On Sat, Nov 07, 2026 at 04:41:39PM -0500, Karen Lewellen wrote: > Hi all, > As I move closer to this effort, I am fielding questions / comments from the > engineer who will actually do the heavy lifting...but who has never > installed Linux before. > Hi Karen,
I suggest you try and find someone closer to you to help. Let's try and break this down a fraction: 1. You have an existing system - running DOS, using Wordperfect and DECtalk or another hardware voice synthesiser. 2. You've had an account with shellworld for many years. Shellworld started prior to 2001 and has been providing text mode services for many years. You are a happy user there and don't want to become a Linux system administrator on your own account. 3. You reach your account at shellworld via SSH and (I'm guessing here) a menu system at the far end? 4. You're now in a position where you need the services to run for you - just as they did on shellworld - and you're hoping that a Linux machine set up will help you. Can you give us all a bit more clarity please / tell me whether I'm right or not? Having run this way for about 30 years, you have your own needs and can't throw away the systems you've gotten used to but it's a confusing world out there. Am I right? An install designed for blind users *can* be done without the need for sight / Braille. A voice will read out text. The voice is horrible but if the install succeeds, then you end up with Linux speech output and a Mate basic desktop. The Debian-accessibility list is also worth asking - but the blind/VI users there can also be opinionated/partial to their own solutions sometimes. > likely one need hunt down a Linux edition of things, is that correct? > I am referring to say onboard sound, and built in Ethernet infrastructure. > I feel this differs from say finding a packet driver for a card, something > often needed in DOS. > > Second, are there specific install options clearly intended for the cli > interface? > Meaning, in the install process, you can choose which..desktop if You will, > is intended? > Your person may need to change the order in the BIOS or the machine firmware in order to boot from USB stick. Once you boot, at some point, there will be two beeps. If you hit Enter at that point, you get a text only / high contrast interface which is cli, takes number input for options and will install both speech and a Mate desktop. That's the interface we test at least once in every point release of Debian - so I know it works. It's clunky and not ideal. More important is what you want to *do* with the Linux machine once you have booted it. > As a quick reminder, I will be accessing this machine via a creative ssh > door. My hope is to find a shell or cli environment, with the programs I > require using. > Does the question make sense? > No, not really - what is a "creative ssh door"? [For the rest of the list readers - this is a slightly expanded version of something I acccidentally sent to Karen alone last night] > Kare > > With every good wish, as ever, Andy Cater ([email protected])
