RE: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Joseph Norton via Talk]

I do remember the Speaqualizer.

I never got a chance to use it, but, it was a great idea.  I'm glad to know
you could go that far with it.  A lot of us would love to have access to the
system before OS boot up.

Thanks for sharing this.




-Original Message-
From: Talk
[mailto:talk-bounces+joseph.norton=gmail@lists.window-eyes.com] On
Behalf Of Kevin Minor via Talk
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2016 5:08 PM
To: Window-Eyes Discussion List <talk@lists.window-eyes.com>
Subject: RE: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

Hi.

I know I'm late in this thread, but I'd like to add my own experience with
screen readers.

My first computer with speech was an Apple II E with the Echo II board and
software from Street Electronics.  I got that for my graduation from high
school.  I remember the speech package costing $150, which was a steal in
1984.  It didn't read everything, but it did all right for what I used it
for.

I got my first PC in October of 1986.  I didn't have speech for it for two
years, so I had to use the little vision that I had to use it.  In the fall
of 1988, I got a speech package that I haven't heard anybody mention.  It
was the Speaqualizer from APH.  What made this package unique was it didn't
rely on a program loaded from the PC's disk drive.  It was totally hardware
based.  It had a board that was placed in the PC, and a box that controlled
it was connected to the board.  What was really nice about this synthesizer
was it worked right when you turned on the PC.  In 1990 I got an 80/386, and
I updated the Speaqualizer to work with this PC.  Since it wasn't software
based and worked before the PC booted, I was able to access and change
settings in the BIOS.  The speech wasn't the best, but it served me well for
ten years.  Now I use software speech, so I can't delve into the system
before it's up and running.

Just thought I'd share my experiences.

Have a blessed day and don't work too hard.
Kevin Minor, Lexington, KY
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[via Talk]

That would be wonderful!  And let's add to that:  the box could be hooked up 
to anything that had a screen that needed to be read, provided that there 
was an appropriate connection.  Pam.


-Original Message- 
From: David via Talk

Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2016 6:14 PM
To: Dave ; Window-Eyes Discussion List ; Kevin Minor
Subject: Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

Well, would be a great thing for the VFO team, to get their resources
together and make such a thing possible. Let's get a box that you
connect to the external display connector on the back of your computer.
Let the box have something like 4, or even 8 GB of RAM, enough to hold
your screen reader, all apps and settings, and if necessary a secondary
screen reader. Let the box have a USB connectorr, for updating the
onboard software, when new releases come out.


Now, feed the box with all the info from the screen directly, and let it
process that info. Gone would be all the internal conflicts with
Windows, Office or any other software not leaving the screen reader
access to the screen content. The box would basically just be operating
like an OCR of the screen content, at any given moment. All controlling
could either be done by dedicated keys on the box, or you could (first
the OS is loaded), let the user control it by keystrokes on the
keyboard, which would be send to it either wirelessly, or through an USB
cable.


You now could operate the Bios, fool around with cheap alternatives to
Office, like modern versions of WordPerfect (which many of us old-timers
enjoyed). Or, you could finally go free, and install things like
OpenOffice. Should you, for whatever reason want to go for any other OS
than Windows, you just run Linux or whatever. Since the box would
interpret signals sent to the display, it would no longer depend on one
OS in particular.


OH, WELL! Still dreams of tomorrow are permitted, ain't they? Trouble
is, if they invented such a unit, they would have done something really
great. And that is not going to happen, my guess goes.


I do know, that at least one of the German Braille displays, back in the
late 80's/early 90's - the Braillo display - had a board inserted into
the computer, and would be up running even at BIOS level, long before
anything booted. Used  to have that one, numerous years ago, and was
able to set up computers from scratch for my customers. Then came all
the laptops, with no wa of installing such an extension board, and gone
was the whole idea. Today, with fast processors, well-established OCR
technology, and cheap memory - a Screen Connector-based box, should be
possible for the dreamers. And maybe would have boosted the market for
the screen reader industry.


y

David

On 10/25/2016 11:14 PM, Dave via Talk wrote:

Hi Kevin,

So there was a way to get to the BIOS.Since my first PC back in the
mid 80's I've wanted to be able to get in there to make changes.  Still
would in fact.

Would be very nice to Update, Fix, and Repair my own Hardware, all with
Speech.


Grumpy Dave




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RE: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Chris Grabowski via Talk]

I had a Packard bell 486 you could press control-alt-s and get into the system 
bios after the computer was in dos and go through it with speech.
Chris


-Original Message-
From: Talk [mailto:talk-bounces+cgrabowski=aisquared@lists.window-eyes.com] 
On Behalf Of Dave via Talk
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2016 5:15 PM
To: Kevin Minor <kmino...@outlook.com>; Window-Eyes Discussion List 
<talk@lists.window-eyes.com>
Subject: Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

Hi Kevin,

So there was a way to get to the BIOS.Since my first PC back in the
mid 80's I've wanted to be able to get in there to make changes.  Still would 
in fact.  

Would be very nice to Update, Fix, and Repair my own Hardware, all with Speech.


Grumpy Dave


--
Dave <dlh...@centurylink.net>

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RE: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Chris Grabowski via Talk]

That Braille display was a KTS BrailleOterm.
I had one of those too.
When I got a 486 and inserted the card, the Braille display said "graphics 
mode."
At that point the card was useless and the display could only be used by serial 
port with its included software.
Not many Windows based screen readers supported that display.  I think an early 
version of JAWS and  Hal, Dolphins now "screen reader" as well.

I ended up sending that display to Doug many moons ago.  I'm sure he remembers 
it well.

Chris


-Original Message-
From: Talk [mailto:talk-bounces+cgrabowski=aisquared@lists.window-eyes.com] 
On Behalf Of David via Talk
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2016 6:14 PM
To: Dave <dlh...@centurylink.net>; Window-Eyes Discussion List 
<talk@lists.window-eyes.com>; Kevin Minor <kmino...@outlook.com>
Subject: Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

Well, would be a great thing for the VFO team, to get their resources together 
and make such a thing possible. Let's get a box that you connect to the 
external display connector on the back of your computer. 
Let the box have something like 4, or even 8 GB of RAM, enough to hold your 
screen reader, all apps and settings, and if necessary a secondary screen 
reader. Let the box have a USB connectorr, for updating the onboard software, 
when new releases come out.


Now, feed the box with all the info from the screen directly, and let it 
process that info. Gone would be all the internal conflicts with Windows, 
Office or any other software not leaving the screen reader access to the screen 
content. The box would basically just be operating like an OCR of the screen 
content, at any given moment. All controlling could either be done by dedicated 
keys on the box, or you could (first the OS is loaded), let the user control it 
by keystrokes on the keyboard, which would be send to it either wirelessly, or 
through an USB cable.


You now could operate the Bios, fool around with cheap alternatives to Office, 
like modern versions of WordPerfect (which many of us old-timers enjoyed). Or, 
you could finally go free, and install things like OpenOffice. Should you, for 
whatever reason want to go for any other OS than Windows, you just run Linux or 
whatever. Since the box would interpret signals sent to the display, it would 
no longer depend on one OS in particular.


OH, WELL! Still dreams of tomorrow are permitted, ain't they? Trouble is, if 
they invented such a unit, they would have done something really great. And 
that is not going to happen, my guess goes.


I do know, that at least one of the German Braille displays, back in the late 
80's/early 90's - the Braillo display - had a board inserted into the computer, 
and would be up running even at BIOS level, long before anything booted. Used  
to have that one, numerous years ago, and was able to set up computers from 
scratch for my customers. Then came all the laptops, with no wa of installing 
such an extension board, and gone was the whole idea. Today, with fast 
processors, well-established OCR technology, and cheap memory - a Screen 
Connector-based box, should be possible for the dreamers. And maybe would have 
boosted the market for the screen reader industry.


y

David

On 10/25/2016 11:14 PM, Dave via Talk wrote:
> Hi Kevin,
>
> So there was a way to get to the BIOS.Since my first PC back in the
> mid 80's I've wanted to be able to get in there to make changes.  
> Still would in fact.
>
> Would be very nice to Update, Fix, and Repair my own Hardware, all 
> with Speech.
>
>
> Grumpy Dave
>
>

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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[David via Talk]

Well, would be a great thing for the VFO team, to get their resources 
together and make such a thing possible. Let's get a box that you 
connect to the external display connector on the back of your computer. 
Let the box have something like 4, or even 8 GB of RAM, enough to hold 
your screen reader, all apps and settings, and if necessary a secondary 
screen reader. Let the box have a USB connectorr, for updating the 
onboard software, when new releases come out.


Now, feed the box with all the info from the screen directly, and let it 
process that info. Gone would be all the internal conflicts with 
Windows, Office or any other software not leaving the screen reader 
access to the screen content. The box would basically just be operating 
like an OCR of the screen content, at any given moment. All controlling 
could either be done by dedicated keys on the box, or you could (first 
the OS is loaded), let the user control it by keystrokes on the 
keyboard, which would be send to it either wirelessly, or through an USB 
cable.


You now could operate the Bios, fool around with cheap alternatives to 
Office, like modern versions of WordPerfect (which many of us old-timers 
enjoyed). Or, you could finally go free, and install things like 
OpenOffice. Should you, for whatever reason want to go for any other OS 
than Windows, you just run Linux or whatever. Since the box would 
interpret signals sent to the display, it would no longer depend on one 
OS in particular.


OH, WELL! Still dreams of tomorrow are permitted, ain't they? Trouble 
is, if they invented such a unit, they would have done something really 
great. And that is not going to happen, my guess goes.


I do know, that at least one of the German Braille displays, back in the 
late 80's/early 90's - the Braillo display - had a board inserted into 
the computer, and would be up running even at BIOS level, long before 
anything booted. Used  to have that one, numerous years ago, and was 
able to set up computers from scratch for my customers. Then came all 
the laptops, with no wa of installing such an extension board, and gone 
was the whole idea. Today, with fast processors, well-established OCR 
technology, and cheap memory - a Screen Connector-based box, should be 
possible for the dreamers. And maybe would have boosted the market for 
the screen reader industry.


y

David

On 10/25/2016 11:14 PM, Dave via Talk wrote:
> Hi Kevin,
>
> So there was a way to get to the BIOS.Since my first PC back in the
> mid 80's I've wanted to be able to get in there to make changes.  Still
> would in fact.
>
> Would be very nice to Update, Fix, and Repair my own Hardware, all with
> Speech.
>
>
> Grumpy Dave
>
>

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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Dave via Talk]

Hi Kevin,

So there was a way to get to the BIOS.Since my first PC back in the
mid 80's I've wanted to be able to get in there to make changes.  Still
would in fact.  

Would be very nice to Update, Fix, and Repair my own Hardware, all with
Speech.


Grumpy Dave


-- 
Dave 

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RE: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Kevin Minor via Talk]

Hi.

I know I'm late in this thread, but I'd like to add my own experience with 
screen readers.

My first computer with speech was an Apple II E with the Echo II board and 
software from Street Electronics.  I got that for my graduation from high 
school.  I remember the speech package costing $150, which was a steal in 1984. 
 It didn't read everything, but it did all right for what I used it for.

I got my first PC in October of 1986.  I didn't have speech for it for two 
years, so I had to use the little vision that I had to use it.  In the fall of 
1988, I got a speech package that I haven't heard anybody mention.  It was the 
Speaqualizer from APH.  What made this package unique was it didn't rely on a 
program loaded from the PC's disk drive.  It was totally hardware based.  It 
had a board that was placed in the PC, and a box that controlled it was 
connected to the board.  What was really nice about this synthesizer was it 
worked right when you turned on the PC.  In 1990 I got an 80/386, and I updated 
the Speaqualizer to work with this PC.  Since it wasn't software based and 
worked before the PC booted, I was able to access and change settings in the 
BIOS.  The speech wasn't the best, but it served me well for ten years.  Now I 
use software speech, so I can't delve into the system before it's up and 
running.

Just thought I'd share my experiences.

Have a blessed day and don't work too hard.
Kevin Minor, Lexington, KY
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Larry Higgins via Talk]

Oh no, I am going to have to insist that he definitely wasn't using 
DecTalk, because DT was the one synthesizer I was coveting at the time. 
I was also familiar with it because I had also had exposure to the old 
Kirzweil stand alone reading machine, the one made back in the mid 80s, 
and it used Perfect Paul as it's default voice, though I'm not at all 
sure that it was specifically referred to as that at the time. Heck, I 
don't even remember if you could choose between voices on that thing or 
not. But anyway, not to ramble too much, I'm once again quite certain 
that Doug wasn't using DecTalk on those particular tutorial tapes.


On 10/22/2016 8:37 AM, Russ Kiehne via Talk wrote:

Somewhere barried amount my things, I have his tapes for learning
dos and Wordperfect.  It sounds like he used Dektalk as a speech
synthesizer.

-Original Message- From: David Goldfield via Talk Sent:
Friday, October 21, 2016 6:27 PM To: Larry Higgins ; Window-Eyes
Discussion List Subject: Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and
Synthesizers

I remember Doug's tapes but can't quite hear that voice clearly
enough to identify it. It would be quite cool if someone could
digitize them, if any exist but Doug may or may not have concerns
about that. It is remotely possible that I might have one of his
tutorials, although it was a Braille 'n Speak tutorial and so the
synth he used on those tapes was the Braille 'n Speak voice..

David Goldfield, Assistive Technology Specialist

Feel free to visit my Web site WWW.DavidGoldfield.Info

On 10/19/2016 8:56 AM, Larry Higgins via Talk wrote:

OK folks, this question strays slightly off the precise topic a
smidgen, but here goes.

Some of you may have been acquainted with the intro  to DOS tapes
made by Doug Wakefield. I thought these presentations were quite
good at the time. But what I would like to know to this day is just
what synthesizer he was using on those tapes. I thought it sounded
a bit more pleasant than even DEC Talk. These must have been made
in the late 80s or early 90s.

I do remember back in the day thinking that I would never get used
to the sound of the Artic Synphonic (spelling), and was aiming for
a DT, but ultimately had to settle for the Artic.

Anyway, if anybody knows the answer to my question, I would really
like to know, even after all these many years

On 10/19/2016 7:37 AM, Don H via Talk wrote:

My first screen reader was called Enable Reader and my syn was a
Votrax PSS if I remember right.  I also remember paying $500 for
a 20 Meg internal hard drive so I did not have to use 5 1/4
floppy disks to run the machine.  Of course that was a DOS
machine ___ Any views
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Russ Kiehne via Talk]

Somewhere barried amount my things, I have his tapes for learning dos and 
Wordperfect.  It sounds like he used Dektalk as a speech synthesizer.


-Original Message- 
From: David Goldfield via Talk

Sent: Friday, October 21, 2016 6:27 PM
To: Larry Higgins ; Window-Eyes Discussion List
Subject: Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

I remember Doug's tapes but can't quite hear that voice clearly enough
to identify it. It would be quite cool if someone could digitize them,
if any exist but Doug may or may not have concerns about that. It is
remotely possible that I might have one of his tutorials, although it
was a Braille 'n Speak tutorial and so the synth he used on those tapes
was the Braille 'n Speak voice..

  David Goldfield,
Assistive Technology Specialist

Feel free to visit my Web site
WWW.DavidGoldfield.Info

On 10/19/2016 8:56 AM, Larry Higgins via Talk wrote:

OK folks, this question strays slightly off the precise topic a
smidgen, but here goes.

Some of you may have been acquainted with the intro  to DOS tapes made
by Doug Wakefield. I thought these presentations were quite good at
the time. But what I would like to know to this day is just what
synthesizer he was using on those tapes. I thought it sounded a bit
more pleasant than even DEC Talk. These must have been made in the
late 80s or early 90s.

I do remember back in the day thinking that I would never get used to
the sound of the Artic Synphonic (spelling), and was aiming for a DT,
but ultimately had to settle for the Artic.

Anyway, if anybody knows the answer to my question, I would really
like to know, even after all these many years

On 10/19/2016 7:37 AM, Don H via Talk wrote:

My first screen reader was called Enable Reader and my syn was a Votrax
PSS if I remember right.  I also remember paying $500 for a 20 Meg
internal hard drive so I did not have to use 5 1/4 floppy disks to run
the machine.  Of course that was a DOS machine
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Pamela Dominguez via Talk]

A typewriter fitted with speech?  Come again?  I just knew about regular 
typewriters, and electric typwriters, and those electronic ones that had 
word processors in them, but I never heard of them with speech.  Pam.


-Original Message- 
From: Neville via Talk

Sent: Friday, October 21, 2016 9:49 PM
To: Window Eyes
Subject: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

Hi,
My first introduction into the World of screen readers and computers was
with an Apple 2E and Braille Edit back in 1984. The speech syn was an
Echo from Streets Electronics. By today's standards, it was primitive
but was a vast improvement on what went before. i.e. Just a typewriter
and if you were loaded, a typewriter fitted with speech.

Don't know what happened to Dave Holliday, the author of Braille Edit,
and Raised Dot Computing.  Does anyone know?


After that I switched to an IBM type machine in the late '80's and used
Artic Vision which eventually went to the wall.

Cheers
Neville.
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[David Goldfield via Talk]

Lynette,

I never saw those old Keynotes but I have a friend who had one in the 
1980s and she really loved it. I remember that she told me the keyboard 
had a wonderful feel. On one of the earlier newsletters from Raised Dot 
Computing a customer submitted a review of the Keynote and gave it high 
praise.

   David Goldfield,
Assistive Technology Specialist

Feel free to visit my Web site
WWW.DavidGoldfield.Info

On 10/22/2016 12:31 AM, Linette Sukup via Talk wrote:
>
>
> My first computer was a Keynote, which was all of 40k. Evidently there 
> were some Epson (I think) laptops which never took off, so Humanware 
> acquired them and fitted them with speech and their own software. You 
> could write with it (approximately 14 pages) and there was a little 
> microprinter on top of it which printed on spools of paper. I used it 
> a lot, for writing poems, taking parish council minutes, leaving 
> people messages, etc. I guess that there was online capability, but I 
> didn't know anything about that.
> It was a nice little machine, which prepared me for a "real" computer.
>
> Peace.
> Linette
>
>
>
> On 10/21/2016 8:49 PM, Neville via Talk wrote:
>> Hi,
>> My first introduction into the World of screen readers and computers was
>> with an Apple 2E and Braille Edit back in 1984. The speech syn was an
>> Echo from Streets Electronics. By today's standards, it was primitive
>> but was a vast improvement on what went before. i.e. Just a typewriter
>> and if you were loaded, a typewriter fitted with speech.
>>
>> Don't know what happened to Dave Holliday, the author of Braille Edit,
>> and Raised Dot Computing.  Does anyone know?
>>
>>
>> After that I switched to an IBM type machine in the late '80's and used
>> Artic Vision which eventually went to the wall.
>>
>> Cheers
>> Neville.
>> ___
>> Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the
>> author and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared.
>>
>> For membership options, visit
>> http://lists.window-eyes.com/options.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com/linettesukup%40att.net.
>>  
>>
>>
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>> http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Linette Sukup via Talk]

My first computer was a Keynote, which was all of 40k. Evidently there 
were some Epson (I think) laptops which never took off, so Humanware 
acquired them and fitted them with speech and their own software. You 
could write with it (approximately 14 pages) and there was a little 
microprinter on top of it which printed on spools of paper. I used it a 
lot, for writing poems, taking parish council minutes, leaving people 
messages, etc. I guess that there was online capability, but I didn't 
know anything about that.

It was a nice little machine, which prepared me for a "real" computer.

Peace.
Linette



On 10/21/2016 8:49 PM, Neville via Talk wrote:

Hi,
My first introduction into the World of screen readers and computers was
with an Apple 2E and Braille Edit back in 1984. The speech syn was an
Echo from Streets Electronics. By today's standards, it was primitive
but was a vast improvement on what went before. i.e. Just a typewriter
and if you were loaded, a typewriter fitted with speech.

Don't know what happened to Dave Holliday, the author of Braille Edit,
and Raised Dot Computing.  Does anyone know?


After that I switched to an IBM type machine in the late '80's and used
Artic Vision which eventually went to the wall.

Cheers
Neville.
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[David Goldfield via Talk]

If anyone would like to read an archive of the newsletters from Raised 
Dot Computing, David and Caryn's former company, you can take a long 
walk down memory lane at

http://personalpages.tds.net/~ti51/rdcnews.htm


   David Goldfield,
Assistive Technology Specialist

Feel free to visit my Web site
WWW.DavidGoldfield.Info

On 10/21/2016 10:18 PM, Lloyd Rasmussen via Talk wrote:
> David Holladay and Caryn Navy are alive and well and work for Duxbury 
> Systems.
>
>
>
> Lloyd Rasmussen, Kensington, MD
> http://lras.home.sprynet.com
> -Original Message- From: Neville via Talk
> Sent: Friday, October 21, 2016 9:49 PM
> To: Window Eyes
> Subject: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers
>
> Hi,
> My first introduction into the World of screen readers and computers was
> with an Apple 2E and Braille Edit back in 1984. The speech syn was an
> Echo from Streets Electronics. By today's standards, it was primitive
> but was a vast improvement on what went before. i.e. Just a typewriter
> and if you were loaded, a typewriter fitted with speech.
>
> Don't know what happened to Dave Holliday, the author of Braille Edit,
> and Raised Dot Computing.  Does anyone know?
>
>
> After that I switched to an IBM type machine in the late '80's and used
> Artic Vision which eventually went to the wall.
>
> Cheers
> Neville.
> ___
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> author and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared.
>
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[David Goldfield via Talk]

I remember Doug's tapes but can't quite hear that voice clearly enough 
to identify it. It would be quite cool if someone could digitize them, 
if any exist but Doug may or may not have concerns about that. It is 
remotely possible that I might have one of his tutorials, although it 
was a Braille 'n Speak tutorial and so the synth he used on those tapes 
was the Braille 'n Speak voice..

