Hi Sammy, The one point I made which you missed is, that the National Library Service has to build for the senior citizens and others who are not computer literate and who simply want to press a button and hear their books. They're not aiming at people who understand technology, and they shouldn't. Reading should be as simple as possible for everyone. The state Library for the Blind is located in the same building as the Department for the Blind, and you wouldn't believe how many calls are received because people get confused by the four track tape system that is currently in use. Of course there are people of any age who can handle computers, finances, and anything else; but NLS is building machines that will be useable by people who are not interested in learning technology, and frankly, that was the only point I was trying to make. No insult was intended.
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of sammie clay Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 6:29 PM To: Braillenote List Subject: RE: [Braillenote] FW: new nls machines Hello Richard and list, Those of us who own Braille, voice notes, and PKS who are the seniors you are referring to can, and do, put our SD cards into their little slots alone and without youngsters assistance. As one of those old 80-year-olds I can manage my finances on the database Rhonda Clark helped me create. It keeps a monthly record of what my mortgage and condo fees are, all the silly things old people like me spend our money on which includes both my guide dog and my own health care, and provides great records for my tax man. However, I agree with you, I don't want to pay for a modification that the NLS will provide a free reader for. And I believe that Humanware is the designer of, and will produce this reader for NLS. Also, I'd like to remind many of you that some of us old codgers purchased our Braille or Voice notes because we knew Braille, but had problems with 128 keys on the computer keyboard. We like and use our devices because we don't have to learn to use a computer. We can create, print, emboss, send and receive information, and play around in the internet with these handy tools and all without a personal computer or the help of our grand and great-grand children. And we don't begrudge those of you who use personal computers or qwerty keyboards with your Braille or Voice notes your right to do so. Also, I don't know where you meet your 80-year olds, but your job as a rehabilitation counselor should be teaching them independent living skills and not criticizing their ability or inability to stick an SD card in a little slot. You should show them how to do it! I personally don't care what kind of new features Humanware create for their devices. I will pay for each upgrade and use only the feature(s) I want. The upgrade to the MPower and 7.01 gave me the ability to receive E-mail faster and to record meetings I attend, nothing else. in my dotage, I play only blackjack, poker, bridge, and pinochle in tournaments or in Los Vegas, so my games on the BrailleNote are history. I am however waiting for the upgrade that will give me a Dictionary and Thesaurus which I'll be able to use in my school work. Hopefully, The dictionary will provide good definitions and word pronunciations as well as the correct spelling feature of the spell checker. Sammie Clay >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Richard Ring" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: "Braillenote List" <[email protected] >Date: Mon, 07 Aug 2006 14:36:17 -0500 >Subject: RE: [Braillenote] FW: new nls machines >One of the reasons for NLS having a rather proprietary "cartridge" is >that the majority of NLS users are not computer literate, and they are >fairly elderly. They want something that will be easy to handle and >durable. Imagine all those 80 year old folks trying to stick an sd card >into a slot? >NLS has to play to the lowest common denominator, they really have no >choice. >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Rusty Perez >Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 2:21 PM >To: 'Braillenote List' >Subject: RE: [Braillenote] FW: new nls machines >This is discouraging to me. Paranoya is driving the production here and, >I'm >sure, costing tons of money if they are designing an entirely new and >different media hitherto unbeheld by human hand, SIMPLY for the >supersecret >storage of books for "THE BLIND." >Unless this storage media becomes and industry standard--maybe they're >working with sandisc or some other maker--this storage card will quickly >become obselete and, as with parallel ports may not appear on future >machines, if it ever appears on non nls machines. >It just seems like a lot of trouble, when "protected" books are already >being created. >We'll all have the privelege of getting yet another machine to play nls >books. It's a good thing they're going to be free. >Rusty >____________________ >Skype: rustyperez >Yahoo and AIM: reliroo >Check out my blog at >http://rusty-perez.blogspot.com >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Powers, >Terry >(NIH/OD/DEAS) [E] >Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 8:18 AM >To: [email protected] >Subject: [Braillenote] FW: new nls machines >-----Original Message----- >From: Lloyd Rasmussen [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 10:46 AM >To: Powers, Terry (NIH/OD/DEAS) [E] >Subject: RE: new nls machines >It's not a kind of card that is compatible with any other machine at >this >moment. It is a new design. But I'm pretty sure that as the NLS >players >and cartridges go into production, adapters, cables and software >revisions >will become available to make these devices work together. Ask me the >question again in about 18 or 24 months from now. Books will become >downloadable at about that time, but the current BrailleNote software >will >not be able to play the files we are planning to produce. The average >11-hour book will be about 128 megabytes long. Because they contain >audio >they are more than a hundred times as big as the comparable Braille >file. >Don't worry too much about this; the pieces are slowly coming together. >Lloyd Rasmussen, Kensington, Maryland >Home: http://lras.home.sprynet.com >Work: http://www.loc.gov/nls >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Powers, Terry (NIH/OD/DEAS) [E] >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 9:55 AM >> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Subject: new nls machines >> Hi Lloyd; >> Do you know what kind of card NLS will be putting their books on with >> this new system. Will they work on the Braille Note. If not, will >they >> be downloadable from the site? >> Terry >> Theresa L. Powers (Terry) >> Grants Clerk >> Tobacco Control Research Branch >> NIH/NCI/DCCPS/BRP/TCRB/DEAS >> 6130 Executive Blvd, MSC 7337 >> EPN 4039B >> Bethesda, MD 20892-7337 >> Rockville, MD 20852-7337 (express mail) >> Phone: 301-496-8584 >> FAX: 301-496-8675 >> E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >___ >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote >___ >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote >___ >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote ___ To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote ___ To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote
