As a frumpy state worker who has to use a computer from a most miserable
network, I know that security problems are a great plague indeed. Ms. Dixon
and Mr. Kurt Cylke may or may not have known the system would have to be
taken offline, but I suspect they didn't know till it had happened.
All these emails from WebBraille users show how very important Braille is to
us, and I would expect them to use this as evidence for the importance of
the NLS program to us. However, I also think that if they have to spend all
their time making personal answers to users, they may have less time to see
to it that the problem quickly gets fixed.
I haven't written to them because so many others already have, but I'm glad
to see such an ourpouring for support of Braille use.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sherry Gomes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "'Braillenote List'" <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 1:18 PM
Subject: RE: [Braillenote] FW: [alabama] Web Braille Shutdown
And he is the head of NLS. He certainly knew it was going to be taken
offline. The responses from Ms. Dixon were simply canned replies with no
substance. already, people have received more genuine information from
Mr.
Cylke. Maybe not much info yet, but at least better than the nothing that
Ms. Dixon was saying. I, too, have written to Mr. Cylke.
Sherry
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kathy
Szinnyey
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 11:03 AM
To: Braillenote List
Subject: Re: [Braillenote] FW: [alabama] Web Braille Shutdown
Hi, all. I don't know if Mr. Cylke had anything to do with Web-Braille
going off-line, but I do think it's important for everyone to let him know
how important and wonderful it is for perhaps far more people thatn he may
realize.
Kathy Szinnyey
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
or
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Evelyn Weckerly" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Braillenote List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 1:11 PM
Subject: Re: [Braillenote] FW: [alabama] Web Braille Shutdown
Hi,
I have seen two messages on other lists showing replies from Frank Kurt
Cylke that say that Web Braille will be back up as soon as possible (in
one message) and in a week or two (in the other).
I am sure that Mr. Cylke has been literally swamped. However, it's not
certain that he had anything to do with it personally.
Evelyn
At 01:08 PM 5/12/06, you wrote:
Sarai D. Bucciarelli
-----Original Message-----
From: David & Rhonda Trott [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 11:41 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; 'mary
garrett'
Subject: [alabama] Web Braille Shutdown
I am passing this article along because of its impact on the blind and
deaf blind community. I urge everyone to work toward the restoration of
this program. I know hundreds of blind and deaf blind people, across the
country, who use this service regularly.
David
Blind Access Journal
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Web Braille Shut Down - Please Write Immediately
By Darrell Shandrow
Thursday, May 11, 2006 - Please read the article by Jeff Bishop below,
then write a short note to NLS director Frank Kurt Cylke at the e-mail
address
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
emphasizing the importance of Web-Braille and asking him to promptly
restore this service to the blind community. An online petition effort
is being considered. Please let us know your thoughts.
This is just offle news. Web-Braille has been shutdown by NLS until
further notice. NLS director Frank Kurt Cylke is under the impression
that only a few people will care about Web Braille's shutdown, so if a
lot of people contact him right away, maybe something will be done. His
e-mail address is [EMAIL PROTECTED] Everyone, I plead with you to email him
and ask for Web-Braille's return. Here is more information.
If you haven't heard yet, you will all probably be hearing from your
patrons very soon about the shutdown of Web-Braille. Any patron logging
into the Web-Braille site as of 5-10-06 is receiving the following
message: NLS: That All May Read Web-braille notice Because of technical
and security difficulties, Web-Braille will be unavailable in the near
future. NLS regrets the inconvenience and will provide further
information as soon as possible. For more information contact: Judith
Dixon Consumer Relations Officer [EMAIL PROTECTED] On May 11, 2006, the
following Operations Alert was issued from NLS: NLS Operations Alert
DATE : May 11, 2006 TO : Network Libraries FROM : Network Division
Subject : Web-Braille Because of technical and security difficulties,
Web-Braille will be unavailable in the near future. NLS regrets the
inconvenience and will provide further information as soon as possible.
For more information contact: Judith Dixon Consumer Relations Officer
[EMAIL PROTECTED] Here is t!
he current NLS reply coming from Judy Dixon in response to patron
inquiries: "Web-Braille has been removed from public access temporarily.
We apologize for the inconvenience that the removal of Web-Braille has
caused. At this time, it is not known how long Web-Braille will be
unavailable but we have every hope that the curtailment of the service
will be short-lived. We are making every effort to resume this service
as soon as possible. In the interim, all NLS-produced books and
magazines are available in hardcopy braille from your braille-lending
library. If the status of Web-Braille changes, information will be
posted on the main Web-Braille page."
In the 8-plus years that Web-Braille has been operational, to my
knowledge, there has never been a major technical issue. It has been run
with the highest degree of efficiency, and network libraries have been
setting up eligible readers without a problem. Now, suddenly, there is a
concern about the security of Web-Braille. Why now is NLS worried about
the ability to back translate BRF files, it's always been possible, but
who would do it. Back translation is tedious and subject to many reverse
translation errors. In all the years of Web-Braille operation, I have
never heard of a violation of the lending terms. Braille readers love
Web-Braille and want to preserve and grow it, not shut it down because
of abuse. This precipitous action strikes me as too harsh a response too
late. There is no problem with Web-Braille today, there wasn't one
yesterday, and instead of removing it completely, let NLS work to
incorporate Web-Braille into the digital rights management scheme of the
!
new digital talking books for the future. Don't penalize all
Web-Braille users -- braille readers of all ages using braille aware
devices such as BrailleNotes, Braille Senses, Braille 'n Speaks, and
Packmates; deafblind patrons who have such limited options for reading
materials, and classroom teachers embossing materials for students, just
to name a few. Don't make just one more protection scheme for patrons to
cope with, it's getting harder and harder to manage whether or not all
of the incription keys are on all of the devices that people use today.
The burden of access shouldn't be placed on the borrower, if they have
computer access and a Braille aware device, that should be sufficient to
allow them access to Web-Braille. Without Web-Braille, network libraries
are going to see a significant increase in their costs for handling and
processing braille materials, and those libraries paying for braille
circulation services will pay more for hardcopy braille circulations th!
at would have previously been Web-Braille transactions. I urge all of
you to contact Frank Kurt Cylke at NLS ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and express your
extreme disappointment at this action, and urge the immediate
reinstatement of Web-Braille for all of our patrons who rely on it every
day. This service is vital and must be restored to full functionality.
posted by Darrell at 6:55
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