirement for a W3C games working group
> also WHATWG etc...
>
> Flash and Java are amazingly successful, but not native to the browser.
> How did this get missed in the rush?
>
>

Re: Items 1 and 3 of oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3

2009-10-09T08:36:34Z

John,

on what basis do you make the assertion 'the Mac has to be better
because it has been doing AT for
longer' ?

regards

~:"

Re: Contents Item 4, oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3

2009-10-09T05:01:20Z

Hi Peeps,

Has anyone looked at work undertaken by Zaineb Ben Fredj? I attended a
seminar at Tactile Graphics 2008 and it was very interesting - her work
is being undertaken at Oxford Brookes University and sponsored by i-log
a multinational graphics company who are keen to see a solution to
'meaningful' graphics to people with a visual/other disability (for a
copy of the notes I took plus bits copied from website links to the
above lady as the slides weren't up long enough to take a picture of
with my mobile are there - might be useful might be not - I am not
technical but it is a very interesting project. The notes can be found
here (in *.pdf format created via OpenOffice.org 2.4 on Sabayon 3.5.1!):

http://collaboration.becta.org.uk/docs/DOC-1520

Best regards,
John Blake.

-----Original Message-----
From: oats-sig-bounces@...
[mailto:oats-sig-bounces@...] On Behalf Of
oats-sig-request@...
Sent: 09 October 2009 12:00
To: oats-sig@...
Subject: oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3

Send oats-sig mailing list submissions to
oats-sig@...

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
http://lists.becta.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/oats-sig
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
oats-sig-request@...

You can reach the person managing the list at
oats-sig-owner@...

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than
"Re: Contents of oats-sig digest..."

Today's Topics:

1. Re: Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK (Will Wade)
2. Using SVG images (Steve Lee)
3. Re: Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK (Steve Lee)
4. Re: Using SVG images (~:'' ???????????)
5. Re: Using SVG images (Steve Lee)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 14:15:05 +0100
From: Will Wade <Wade@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and
OSK
To: "OATs Project Special Interest Group"
<oats-sig@...>
Message-ID: <EBAB1F9BAA611B4C93524E76F7BA28CB34FC8F@aceserver2>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Bit slow on reading my newslists..
That video made me smile. I realise I come across as a complete mac
fanatic on these lists - I just wanted to say that if you aren't already
aware those "features" of osk and mag have been in OS X for a long time
(well since 2005 as far as my memory can remember)..

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 15:51:58 +0100
From: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Subject: [oats-sig] Using SVG images
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID:
<b30ac56c0910080751s4a46eb8eq83e8ec2041d1b0e0@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

Can we please develop better support for SVG please?

http://eduspaces.net/stevelee/weblog/756782.html

--
Steve Lee

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 16:38:48 +0100
From: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and
OSK
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID:
<b30ac56c0910080838s4dde15b6g82036c112e812d17@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

So you were trying to make us think you are not a 'Mac fanataic'? :-0

Though Apple are closed and the engineers won't with people like
Mozilla for Firefox accessibility they are doing good things. And it
seems to be getting better looking at the iphone/ipod voice over work.

Steve

2009/10/8 Will Wade <Wade@...>:
> Bit slow on reading my newslists..
> That video made me smile. I realise I come across as a complete mac
> fanatic on these lists - I just wanted to say that if you aren't
already
> aware those "features" of osk and mag have been in OS X for a long
time

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 19:20:03 +0100
From: "~:'' ???????????" <j.chetwynd@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Using SVG images
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID: <B02136DC-101F-4024-A3E2-52710FA37685@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"; format=flowed; delsp=yes

Steve,

I regularly raise this issue with a number of the W3C working groups.
The issue is complex and wont be resolved for some time.

best

~:"

Last week, I submitted a chapter proposal 'Beyond Open Source' for a
soon to be published book, on a very closely related topic.
Its my thesis that the specification process is structurally flawed,

its not so much that the authoring tools have not been implemented
rather that the specification was created by browser developers
not by and for
naive end-users,
authors including non-technically literate teachers,
authoring tool developers.
any of the above who may require alternative affordances.

testing with these groups, if there is any, is extremely limited.
so one cannot be over-surprised by the results....

in particular I am in the process of raising awareness regarding the
requirement for a W3C games working group
also WHATWG etc...

