thanks Sam, I'm sure beta testers will be needed, hopefully soon. I'm hoping the difficulty of setup (having to go buy a gps receiver, and then buy MapPoint, and then install the script) won't be a deterrent for users; it's not going to be quite as easy to get going as your usual scripts.
thanks. Chip -----Original Message----- From: Sam bushman [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2009 6:43 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: looking for collaborators for a GPS project Hi Chip, I can't provide any programming help but, I love the project idea. I could beta test such software and provide practical help. I agree that a small netbook or light laptop could go in a backpack and do quite well. Also in time who knows what hardware may be available. I think a tiny usb keyboard ... like those numeric keypads may be the easiest thing to hold in your hands. You could label the keys to be very user friendly and still work a dog or use a cane. I think ideas here and a drive to keep costs down and a desire to be successful is the key. Please don't let the naysayers get ya down. Always willing to help! Sam Bushman ` ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chip Orange" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2009 4:35 PM Subject: RE: looking for collaborators for a GPS project > yes, this kind of thing M.J. is very appreciated. > > Tiler, you're right; if you have a spare couple of thousand of > dollars, then go buy a notetaker and a gps nav option; what is that, 3 > thousand dollars? > it's much better than this will be, although this will have a few > options they currently don't. > > but, if you spent the money you had on a laptop or better a netbook, > then this kind of program, for the cost of a gps receiver and MapPoint > (say $200), would give you a great deal of additional mobility which > you wouldn't otherwise have. > > if M.J.'s suggestion of voice recognition doesn't work, then maybe an > external numeric pad, or a wireless numeric pad, could be worn on the > belt for control of the app. maybe others will have other suggestions. > > I'm doing it mostly because I'm just interested in GPS, but I'd like > it to be useful too. > > Chip > > > -----Original Message----- > From: MJ Rys [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2009 6:19 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: looking for collaborators for a GPS project > > This is only a suggestion, but what if you used a voice > recognization program with the GPS? > Then you wouldn't have to press any buttons, just give voice commands. > In reference to the negative criticisum, woudn't it be better if it > were more on the possitive side? > I am sure we can always find reasons why things won't work, but how > about suggestions that could make this project more of a success. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Tylers Scripting" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2009 5:11 PM > Subject: RE: looking for collaborators for a GPS project > > >> Hi Chip, >> You'd not have easy access to the laptop or netbook when you're walking. >> I understand your point about the bus deal, but when I'm walking, do >> you think I'm going to stop in the middle of the street just to press >> a button, and put myself in a wrisk of getting hit by a car? >> Tyler >> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>From: "Chip Orange" <[email protected] >>>To: <[email protected] >>>Date sent: Wed, 9 Dec 2009 17:33:39 -0500 >>>Subject: RE: looking for collaborators for a GPS project >> >>>Tiler, >> >>>laptops can be worn in backpack cases, and netbooks can be worn >> in >>>over-the-shoulder cases similar to those for notetakers. >> >>>An ear-bud or bluetooth headset (with one ear left off the ear) >> can provide >>>you with the audio output you need as you travel along. >> >>>this isn't designed so much as a replacement for a notetaker >> system, as it >>>is an interesting add-on for someone who owns a laptop, and >> perhaps would be >>>carrying it anyway. >> >>>and if you're a passenger on a bus, in a taxi, or just being >> given a ride by >>>a friend, and you're expected to provide directions, or know when >> you're to >>>get off of the bus, then you can put the netbook or laptop on >> your lap, and >>>have it give you the turn-by-turn directions you need to guide >> your driver, >>>or tell you about upcoming stops on a bus. >> >>>Chip >> >> >>>-----Original Message----- >>>From: Tylers Scripting [mailto:[email protected]] >>>Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2009 5:30 PM >>>To: [email protected] >>>Subject: re: looking for collaborators for a GPS project >> >>>Hi Chip, >>>Are you going to make little lanyards for us to hang our laptops >> around our >>>neck? >>> How are you going to cary a laptop, a white cane, and whatever >> else you're >>>carrying with two hands? >>> Tyler >> >>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>>From: "Allison and Chip Orange" <[email protected] >>>>To: <[email protected] >>>>Date sent: Wed, 9 Dec 2009 17:13:01 -0500 >>>>Subject: looking for collaborators for a GPS project >> >>>>Hi all, >> >>>>some years ago I started a laptop-based GPS navigation project >>>for the >>>>visually impaired. it was meant to be very similar in >>>functionality to >>>>those published by sendero, except that it would run on laptops. >>>now we've >>>>got netbooks to work with, and so it seems even more usable. >> >>>>the project gets it's mapping data from Microsoft Mappoint, which >>>makes it >>>>visible via an object model. it has data equivalent to that of >>>Sendero's >>>>products, including millions of POIs, but it's not nearly so easy >>>to get at >>>>for personal navigation purposes as I imagine Sendero's data >>>interface is, >>>>so progress is slow. MapPoint is mostly designed to display >>>graphically >>>>various datasets on top of street map data, and so some finesse >>>with the >>>>object model is needed. any user of this system would need to >>>buy a copy of >>>>MapPoint, which can be had for as little as $99 sometimes. >> >>>>I had originally written it in visual foxpro, but MS has >>>abandoned (or "end >>>>of lifed") that product. >> >>>>anyway, I've started rewriting the project using vb script under >>>window >>>>eyes, even though I know this will make it accessible to a lot >>>fewer people. >>>>I made that decision mostly because I thought it would be the >>>fastest way >>>>I'd be able to get a working project out the door, and users can >>>obtain a >>>>free 90 day trial of MapPoint to try it out. >> >>>>what's happened is that I've been hit by health problems, and I'm >>>not able >>>>to dedicate much time to the project. >> >>>>some version of it is working now; for instance, you can press a >>>"where am >>>>I" key, and be told the nearest street address. a very basic >>>system is in >>>>place for adding your own points of interest. >> >>>>what I'm looking for is someone who is interested in GPS >>>navigation, and is >>>>an experienced vb scripter, and who would like to come in as a >>>collaborator >>>>on the project. >> >>>>I have plans to add some features not found in Sendero's >>>products, just to >>>>make it more useful, and I've made the GPS handling module a >>>shared object, >>>>so that other programmers can possibly develop location-based >>>applications >>>>or features in their projects. >> >>>>If you have questions how about posting them here on the list if >>>you think >>>>others may be interested in the answers, and if you'd like to >>>discuss being >>>>a collaborator, write me off the list at my home address of >>>>[email protected] >> >>>>even if you're not interested in being a collaborator, I would >>>like to hear >>>>from those who think such a laptop/netbook solution would be a >>>good idea. >>>>obviously, it's going to be harder to work with a laptop while >>>moving >>>>around, and so thought will need to go into more automatic >>>functionality, >>>>and means of interfacing with the program other than the >>>keyboard. I would >>>>like to explore the free vista/windows 7 speech recognition for >>>instance. >> >>>>thanks. >> >>>>Chip >> >> >