   David Goldfield,
Assistive Technology Specialist

Feel free to visit my Web site
WWW.DavidGoldfield.Info

On 10/19/2016 8:56 AM, Larry Higgins via Talk wrote:
> OK folks, this question strays slightly off the precise topic a 
> smidgen, but here goes.
>
> Some of you may have been acquainted with the intro  to DOS tapes made 
> by Doug Wakefield. I thought these presentations were quite good at 
> the time. But what I would like to know to this day is just what 
> synthesizer he was using on those tapes. I thought it sounded a bit 
> more pleasant than even DEC Talk. These must have been made in the 
> late 80s or early 90s.
>
> I do remember back in the day thinking that I would never get used to 
> the sound of the Artic Synphonic (spelling), and was aiming for a DT, 
> but ultimately had to settle for the Artic.
>
> Anyway, if anybody knows the answer to my question, I would really 
> like to know, even after all these many years
>
> On 10/19/2016 7:37 AM, Don H via Talk wrote:
>> My first screen reader was called Enable Reader and my syn was a Votrax
>> PSS if I remember right.  I also remember paying $500 for a 20 Meg
>> internal hard drive so I did not have to use 5 1/4 floppy disks to run
>> the machine.  Of course that was a DOS machine
>> ___
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>> author and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared.
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>>  
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[David Goldfield via Talk]

Wow, haven't thought about Doug Wakefield for many years. He provided a 
great service to the blindness community, not only from his tutorials 
but for his excellent Newsbits magazine. While it wouldn't be practical 
producing a monthly computer magazine due to the amount of podcasts and 
other programs available at no cost, it would be wonderful to see 
someone with his talents producing some modern-day tutorials. There are 
some out there, of course. Cathy Anne Murtha certainly comes to mind and 
she definitely knows her business but I believe there's room for more in 
that space.



   David Goldfield,
Assistive Technology Specialist

Feel free to visit my Web site
WWW.DavidGoldfield.Info

On 10/19/2016 10:50 AM, Joseph Norton via Talk wrote:
> Hi:
>
> The thing that made me come to that conclusion was a tape Doug made
> for TSI (TeleSensory Systems, Inc.) about their screen-reader called
> Vert Plus was called Valedictory Speech.  In the tape, Doug had Vert
> Plus (using the Prose 4000) speech synthesizer sounding as if he was
> giving a valedictory speech in front of an audience.  I couldn't help
> feeling that Vert Plus sounded a little smug, as if to say, I'm
> fantastic, and, if you don't have a lot of money, you can't afford my
> excellent services.  Just my feeling back then, as I knew I'd never be
> able to afford that particular speech system.
>
> Actually, come to think of it, their is a Sapi 4 synth that sounds
> just a little like the Prose.  It's called TrueVoice.  Maybe not quite
> as good as the Prose, but, just reminds me of it a little.
>
> On 10/19/16, Larry Higgins  wrote:
>> Yes!, that is exactly how it sounded, though I never really thought of
>> it that way until you suggested it .
>>
>> Thank you so much,
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Jim via Talk]

Hi THere!

My first synthesizer was a very old Type & Talk.  There was only one 
control for volume rate and pitch. There was no speaker so I had to use 
headphones.  The worst thing about it was it's  awfdul sound.  I finally 
graduated to an Accent SA which I use for many years in colledge as well 
as for job interviews and a lot of other stufff.  I believe I still 
might have it around here somewhere and I believe that it still might 
work if I could find some sort of windows driver for it. Anyway, that is 
how I actually got started in the speech world with computers.  I did 
have an old Apple Ii E which I never had speech for, although I now 
believe it might have been available-just didn't know about it at the 
time.  Have A Great Day! de


.


On 19-Oct-16 12:41, Lee Hodgson via Talk wrote:

These memories are great.

Well persnally I used first of all a little program at college called 
word star then went on to word perfect.


Screen reader wise, I used to have an apollo synth with Hal.
Then when I got my own pc, I had good old vocal eyes, and when I went 
to windows, went straight to window eyes.
Synth wise I had the old dec talk pc, which was the card inside the 
machine, lovely bit of kit with its own little speaker and volume 
control.


then I progressed to dectalk express, which I am still using and love. 
I am not a fan of built in speech, and find it intrusive, but love dt 
express.


Lovely to hear peoples memories. smiles.
Lee, Emily my guiding  furry snowflake and Chester and simba the 
feline fellas

leehodge on dice world
My wife is JessHodge on Dice world
Follow me on Twitter Lee__Hodgson with two underlines between first  
and second names, and on audioboo user name leehodge



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RE: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Lee Hodgson via Talk]

These memories are great.

Well persnally I used first of all a little program at college called 
word star then went on to word perfect.


Screen reader wise, I used to have an apollo synth with Hal.
Then when I got my own pc, I had good old vocal eyes, and when I went 
to windows, went straight to window eyes.
Synth wise I had the old dec talk pc, which was the card inside the 
machine, lovely bit of kit with its own little speaker and volume control.


then I progressed to dectalk express, which I am still using and 
love. I am not a fan of built in speech, and find it intrusive, but 
love dt express.


Lovely to hear peoples memories. smiles.
Lee, Emily my guiding  furry snowflake and Chester and simba the 
feline fellas

leehodge on dice world
My wife is JessHodge on Dice world
Follow me on Twitter Lee__Hodgson with two underlines between 
first  and second names, and on audioboo user name leehodge



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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Kevin Huber via Talk]

Hi Donald:

I used Vert Plus when I was working for a non-proffit agency in the
late 1980s.  I was training at the time and one of my clients said
that it sounded like an old guy with a cigar in his mouth.

Kevin Huber


On 10/19/16, Donald L. Roberts via Talk  wrote:
> I am wondering whether I am the only list member who began with Vert
> Plus and later used both Flipper and Tiny Talk?
>
>
> Don Roberts
>
>
>
> On 10/18/2016 6:36 PM, Dave via Talk wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> Some of you are bringing up Screen Readers I have never heard of, and I
>> was there back in those early DOS days.
>>
>> I started out in the mid 1980's with a Tandy TRS 80 with something
>> called TRSDOS I can't recall the name of the Screen Reader, but it was
>> basic, but for then, it was way better than having nothing.  The
>> Synthesizer was an Echo GP, which had this very Robotic Voice.  But,
>> once  you learned its accent, it was alright.  Spent a lot of time
>> Writing with something called Lazy /writer, which was a very simple Word
>> Processor.  I also spent way too much time playing those Info Comm Text
>> Adventure Games.
>>
>> I was to be married to this woman, but it wasn't working out and I broke
>> up with her.  She was so angry, she threw her Engagement Ring at me.  It
>> was Gold with Diamonds, so I kept it.
>>
>> I ended up trading that Ring for a real deal IBM XT, with a giant 10 MB
>> HD and 256 K of memory.
>>
>> I bought something called PC Enhanced, which was a Screen Reader made by
>> someone out of Ohio.  Had that until I bought the Screen Reader made by
>> Artic, which I used for a couple of years.  Think I was still using the
>> Echo GP for the Synth.
>>
>> Then in the mid to early 90's, I bought Vocalize, and I've been a
>> Vocalize and then Window Eyes user ever since.
>>
>> I laugh about it now, but I owe my 25 years of working in the Computer
>> Software field, to that woman getting so mad, that she flung her Ring at
>> me.  I would have never been able to buy an IBM system back then, and if
>> I had not gotten that IBM, I would have never learned enough about
>> computers to be Dangerous enough for someone to take the risk and hire
>> me.
>>
>> Now, that's what I call making Lemon Aid out of Lemons!
>>
>> And of course, Vocalize and Window Eyes were invaluable tools to keep me
>> employed and making some good money.
>>
>>
>> funny how things work out sometimes.
>>
>> Grumpy Dave
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Larry Higgins via Talk]

I really think I'd have to go with Joseph's suggestion. As he said, it 
had a rather smug form of expression or inflection, and I can't disagree 
with that assessment or critique. But I'm fairly certain that it wasn't 
the Vert Plus, because I worked with that one a time or two, and it 
sounded nothing like the one Wakefield was using on the tapes.


On 10/19/2016 9:34 AM, Pamela Dominguez wrote:

I remember a dos tape, but I don't remember who did it.  But maybe, was
he using Vert Plus?  I was hoping I would get that, but the Commission
gave me Artic.  Pam.

-Original Message- From: Larry Higgins via Talk
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2016 8:56 AM
To: Don H ; Window-Eyes Discussion List
Subject: Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

OK folks, this question strays slightly off the precise topic a smidgen,
but here goes.

Some of you may have been acquainted with the intro  to DOS tapes made
by Doug Wakefield. I thought these presentations were quite good at the
time. But what I would like to know to this day is just what synthesizer
he was using on those tapes. I thought it sounded a bit more pleasant
than even DEC Talk. These must have been made in the late 80s or early 90s.

I do remember back in the day thinking that I would never get used to
the sound of the Artic Synphonic (spelling), and was aiming for a DT,
but ultimately had to settle for the Artic.

Anyway, if anybody knows the answer to my question, I would really like
to know, even after all these many years

On 10/19/2016 7:37 AM, Don H via Talk wrote:

My first screen reader was called Enable Reader and my syn was a Votrax
PSS if I remember right.  I also remember paying $500 for a 20 Meg
internal hard drive so I did not have to use 5 1/4 floppy disks to run
the machine.  Of course that was a DOS machine
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Donald L. Roberts via Talk]

I am wondering whether I am the only list member who began with Vert 
Plus and later used both Flipper and Tiny Talk?