Flash and Java are amazingly successful, but not native to the browser.
How did this get missed in the rush?

------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 19:43:17 +0100
From: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Using SVG images
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID:
<b30ac56c0910081143i4953219em956915905bb86596@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-2022-JP"

Thanks, I guessed you would have been active on this issue :-)
We can hope.....

Steve

2009/10/8 "~:'' ???????????" <j.chetwynd@...>:

soon to

> be published book, on a very closely related topic.
> Its my thesis that the specification process is structurally flawed,
>
> its not so much that the authoring tools have not been implemented
> rather that the specification was created by browser developers
> not by and for
> naive end-users,
> authors including non-technically literate teachers,
> authoring tool developers.
> any of the above who may require alternative affordances.
>
> testing with these groups, if there is any, is extremely limited.
> so one cannot be over-surprised by the results....
>
> in particular I am in the process of raising awareness regarding the
> requirement for a W3C games working group
> also WHATWG etc...
>
> Flash and Java are amazingly successful, but not native to the

browser.
> How did this get missed in the rush?
>
>

End of oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3
***************************************

Re: Items 1 and 3 of oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3

2009-10-09T04:37:17Z

Hi Peeps,
Would just like to say that of the two platforms (and I don't personally
own one) the Mac has to be better because it has been doing AT for
longer but I speak only in a 'closed-source' framework; somewhat ironic
that VoiceOver on the Mac works with OpenOffice.org 3.0 flawlessly - you
(the department) spent a large wad on Office for Mac and it is not
compatible with voice over! 'Buyer beware'... Of course Open Source is
best when one considers Orca and the best distribution that it works on
for my money is the specially crafted version of Ubuntu called 'Ultimate
Edition' now at 2.3. (No prizes for why the title is called 'Ultimate
Edition'!) It is crafted by one man (whose NIC is "Thee Mahn" - it is
the first Open Source distro that I have come across that worked well in
terms of the live F5 key (or is it F6) for Accessibility. In terms of
the best voice in Open Source that has to go to Fedora 11.0 but to my
cost when I was trying to install DVD video codecs it broke (repository
was trying to install bits from Fedora 12.0! Oh to be a hacker!) We have
to remember that Orca is written by people with disabilities who rely on
the technology day in, day out - now that's outstanding!

Best regards,
John Blake.
-----Original Message-----
From: oats-sig-bounces@...
[mailto:oats-sig-bounces@...] On Behalf Of
oats-sig-request@...
Sent: 09 October 2009 12:00
To: oats-sig@...
Subject: oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3

Send oats-sig mailing list submissions to
oats-sig@...

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
http://lists.becta.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/oats-sig
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
oats-sig-request@...

You can reach the person managing the list at
oats-sig-owner@...

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than
"Re: Contents of oats-sig digest..."

Today's Topics:

1. Re: Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK (Will Wade)
2. Using SVG images (Steve Lee)
3. Re: Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK (Steve Lee)
4. Re: Using SVG images (~:'' ???????????)
5. Re: Using SVG images (Steve Lee)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 14:15:05 +0100
From: Will Wade <Wade@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and
OSK
To: "OATs Project Special Interest Group"
<oats-sig@...>
Message-ID: <EBAB1F9BAA611B4C93524E76F7BA28CB34FC8F@aceserver2>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Bit slow on reading my newslists..
That video made me smile. I realise I come across as a complete mac
fanatic on these lists - I just wanted to say that if you aren't already
aware those "features" of osk and mag have been in OS X for a long time
(well since 2005 as far as my memory can remember)..

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 15:51:58 +0100
From: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Subject: [oats-sig] Using SVG images
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID:
<b30ac56c0910080751s4a46eb8eq83e8ec2041d1b0e0@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

Can we please develop better support for SVG please?

http://eduspaces.net/stevelee/weblog/756782.html

--
Steve Lee

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 16:38:48 +0100
From: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and
OSK
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID:
<b30ac56c0910080838s4dde15b6g82036c112e812d17@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

So you were trying to make us think you are not a 'Mac fanataic'? :-0

Though Apple are closed and the engineers won't with people like
Mozilla for Firefox accessibility they are doing good things. And it
seems to be getting better looking at the iphone/ipod voice over work.

