hi there well here in the uk we still await the upgrade i just wish we had one soffware for all the sense products like the apex whether we live in the uk or on the south pole.
----- source message ----- from: "Joseph Lee" <[email protected]> to: <[email protected]> date: 2010/07/19 02:28:50 subject: RE: [GWN] O/That Upgrade to Linux > > > Hi, > That's a good observation. Few things: > In my thoughts, Braille Sense family under Linux would allow more than > developers to contribute applications. Using the open source advantage, HIMS > might come up with more useful apps, provide a useful IDE that will run > under Braille Sense itself and other things could be done. The only > potential worry would be a slight possibility of malware floating around the > Sense family as a result, but if the vulnerability that this malware targets > is known, the programmers could try and come up with a security update > within days to fix this issue. Other than that, I believe it could be done, > but the compatibility needs to be addressed between the "old code" and "new > interface" as we have seen somewhere else before. > As for Windows Mobile interface, it is essentially an user interface that > runs on top of Windows CE kernel. Windows Mobile 6 runs under Windows CE > 5.2, and Windows Mobile 7 is rumored to run under Windows CE 6.0 R3. WM7 is > no longer called Windows Mobile by Microsoft's definitions now it is now > called Windows Phone 7, due to be released later this year. As for > accessibility of this interface from blindness perspective, I expect the > reports to come out by end of this year or early next year. However, the > development of Android and other embedded OS family is giving MS a major > worry though. > In connection with Braille Sense, we are dealing with a Windows Mobile like > interface that runs on top of Windows CE 5.0 kernel. On the far below layer > is the hardware itself, followed by the firmware for the hardware, then the > operating system, drivers and finally, the user programs. The Braille Sense > suite is (if I understood the thing right) composed of mini programs (or > modules) that are interconnected by a Task Manager program that provides the > program Menu list. Each of the "programs" is either a link to a particular > executable for that program, or a jump instruction (or a switch statement) > that will jump to that particular moduole of the Sense suite. From what I > read on this list, it appears to be the former case. In Korean builds, the > presence of "menu Manager" that blocks certain programs suggests that the > Sense suite is composed of multiple .exe executables that are connected with > the OS to provide multitasking. This is also the reason why there is a seven > program limit on the Sense product due to the fact that Windows CE 5.0 > limits running up to thirty-two programs or processes at once. If we count > the number of possible processes that will start when the Braille Sense > resets nk.exe, gwes.exe, services.exe, filesys.exe and so on, we can come > up with potential slots for running twenty programs or less. However, if we > add this variable to our operating equation, there would exist yet another > limit that Windows CE 6.0 solved: how to manage memory better, especially > virtual memory? > Thus, depending on the answer to our "big question above" whether Sense > suite is composed of multiple .exe files or just single executable, we can > come up with two or three "unforeseen" and "hidden" limitations: > * If the Sense suite is composed of multiple .exe files, we can reach a > potential limit of running less and less programs when we use more > "services" and processes, such as using Media Player, Internet Explorer > (when the web browser programs calls it to do its bidding) and so forth. > Thus when the maximum is reached, the Sense interface (mostly towards OS > calls) will alert the user that there is no more programs to run (in order > to avoid using all 32 process slots, if I understood the thing correctly). > * If the suite is composed only of one file, there is a risk of running low > on memory, specifically virtual memory (as Windows CE 5.0 and earlier > supports only 32 MB of virtual memory). All user programs, including Sense > suite, shares a common 2 GB of user addresses virtual memory location which > is divided into equal chunks of virtual memory sizedd-comSource: Microsoft > article on architecture of Windows CE 5.0 versus Windows Embedded CE 6.0. > Thus, too much use of memory by one program would slow down the response of > a program. > The universal integral here is memory management issues with tight memory > space, using some parts of RAM for storage and so forth. Both increasing and > decreasing RAM proportions between running programs and storage has > probability of a system locking up or not responding to user requests. > Increasing RAM would mean less and less download and storage size, and > decreasing memory means that programs would not have space to store data and > its code. > > If you want, I'll forward your notes to Blind Programming list so that more > experienced guys can answer your queries regarding this one. I'm just a > student interested in these sort of things... If I lost you, my apologies... > Cheers, > joseph > > -----Original Message----- > From: erik burggraaf [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Sunday, July 18, 2010 4:10 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [GWN] O/That Upgrade to Linux > > Hi Joe, > > I don't have experience with the products you mentioned, but I would be > hugely in favour of a linux port to the BSP. > > The vaunted new upgrade to braillesense did not usher in windows mobile 6, > and even if it did, windows mobile 7 is right around the corner, and the > roomers are as bad as it is possible to be. Winmobile 5 is painfully far > behind the hardware curve to begin with. > > They could easily keep the interface more or less the same from a user > perspective, only add features that users want such as open development kits > and wireless connectivity upgrades. > > After some heavy duty research one of my prospective clients has nearly > chosen the apex over the braille sense, and I can't honestly gainsay her, > even though I love the braille sense and really believe it's a good product. > It is just simply losing it's edge, and maybe linux firmware would > revitalize it. > > Best, > > Erik Burggraaf > User support consultant, > Website: http://www.erik-burggraaf.com > Toll-free: 888-255-5194 > > On 2010-07-18, at 6:39 PM, Joe Orozco wrote: > > > Hello all, > > > > So, this post is purely brainstorming. If you're more into practical, > > please delete now. iningrin* > > > > I was just wondering, and this would be a great question for Joseph, how > > feasible it would be to switch the BSP to Linux? I'm curious because > > yesterday I came across information about the Braille+, and even though it > > is a PDA in the truest sense of the word in that I don't think the > > manufacturer meant for consumers to write long documents or do extensive > web > > surfing, it does boast features that have been previously recommended for > > the Sense products like an RSS reader. It also features some cool little > > features like an Internet radio tuner, but best of all, the platform is > open > > source. Though it seems people have mostly developed games for the > product, > > it's feasible that developers could write financial aps, enhanced word > > processing, etc. > > > > Am I off my rocker here? I don't know how much success the Alva product > had > > among consumers, but it seems like something somewhat comparable to the > > Android phenomenon of a user-driven development. I wonder if switching > out > > Windows CE for Linux would be a terrible inconvenience. > > > > At any rate, just a thought, and if anyone has had experience with the > Icon > > or Braille+, please drop me a note off-list. I'd love to ask you a few > > questions. > > > > Best, > > > > Joe > > > > "Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, > > some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at alldd0-comSam Ewing > > > > If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, visit: > > > > http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv > > > > If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, visit: > > http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG www.avg.com > Version: 8.5.441 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3013 Release Date: 07/18/10 > 06:35:00 > > If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, visit: > > http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, visit: http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv
