Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 16:23:32 +0200 From: Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de> To: tyler@tysdomain.com Cc: questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: FreeBSD and accessibility Message-ID: <20140916162332.2207b5aa.freebsd@edvax.de> In-Reply-To: <54184440.8060901@tysdomain.com> References: <54184440.8060901@tysdomain.com>
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On Tue, 16 Sep 2014 10:08:00 -0400, Littlefield, Tyler wrote: > Hello all: > I've looked into this before, but I'm really unsure how to proceed. I am > somewhat new to BSD, having used it on a server already. I have a lenovo > thinkpad from my school, which would be awesome for running BSD on a > separate partition. Problem is, I am blind and the installer is not > accessible. Do you have a Braille readout? Text screens should be perfectly readable (either by Braille tactile readout or by synth voice), at least it has been 25 years ago... I've been using such systems in the past. I'm not blind, but highly interested in barrier-free (!) access to computer technology. The systems I've been examining had sliders to select the screen row (1 or 2 out of 25) and then "print" those on a Braille line located infront of the keyboard. This worked without software (!!!) for every text-mode program under any operating system. In addition, a synthetic voice could be requested for the selected line. Today's PCs are too modern to allow this. :-( FreeBSD's text mode installer would be _perfect_ for this kind of use, unlike graphical installers that you can hardly map on a tactile interface. Only voice would be usable here. > Would someone be interested in working with me to possibly create an > accessible installer? I'd be happy to host them and keep them updated > with new BSD releases. I'm just looking for some help getting off the > ground and making the installer speech enabled. The installer itself doesn't include speech synthesis, as it would require a running sound card interface at this early stage. The FreeBSD installation environment is not "advanced" enough to provide this, but a live system might be. For example, like FreeSBIE which enables sound if possible. From such an environment, interfacing with existing voice synthesizer software shouldn't be complicated. > Eventually I'd really like to see PCBsd get up and running with an > accessible installer and orca for the window system, but I'm unsure as > of right now what all Orca supports and how hard that would be. Yes, PC-BSD with its graphical installer could also be a good starting point, as they run X during installation. Loading sound card drivers and adding some synthesizer to the dialog screens could be possible. -- Polytropon Magdeburg, Germany Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0 Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...
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