Steve

2009/10/8 Will Wade <Wade@...>:
> Bit slow on reading my newslists..
> That video made me smile. I realise I come across as a complete mac
> fanatic on these lists - I just wanted to say that if you aren't
already
> aware those "features" of osk and mag have been in OS X for a long
time

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 19:20:03 +0100
From: "~:'' ???????????" <j.chetwynd@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Using SVG images
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID: <B02136DC-101F-4024-A3E2-52710FA37685@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"; format=flowed; delsp=yes

Steve,

I regularly raise this issue with a number of the W3C working groups.
The issue is complex and wont be resolved for some time.

best

~:"

Last week, I submitted a chapter proposal 'Beyond Open Source' for a
soon to be published book, on a very closely related topic.
Its my thesis that the specification process is structurally flawed,

its not so much that the authoring tools have not been implemented
rather that the specification was created by browser developers
not by and for
naive end-users,
authors including non-technically literate teachers,
authoring tool developers.
any of the above who may require alternative affordances.

testing with these groups, if there is any, is extremely limited.
so one cannot be over-surprised by the results....

in particular I am in the process of raising awareness regarding the
requirement for a W3C games working group
also WHATWG etc...

Flash and Java are amazingly successful, but not native to the browser.
How did this get missed in the rush?

------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 19:43:17 +0100
From: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Subject: Re: [oats-sig] Using SVG images
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID:
<b30ac56c0910081143i4953219em956915905bb86596@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-2022-JP"

Thanks, I guessed you would have been active on this issue :-)
We can hope.....

Steve

2009/10/8 "~:'' ???????????" <j.chetwynd@...>:

soon to

browser.
> How did this get missed in the rush?
>
>

End of oats-sig Digest, Vol 57, Issue 3
***************************************

Re: Using SVG images

2009-10-08T11:43:17Z

Thanks, I guessed you would have been active on this issue :-)
We can hope.....

Steve

2009/10/8 "~:'' ありがとうございました" <j.chetwynd@...>:

> Steve,
>
> I regularly raise this issue with a number of the W3C working groups.
> The issue is complex and wont be resolved for some time.
>
> best
>
> ~:"
>
>
> Last week, I submitted a chapter proposal 'Beyond Open Source' for a soon to
> be published book, on a very closely related topic.
> Its my thesis that the specification process is structurally flawed,
>
> its not so much that the authoring tools have not been implemented
> rather that the specification was created by browser developers
> not by and for
> naive end-users,
> authors including non-technically literate teachers,
> authoring tool developers.
> any of the above who may require alternative affordances.
>
> testing with these groups, if there is any, is extremely limited.
> so one cannot be over-surprised by the results....
>
> in particular I am in the process of raising awareness regarding the
> requirement for a W3C games working group
> also WHATWG etc...
>
> Flash and Java are amazingly successful, but not native to the browser.
> How did this get missed in the rush?
>
>

Re: Using SVG images

2009-10-08T11:20:03Z

Steve,

I regularly raise this issue with a number of the W3C working groups.
The issue is complex and wont be resolved for some time.

best

~:"

Last week, I submitted a chapter proposal 'Beyond Open Source' for a
soon to be published book, on a very closely related topic.
Its my thesis that the specification process is structurally flawed,

its not so much that the authoring tools have not been implemented
rather that the specification was created by browser developers
not by and for
naive end-users,
authors including non-technically literate teachers,
authoring tool developers.
any of the above who may require alternative affordances.

testing with these groups, if there is any, is extremely limited.
so one cannot be over-surprised by the results....

in particular I am in the process of raising awareness regarding the
requirement for a W3C games working group
also WHATWG etc...

Flash and Java are amazingly successful, but not native to the browser.
How did this get missed in the rush?

Re: Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK

2009-10-08T08:38:48Z

So you were trying to make us think you are not a 'Mac fanataic'? :-0

Though Apple are closed and the engineers won't with people like
Mozilla for Firefox accessibility they are doing good things. And it
seems to be getting better looking at the iphone/ipod voice over work.

