Hi Jorge: I think you have hit upon the one issue that we can agree upon. While braille use is gradually being replaced by other technical alternatives it is still the only way to truly pass on literacy to a blind person. I know that on this and other blind related list the literacy of the blind list members has been going way down over the last few years. Poor spelling, poor grammar, and even lack of proper punctuation is quite common on blind related lists.
One reason for this could be the trend for people to rely on technical gadgets rather than sitting down reading a book in braille or similar. Therefore at a minimum they aren't getting the constant reinforcement of spelling, grammar, and punctuation a sighted user would get on a daily basis. All they get is e-mails, books, and other documents read to them and they are losing basic literacy as a result. Another possible reason is blind people simply don't care. I know I am on a number of sighted mailing lists and most people try to proofread their e-mails so it is clear and not full of errors. The blind technology related lists seem to be the opposite. It is almost like they can't see it, most of the people are blind on the list can't see it, so nobody cares. Either way, there is no getting around the fact if e-mails are to go buy a lot of blind list members are incompetent when it comes to general literacy. Reading braille would definitely help with that, but I think we have turned a corner where most people who don't have to use it won't. About braille and music I agree with you. I am a musician myself, and why I like playing some things by ear it is nice to be able to read the music and make sure you are doing it right than to guess and guess wrong. Plus with classical music etc it is quite a bit more involved than say rock, country, or wrap. Cheers! On 12/12/13, Jorge Gonçalves <[email protected]> wrote: > I also would like to give my opinion: > For me when we talk about braille we now adays have to include Braille > as a whole language both for paper and electronic braille displays. > For me Braille is literacy and can never be replaced. The blind person > should be able to write and read like everyone else. Now the question is > the cost, timing and volume of braille hard copies. About this, I > believe the braille production in hard books will be substancially > reduced with the lack of need, lack of space to store it both at home > and libraries, the speed of production and with the global crysis. > ..But for me braille is also what we can read in braille displays and > also the speed we get with braille writing using the same braille > keyboards. > For example when a book is produced and put available on the Kindle App > for IOS, I can have it some minutes later fully in braille because I can > read it with my braille displays And I like to be able to read, to feel > the touch of letters and have the sensation of reading. > The key point here is the cost of braille displays. No matter what we > say, they still are very expensive and not affordable so that we could > talk about the global spreading of braille. > It's true that manufacturers of braille displays are trying to reduce > the costs- For example a Focus 14 in the US costs 1295 if they didn't > change it. I have one myself and really the quolity of this product is > amazing. The braille is great, bluetooth capacities, quite keyboard. > Also when we talk about braille we should remember products like Braille > Pen from Harpo which is a braille keyboard that costs around 250 Euros. > This product really speeds up the braille writing for a lot of people. > So people who like braille like I do, should be also allowed to use > braille in a daily basis. I use braille everyday but I rarely touch a > braille hard copy of any kind of documents. I only use electronic braille. > Now as a professional musician and music teacher I can say that no > matter what people say, blind people who want to seriously learn music > specially about classic pieces they will always need to learn braille > music and who ever says the opposite either is not knowledgable enough > or is not serious. > It's true than in letters braille can be replaced but in music, it can not. > So braille is there for a longtime the point is that the way which we > are using is developping. > Cheers, > Jorge --- Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to [email protected]. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to [email protected].
