Yes, it is very difficult to start now. If you use iPhone but you haven't a
Mac, you didn't use an Android etc, it like a chaos.
Nice, I didn't imagine you used Linux.. I don't know if Eclipse is
accessible, but I am sure it uses native GUI library from Linux, because it
work with SWT.
Anyway, if you start to make Loadstone for Android I will be directly
envolved in developing code. I have experience programming for Android, I
did programs with SQLite, TTS and other like this.
I am so sad that Symbian didn't go on a better way to be one of the 4
alternatives: Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Symbian.
You did a great work, a lot of code. I remembered, fon Android you can also
use C++ code. Maybe it would very easy to port it. I programmed only in
Java, I didn't try yet to insert C++ code, but I think it's very easy.
Loadstone hasn't alot of GUI and the port would be very easy. Of course I
speak without loking for Loadstone code.
Best regards,
Manu
-----Original Message-----
From: Shawn Kirkpatrick
Sent: Thursday, October 8, 2015 4:11 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Loadstone] Loadstone for iPhone fundraiser
I haven't done any testing with android since I don't have any access to
android hardware. The nexus phones do look like pretty nice phones from what
I've read but they're not cheap. As far as accessibility goes, from what
I've read the choice of device does make a difference.
The nokia version of loadstone was programmed using linux. I access my linux
system with a dos terminal (actually dos running in a dos emulator running
under linux) using artic vision for speech. I've used this synthesizer for
years and like it. I could probably use eloquence to write code if I had to
but I think that would be kind of painful. As for using vocalizer while
writing code, I think I'd rather poke out my ears. The mac actually has some
pretty good voices I think I could get used to.
As far as when any kind of port will start at this point the answer is
never. The loadstone team (me and Monty specifically) don't have the money
to get a new port off the ground. That's the whole point of the fundraiser.
In order to develope a port for the iphone a mac is needed since the
development tools only run on the mac. We currently have iphones but not the
mac. In order to develope a port for android android hardware is needed for
testing since the development tools can be run on a standard pc. We have the
pc but no android hardware. Either way we're stuck.
In an ideal world there would be a loadstone port for the iphone and for
android since it looks like both platforms are going to be around for a
while.
As for donating to the project once it's started, that's very nice but kind
of misses the point and the problem. If any of these ports ever get going
the plan is to make them available on the respective app stores. So that
would be google play for android and the app store for the iphone. I'm
thinking the cost would be around $10 Canadian (not sure what that
translates to
in other currencies). This way the projects would be self-sustaining. But
without raising the initial start up costs none of these ports will ever
happen.
Maybe there really is no market for Loadstone. We had a rather large user
base when the program was free so it looked like there would be demand on
other platforms. The response so far seems to indicate otherwise. I can't
understand why since I haven't seen a program with the features that
loadstone has but maybe people are just happy with whatever they get.
On Wed, 7 Oct 2015, Emanuel Boboiu wrote:
yes, iPhone was accessible first. In my region people have Nexus phones, I
hope you tested Android on a Nexus to see the accessibility.
I tried both and I didn't see differences in accessibility. . I just found
that on Android I can use Eloquence.
Of course a long time for many people the influence will depend of the
area
where tey live, if there more people have iPhone, they will need an
iPhone. I
work in a school for blind people and there are only 3 iPhones, but maybe
at
least 50 Android phones, including nexus 5 or 6, samsung S6 Edge - as we
can
see, the influence can be in another direction, an Android even more
expensive than an iPhone.
Shawn I am curious, which synthesyzer did you use for programming the
Loadstone. Can you use a human voice to write code?
It is just a curiosity, because I can not imagine myself writting code
with
Vocalizer.
Anyway, the accessibility isn't a problem on Android, if you compare a
Nexus
with iPhone, not with a cheaper phone.
To use Eclipse with Android SDK is very easy and accessible. There is also
a
very good documentation.
Maybe the work for Loadstone for another platform will not start soon
considering these problems, but if it will, I will be the first one which
will donate at least 25 euros for Android version.
Manu
-----Original Message----- From: Shawn Kirkpatrick
Sent: Tuesday, October 6, 2015 3:48 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Loadstone] Loadstone for iPhone fundraiser
A few people have mentioned developing loadstone for the android platform.
This could happen at some later date but at the moment there's some
problems
with this idea.
The first is the same as developing for the iphone, if there's no money
for
apple hardware then there's also no money for android hardware. Even if
they're cheaper android phones still aren't free and since our fundraiser
currently sits at 0 I guess that pretty much rules out a port to anything.
So much for the power of social media.
The other big problem with the android platform is accessibility. In
pretty
much every comparison I've been able to find accessibility in android
seems
to lag quite far behind the iphone. Some of this is probably a matter of
opinion but it seems to be a consistant theme. I imagine as time goes on
this will change, hopefully.
The other problem could be the developer tools. I actually had a look at
this a couple years ago and it looked like it might be very hard if not
impossible for a blind person to use the android sdk and tools. Maybe this
has changed since but I haven't been able to find any documentation about
this one way or another.
As for android being more popular, that also seems to be a matter of
opinion
or maybe where you live. Strangely enough I don't know a single person
that
has an android phone. I wish I did so I could get a look at one and
compare
the accessibility.
On Sun, 4 Oct 2015, Jacob Kruger wrote:
I'll also put in my 2c - android is definitely made use of in a lot more
of
the regions of the world other than the USA, etc., and entry level
android
phones cost less than 10% of the price of an iPhone, but anyway.
Stay well
Jacob Kruger
Blind Biker
Skype: BlindZA
"Roger Wilco wants to welcome you...to the space janitor's closet..."
----- Original Message ----- From: "Emanuel Boboiu"
<[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, October 04, 2015 1:31 PM
Subject: Re: [Loadstone] Loadstone for iPhone fundraiser
For iPhone there is already Blind Square.
As a perspective, Android will be used on more and more devices, people
in
less developed countries afford it.
Manu
-----Original Message----- From: Tilakprasad Joshi
Sent: Saturday, October 3, 2015 5:23 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Loadstone] Loadstone for iPhone fundraiser
Dear Shawn,
Indeed it’s a good initiative and I am sure there will be lot of
helpful hands at the same time please keep in mind Android Platform
because majority of people are using android because its
affordability.
Warm Regards,
Tilak.
On 10/3/15, Shawn Kirkpatrick <[email protected]> wrote:
Hello list.
We would like to start working on a port of Loadstone to the iPhone. To
that
end I've set up a gofundme page at:
https://www.gofundme.com/loadstone-gps
to try to raise the needed funds. Please feel free to share this link
as
widely as possible and of course donate. The sooner enough funds are
raised
the sooner development can start.
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