Steve

2009/10/8 Will Wade <Wade@...>:

> Bit slow on reading my newslists..
> That video made me smile. I realise I come across as a complete mac
> fanatic on these lists - I just wanted to say that if you aren't already
> aware those "features" of osk and mag have been in OS X for a long time
> (well since 2005 as far as my memory can remember)..
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: oats-sig-bounces@... [mailto:oats-sig-
>> bounces@...] On Behalf Of Steve Lee
>> Sent: 21 September 2009 15:23
>> To: OATs Project Special Interest Group
>> Subject: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK
>>
>> This video shows how much the mag and OSK solutions bundled with the
>> OS have improved (who at the back there said said "about time too"?).
>>
>> http://is.gd/3wIiE
>>
>> (via AbilityNet newsletter)
>>
>> Steve Lee
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>

Using SVG images

2009-10-08T07:51:58Z

Can we please develop better support for SVG please?

http://eduspaces.net/stevelee/weblog/756782.html

--
Steve Lee

Re: Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK

2009-10-08T06:15:05Z

Bit slow on reading my newslists..
That video made me smile. I realise I come across as a complete mac
fanatic on these lists - I just wanted to say that if you aren't already
aware those "features" of osk and mag have been in OS X for a long time
(well since 2005 as far as my memory can remember)..

Re: Simon Llistens - an open source speech recognition

2009-10-04T01:51:38Z

demo in English available here
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_9ImaiOISs

it appears to be using Julius CSR engine at its core
    http://julius.sourceforge.jp/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=281
    http://sourceforge.net/projects/speech2text/

r.

On Sat, Oct 3, 2009 at 11:51 AM, Steve Lee <steve@...> wrote:

Here is an open source speech recognition program
http://www.simon-listens.org

Dr Herbert Grassner at IDABC yesterday said it works really well for
him in is work as an Austrian judge, so I guess it must be pretty
reliable.

It could fill the speech recognition gap. Does anyone want to try it
out with English and see if it provides control as well as text entry?

--
Steve Lee

Simon Llistens - an open source speech recognition

2009-10-03T03:51:11Z

Here is an open source speech recognition program
http://www.simon-listens.org

Dr Herbert Grassner at IDABC yesterday said it works really well for
him in is work as an Austrian judge, so I guess it must be pretty
reliable.

It could fill the speech recognition gap. Does anyone want to try it
out with English and see if it provides control as well as text entry?

--
Steve Lee

Fwd: BUGbase WiFi + International - You asked for it. You got it!

2009-09-23T00:19:36Z

Finally, BUGBase Wifi available in Europe Linux and Java powered. Hope to see lots of innovative AT ideas.

Steve

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <peter@...>
Date: 2009/9/22
Subject: BUGbase WiFi + International - You asked for it. You got it!
To: steve@...

Hello,

BUGbase WiFi (and Le BUG, Der BUG, El BUG, etc...) - Bug Labs Going International, Shipping to Europe!

Just over two years ago when we first announced BUG, our goal was to shake up the consumer electronics landscape by releasing something new, something groundbreaking, something needed – the first modular, open source device platform. A few months and sleepless nights later, we began shipping our first units, albeit with some changes to the original plan. We would only ship domestically to the U.S. (due to certification requirements) and without WiFi in the BUGbase (due to open source licensing issues). Since then we have heard, loud and clear, that we needed to address these shortfalls. And we've worked hard to make it happen.

Today, I am happy to say, we're announcing the availability of BUGbase WiFi. In addition to integrated WiFi *and* Bluetooth, BUGbase WiFi is RoHS and CE compliant, allowing us to ship BUG to the 29 countries in the European Union. Other improvements include a friction-fit docking connector and improved power management, along with a few other under-the-hood enhancements. If you currently own a BUGbase, we haven't forgotten about you – we'll be releasing a special BUGWiFi module in the coming weeks. As you'd expect from us here at Bug Labs, all of our modules are compatible with either base.

We're especially thrilled to begin shipping internationally, given the great reception we've received from Europe since day one. In traveling to events like FOSDEM and meeting with customers in Italy, France and other EU nations, I've noticed the European market has a terrific appreciation for open source approaches and community-driven innovation models. So it's safe to say, we expect to see many interesting new BUG-powered applications in the near future. In addition, our team is working hard getting BUG ready for the 200 or so other countries in the world.

We will have some more exciting product and partnership news to share in the coming weeks so please stay tuned. In the meantime, go download the free SDK, play around with the environment and if you like what you see head on over to our store!

Peter Semmelhack
Founder and CEO


	You are subscribed as <steve@...>. Click here to manage your email subscription preferences. Click here or reply to this email with 'unsubscribe' in the subject to unsubscribe from this list or if you feel you have received this message in error. This message was sent from Bug Labs, Inc. 598 Broadway 4th Floor New York NY 10012 United States. Click here to report email abuse.

Re: Ang. Fwd: GOK users?

2009-09-22T09:49:11Z

Hi all,

I wasn't subscribed to the list when I replied to this message so I've
include my original reply below.

Cheers, Ben

++

Hi Mats,

Thanks for your input; it's always nice to hear from passionate people
like yourself :-). I've included a few comments below.

On 09/17/2009 11:36 AM, Mats Lundälv wrote:

> Why not a set of simplified/basic layouts in GOK covering the OnBoard
> ambitions instead?

Good point. Please file a bug about this against GOK in GNOME's bugzilla.

> Ideally, we should have all good forces focusing on the development and
> maintenance of one solid OSK solution for Gnome (and possibly other
> platforms) - covering well the wide range of needs - from basic standard
> QWERTY layouts - to advanced dynamic layouts, and including support for
> graphics to include AAC users. The basic functionality for all these needs
> is a set of rock solid input - navigation and selection - alternatives to
> cover different user demands. The OSK content and layout should be handled
> by a common layout manager.

A reasonable goal but I think we need to take things one step at a time
and come up with a realistic plan for GNOME 3.0.

> In the AEGIS discussions we have touched upon the alternative of moving
> GOK over to Java in order to give it a much broader user and maintenance
> base. The question is whether a Java implementation - a JOK - could be as
> effective and well integrated in the Gnome environment as GOK is and has
> the potential of being? What do you guys think?

As Steve mentioned, I think Python is better suited for this task but we
should discuss all the options before we proceed. I encourage anybody
interested to join the GOK mailing list to continue this discussions.

> One thing that would greatly support participation in the short
> perspective were if new releases could be packaged directly for say the
> Ubuntu and OpenSolaris platforms. I myself find it hard to participate and
> give feedback as I would like to when I regularly get the message about
> where I can download the source code of the latest update. To get any
> wider participation for this user group you just cannot go on expecting
> stakeholders to download and compile sources. You should just be able to
> download and install the new binary directly - in parallell to the current
> official release installation - and run, test and give feedback!

The GNOME project doesn't generally release binaries - that's up to the
consumers of GNOME (the Linux distributions). For me, working through
the details of making supplemental packages for various distributions
would be a major distraction. But there's nothing stopping other people
from doing this. Perhaps this should be perused at the distro level.

Thanks again for your comments. I'm looking forward to further
discussion on GOK's mailing list.

Cheers, Ben

Re: oats-sig Digest, Vol 56, Issue 7

2009-09-22T08:16:16Z

Hi peeps,

I attended Sight Village at Birmingham this year and one of the
exhibitors told me that the final release is intended to have fully
scalable magnification up to 16 x. The female voice that shipped with
RC1 certainly sounds more human than previous incarnations of
Microsoft's TTS engines.

Best regards,
John.

-----Original Message-----
From: oats-sig-bounces@...
[mailto:oats-sig-bounces@...] On Behalf Of
oats-sig-request@...
Sent: 22 September 2009 12:00
To: oats-sig@...
Subject: oats-sig Digest, Vol 56, Issue 7

Send oats-sig mailing list submissions to
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To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than
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Today's Topics:

1. Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK (Steve Lee)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:23:03 +0100
From: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Subject: [oats-sig] Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK
To: OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Message-ID:
<b30ac56c0909210723i11a1d1ffyda5cde5aa735d5f1@...>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"

This video shows how much the mag and OSK solutions bundled with the OS
have improved (who at the back there said said "about time too"?).

http://is.gd/3wIiE

(via AbilityNet newsletter)

Steve Lee

End of oats-sig Digest, Vol 56, Issue 7
***************************************

Big improvements to Windows 7 Magnifier and OSK

2009-09-21T07:23:03Z

This video shows how much the mag and OSK solutions bundled with the
OS have improved (who at the back there said said "about time too"?).

http://is.gd/3wIiE

(via AbilityNet newsletter)

Steve Lee

GNOME Foundation annual report

2009-09-18T04:31:59Z

The first of a new regular report on GNOME activity

http://foundation.gnome.org/reports/gnome-report-2009-Q2.pdf

--
Steve Lee

OSS Watch - supporting open source in education and research
http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk

Re: Ang. Fwd: GOK users?

