The question you should be asking is this: How do files created using Duxbury work on the Braillenote? And, how do files created using a Braillenote work when using Duxbury. The translator is not the issue. The issue is Keyword. If you create a .brf file using Duxbury, you will be able to read it just fine using the Braillenote. However, if you create a .brf file using the Braillenote and import it into Duxbury, your results can be quite frightening. One of my co-workers used the Braillenote to transcribe some music into Braille. When she brought it into Duxbury, it was a disaster. She described it to me like this: "it was a 20 page word!" no line breaks, no indication as to where anything began or ended. I am not advocating any note taker over another, but if the primary purpose for purchasing a note taker is that you are going to use it to create files which can subsequently be embossed using Duxbury you will have your work cut out for you.
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of FunGuy Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2006 8:10 AM To: Braillenote List Subject: Re: [Braillenote] Reading/Transferring Word and Duxbury Files Hi Rick: Terrific question! Let me start by saying that my bias is toward a member of the Braille Note family for your school district. There are several good reasons which I will list and I will also suggest some questions you might pose to vendors and others knowledgeable in the field. First, at this time, the Braille Note family has the largest installed base by far! That matters because bug fixes and good support are dependant on the size of the population a company like this serves. Second, I believe you will find that the Braille translator used in the Braille Note family is Duxbury. I know that this is not the Translator used in the PacMate. In fact, this would be a serious concern were I making this purchase for school children. Why the PacMate uses a different translator is beyond the scope of this message, but as a pure bases of comparison, this may be enough of a concern to rule out the PacMate. Third, the premise of the PacMate is using commercial software. What Freedom Scientific doesn't address well is who will pay for the cost of developing the set files(scripts) for the commercial software. Believe me, that is no small matter so that piece of the argument in favor of the PacMate is mute to say the least and disingenuous to say the most. If you accept this point, I would once again remind you of my first point about the size of the installed base. Fourth, the Braille Note family uses a token system to indicate print formatting. As a life time Braille reader, I can tell you that this is by far the best system for relating to print formatting. Now for some questions you might ask to further clarify the issues. Rather then asking if the files can be transferred (I'm sure they can with all 3) I'd ask how the print format information is conveyed to the Braille reader. I think you will find that the token system in the Braille Note family is the best by far. Hardware is a big deal! It is also a matter of personal taste. I hope you are buying units with a Braille display. If so, you might just want to ask a few of the potential users which display seems most natural and comfortable. I would caution you in that regard that a display that is refreshed by pressing router buttons in a location where they can easily be confused with other buttons is a recipe for trouble. It will slow down Braille reading particularly in young people. Finally, I would look at the history of manufacturers in terms of cannibalizing there own products by forcing customers to buy new hardware by unnecessarily obsoleteing the old hardware. This will hurt your district in the long run. I trust something here is helpful. Alan Holst ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick Boggess" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Braillenote List'" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, December 02, 2006 4:54 PM Subject: [Braillenote] Reading/Transferring Word and Duxbury Files >I am sorry for the earlier message which I forgot to edit to reflect the > appropriate product name. The message should have read as follows; > > I'm looking at notetakers for our school system. I would appreciate > hearing > from those with experience transferring Word and Duxbury files to and from > the BrailleNote. Is this possibel? Does formatting remain in tact? > > Rick Boggess > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.0.409 / Virus Database: 268.15.4/563 - Release Date: 12/2/2006 > > > > ___ > 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