2009-09-17T09:32:47Z

Mats thanks for a very well considered response. I'll only make a couple of quick comments.

Why is that? In my view that is because GOK, while concept wise being a very advanced, state-of-the-art alternative OSK input alternative, still in practice appears more as a demonstrator software tool than a real alternative to the AT solutions offered on the Windows and Mac platforms for its potential target users.
This is probably partly due to the problems in securing further maintenance since the original development. This in turn is depending on the lack of active user participation and feedback I suppose. This is in turn depending on the characteristics of the user group - users with severe physical limitations, often with additional neurological challenges, who are generally dependent on helpers/facilitators/professionals to set them up with a proper sytem tailored to their individual needs - ... and so on.

Agree and GOK is probably the worse affected of all bundled AT. So if we can crack it for GOK then we should crack it for all.

So to get there, the development will have to go on in rather thin air, relying on a very limited group of people, hopefully with good references to users and tools on other platforms.

We also need to think very carefully about how it is deployed. Peter Cudd said yesterday that he was congratulated at AAATE for doing this with Maavis and It makes great sense to me. Many facilitators cannot do techy setup and we have avoided that as much as possible.

I suppose the greatest chance to find users would be in communities, regions and countries where the policy is to use OSS platforms, and where there is a general shortage of resources for buying expensive AT solutions. In many of those areas we may have substantial language barriers making it hard to establish communication to get feedback.

so how can we identfy and engage them?

I suppose a symptom of the problem is the introduction of the OnBoard OSK in Ubuntu. GOK seemed to be perceived as being too "advanced and special" and not slick enough in appearance, so an alternative was introduced - which is not very well maintained (I've posted bugs a year ago about broken support for UTF-8 in the "Snippets" text there without any reaction ). This is actually an unfortunate fragmentation. Why not a set of simplified/basic layouts in GOK covering the OnBoard ambitions instead?

I saw OnBoard trying to be a simple OSK not switch, though that was added later.As you say it is a pretty inactive project, though until recently that was the same for GOK. I saw OnBoard having both common effects; fragmentation and waking up the incumbent (GOK)

Ideally, we should have all good forces focusing on the development and maintenance of one solid OSK solution for Gnome (and possibly other platforms) - covering well the wide range of needs - from basic standard QWERTY layouts - to advanced dynamic layouts, and including support for graphics to include AAC users. The basic functionality for all these needs is a set of rock solid input - navigation and selection - alternatives to cover different user demands. The OSK content and layout should be handled by a common layout manager.

Can't argue with any of that.

In the AEGIS discussions we have touched upon the alternative of moving GOK over to Java in order to give it a much broader user and maintenance base. The question is whether a Java implementation - a JOK - could be as effective and well integrated in the Gnome environment as GOK is and has the potential of being? What do you guys think?

Whatever the technical merits of Java (and political arguments) GNOME is settling on Python as the preferred language for AT devleopment. To my mind that is a good decision and we should not dilute the work on libraries such as pyatspi without good reason. I'm alos no sure of the status of the java bridge.

One thing that would greatly support participation in the short perspective were if new releases could be packaged directly for say the Ubuntu and OpenSolaris platforms. I myself find it hard to participate and give feedback as I would like to when I regularly get the message about where I can download the source code of the latest update. To get any wider participation for this user group you just cannot go on expecting stakeholders to download and compile sources. You should just be able to download and install the new binary directly - in parallell to the current official release installation - and run, test and give feedback!

Agree that is very sensible, and only requires overnight builds or continuous integration. Perhaps something like Mozilla's technology could be used as David Bolter is now familiar with it (I expect).

Steve

Ang. Fwd: GOK users?

2009-09-17T08:36:28Z

Hi Will, Ben, Steve and all,

As the GOK development is linked to the AEGIS project ambitions this is of double interest to me, that is; in general and as part of AEGIS.

How many users are there? I don't know of any single GOK user in Sweden, and I would suspect that the number around the world is probably is a very limited one.

Why is that? In my view that is because GOK, while concept wise being a very advanced, state-of-the-art alternative OSK input alternative, still in practice appears more as a demonstrator software tool than a real alternative to the AT solutions offered on the Windows and Mac platforms for its potential target users.
This is probably partly due to the problems in securing further maintenance since the original development. This in turn is depending on the lack of active user participation and feedback I suppose. This is in turn depending on the characteristics of the user group - users with severe physical limitations, often with additional neurological challenges, who are generally dependent on helpers/facilitators/professionals to set them up with a proper sytem tailored to their individual needs - ... and so on.

This is tricky - not only from a technical development point of view, but also from a cultural one. The whole setup within the Oppen Desktop development environment is very depending on active participation of stakeholders - such as the blind and visually impaired technical savvy users driving and supporting the Orca development. That kind of user participation is hard to find for GOK. You have to reach the potential users mostly via their supporters, like parents, teachers, AT professionals etc. And it will be hard to persuade most of those to pay an interest in the Open Desktop minority environment for their users until there are tools that match current alternatives on the Win and Mac platforms - not only in basic technical functionality, but also in usability for local tailoring and support.
So to get there, the development will have to go on in rather thin air, relying on a very limited group of people, hopefully with good references to users and tools on other platforms.

I suppose the greatest chance to find users would be in communities, regions and countries where the policy is to use OSS platforms, and where there is a general shortage of resources for buying expensive AT solutions. In many of those areas we may have substantial language barriers making it hard to establish communication to get feedback.

I suppose a symptom of the problem is the introduction of the OnBoard OSK in Ubuntu. GOK seemed to be perceived as being too "advanced and special" and not slick enough in appearance, so an alternative was introduced - which is not very well maintained (I've posted bugs a year ago about broken support for UTF-8 in the "Snippets" text there without any reaction ). This is actually an unfortunate fragmentation. Why not a set of simplified/basic layouts in GOK covering the OnBoard ambitions instead?

Ideally, we should have all good forces focusing on the development and maintenance of one solid OSK solution for Gnome (and possibly other platforms) - covering well the wide range of needs - from basic standard QWERTY layouts - to advanced dynamic layouts, and including support for graphics to include AAC users. The basic functionality for all these needs is a set of rock solid input - navigation and selection - alternatives to cover different user demands. The OSK content and layout should be handled by a common layout manager.
In the AEGIS discussions we have touched upon the alternative of moving GOK over to Java in order to give it a much broader user and maintenance base. The question is whether a Java implementation - a JOK - could be as effective and well integrated in the Gnome environment as GOK is and has the potential of being? What do you guys think?

One thing that would greatly support participation in the short perspective were if new releases could be packaged directly for say the Ubuntu and OpenSolaris platforms. I myself find it hard to participate and give feedback as I would like to when I regularly get the message about where I can download the source code of the latest update. To get any wider participation for this user group you just cannot go on expecting stakeholders to download and compile sources. You should just be able to download and install the new binary directly - in parallell to the current official release installation - and run, test and give feedback!

Please excuse this verbose reply!

Cheers,
Mats

Mats Lundälv
DART, reg.hab., Drottning Silvias barn- och ungdomssjukhus, SU
och
Specialpedagogiska skolmyndigheten
Kruthusgatan 17, SE-411 04 Göteborg, Sweden
www.dart-gbg.org , www.spsm.se
tel (SPSM): +46 (0)10 47 35 513, tel (DART): +46 (0)31 342 08 04
mobil:+46 (0)705 298093, fax: +46 (0)31 15 58 29
E-post: mats.lundalv@... eller mats.lundalv@...

Från:	Steve Lee <steve@...>
Till:	OATs Project Special Interest Group <oats-sig@...>
Datum:	2009-09-11 16:28
Ärende:	[oats-sig] Fwd: GOK users?
Sänt av:	<oats-sig-bounces@...>

A chance to influence GOK on Screen Keyboard for Linux/Open Solaris Steve ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Willie Walker <William.Walker@...> Date: 2009/9/11 Subject: GOK users? To: Steve Lee <steve@...> Cc: Ben Konrath <ben.konrath@...> Hi Steve: It's been a while. Hope you're doing OK. I'm curious if you know of any GOK users out there? Ben Konrath is working on improving GOK for GNOME 3.0, and the direction he takes may depend upon how many GOK users there really are. Will

Fwd: GOK users?

2009-09-11T07:28:06Z

A chance to influence GOK on Screen Keyboard for Linux/Open Solaris

Steve

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Willie Walker <William.Walker@...>
Date: 2009/9/11
Subject: GOK users?
To: Steve Lee <steve@...>
Cc: Ben Konrath <ben.konrath@...>

Hi Steve:

It's been a while. Hope you're doing OK.

I'm curious if you know of any GOK users out there? Ben Konrath is
working on improving GOK for GNOME 3.0, and the direction he takes may
depend upon how many GOK users there really are.

Will

Open Source Camera

2009-09-04T11:26:24Z

Camera with open source firmware might have head/eye tracking applications.

http://community.zdnet.co.uk/blog/0,1000000567,10013690o-2000331765b,00.htm

Steve Lee

National Star College funding pulled - a petition

2009-09-04T03:27:46Z

National Star College, an independent specialist college in the UK,
has had its development funding pulled by the LSC. Find out more about
National Star College here http://tr.im/natstar, and support their
petition - http://tr.im/beastar.

Thanks

--
Steve Lee

Fwd: Assistive Technology Programming Resources

2009-09-04T01:06:53Z

I've forwarded this with Stan's approval as I wondered if someone
would be interested in seeding an open development project(s) with his
work?

Steve Lee

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Stan Bass <srbass903@...>
Date: 2009/6/22
Subject: Assistive Technology Programming Resources
To: steve@...

Dear Mr. Lee,

My name is Stan Bass and while researching Assistive Technolgoy
Programming Resources I came across your online resume. After reading
of your experience and knowledge of AT programming and project
development I thought I would share with you the projects I have been
working on based upon my own needs as I am legally blind and
understand first hand the challenges many individuals face in their
day to day life. The frustration many feel are compounded by the
high cost of AT equipment and softwre more often than not, placing
these products well out or reach of the very people they are intended
to help. People with limited financial resources and already facing
tremendous challenges.

To help myself overcome many of the obstacles I faced in my day to day
life I opted to take a rather unconventional approach. I chose to a
"whole house" approach" by saving and purchasing a Home Automation
software called HAL Deluxe for approximately $250 USD.
(http://www.automatedliving.com) This software utilizes Voice
Recognition and Speech Output. I then installed what they call a "HALi
App" by the name TellMe written by Jim Lipsit
(http:www.jameslipsit.com) which greatly enhanced the functionality
and useful of the HAL Deluxe program.

Over time and as I could affod it I have added low cost X10 devices in
my home to control such things as lights and appliances which enables
me to control these things by voice command, programmed events and
schedules. Currently I am in the process of installing whole house
audio and microphones to increase the ease of use of the system
through out the home.

To expand the system and to make it more of an Assistive Technology
to better meet my specific needs I then obtained a low cost omni bar
code scanner and created a database of GPL compiled UPC bar code
information and developed an MS-Access Database to interface with the
HAL Deluxe program in order to help me identify items, enter custom
information such as directions, cooking times, etc. While my vision
has prevented me from developing this as a "distributable" product I
have ben able to make it work well for me. Now I am able to quickly
identify what a can of food contains, what I need to do to prepare
the food item and I am also able to track how many I have on hand,
produce a shoppping list when I am running low and track when an item
has been used or it's expiration date is approaching. I have also
developed a database of recipes which I am linking to my groceries
on hand so now I am able to better plan meals, add items to the
shopping list othat I will need in the future based upon meal plans
and so much more.

Ideally I would like to find a way to ahve thisdeveloped further and
made available to others who could benefit from it's use as a stand
alone application with speech output and as an interfaced program for
the HAL application. It could easily be further expanded to include
such feature as:
- Nutritional Information
- Medication Identification and directions for use
- Clothing and other article Identification with special bar code tags
that are available or printed.
- CD and DVD Identification
- Track and monitor medical information such as glucose testing, blood
pressure readings etc.
and so much more.

My main question is how can I pursue the development of this as well
as several other projects I have used over the past 10 years that are
not currently available. Ideally I would like these things to
distributed free of charge to anyone who could benefit from them.

Any ideas, suggestioons or comments you may have would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Stan Bass