Don Roberts



On 10/18/2016 6:36 PM, Dave via Talk wrote:

Hello,

Some of you are bringing up Screen Readers I have never heard of, and I
was there back in those early DOS days.

I started out in the mid 1980's with a Tandy TRS 80 with something
called TRSDOS I can't recall the name of the Screen Reader, but it was
basic, but for then, it was way better than having nothing.  The
Synthesizer was an Echo GP, which had this very Robotic Voice.  But,
once  you learned its accent, it was alright.  Spent a lot of time
Writing with something called Lazy /writer, which was a very simple Word
Processor.  I also spent way too much time playing those Info Comm Text
Adventure Games.

I was to be married to this woman, but it wasn't working out and I broke
up with her.  She was so angry, she threw her Engagement Ring at me.  It
was Gold with Diamonds, so I kept it.

I ended up trading that Ring for a real deal IBM XT, with a giant 10 MB
HD and 256 K of memory.

I bought something called PC Enhanced, which was a Screen Reader made by
someone out of Ohio.  Had that until I bought the Screen Reader made by
Artic, which I used for a couple of years.  Think I was still using the
Echo GP for the Synth.

Then in the mid to early 90's, I bought Vocalize, and I've been a
Vocalize and then Window Eyes user ever since.

I laugh about it now, but I owe my 25 years of working in the Computer
Software field, to that woman getting so mad, that she flung her Ring at
me.  I would have never been able to buy an IBM system back then, and if
I had not gotten that IBM, I would have never learned enough about
computers to be Dangerous enough for someone to take the risk and hire
me.

Now, that's what I call making Lemon Aid out of Lemons!

And of course, Vocalize and Window Eyes were invaluable tools to keep me
employed and making some good money.


funny how things work out sometimes.

Grumpy Dave





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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Kevin Huber via Talk]

Hi:

Just to add to this thread, My first screen reader was a package
called Freedom1 from a company called Interface Systems International
and I used the Votrax PSS as my speech synthesizer.
The Freedom1 package came with a tutorial on a casset tape by someone
from Interface Systems International.  The tutorial was verry well
done and I learned a lot about the PCin general, not just the Freedom1
package.
Kevin Huber

On 10/18/16, Dave via Talk  wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Some of you are bringing up Screen Readers I have never heard of, and I
> was there back in those early DOS days.
>
> I started out in the mid 1980's with a Tandy TRS 80 with something
> called TRSDOS I can't recall the name of the Screen Reader, but it was
> basic, but for then, it was way better than having nothing.  The
> Synthesizer was an Echo GP, which had this very Robotic Voice.  But,
> once  you learned its accent, it was alright.  Spent a lot of time
> Writing with something called Lazy /writer, which was a very simple Word
> Processor.  I also spent way too much time playing those Info Comm Text
> Adventure Games.
>
> I was to be married to this woman, but it wasn't working out and I broke
> up with her.  She was so angry, she threw her Engagement Ring at me.  It
> was Gold with Diamonds, so I kept it.
>
> I ended up trading that Ring for a real deal IBM XT, with a giant 10 MB
> HD and 256 K of memory.
>
> I bought something called PC Enhanced, which was a Screen Reader made by
> someone out of Ohio.  Had that until I bought the Screen Reader made by
> Artic, which I used for a couple of years.  Think I was still using the
> Echo GP for the Synth.
>
> Then in the mid to early 90's, I bought Vocalize, and I've been a
> Vocalize and then Window Eyes user ever since.
>
> I laugh about it now, but I owe my 25 years of working in the Computer
> Software field, to that woman getting so mad, that she flung her Ring at
> me.  I would have never been able to buy an IBM system back then, and if
> I had not gotten that IBM, I would have never learned enough about
> computers to be Dangerous enough for someone to take the risk and hire
> me.
>
> Now, that's what I call making Lemon Aid out of Lemons!
>
> And of course, Vocalize and Window Eyes were invaluable tools to keep me
> employed and making some good money.
>
>
> funny how things work out sometimes.
>
> Grumpy Dave
>
>
>
>
>
> ___
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> and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared.
>
> For membership options, visit
> http://lists.window-eyes.com/options.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com/huber.kevin7%40gmail.com.
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Tom Fairhurst via Talk]

My first machine was a laptop from Computer Aids Corporation with Vocal-Eyes 
already on it. It had a 30-meg hard drive. I bought a 5.25 external drive. I 
used a desktop at my job with the same capacity. It had Vocal-Eyes with a 
Sounding Board synthesizer.


-Original Message- 
From: Don H via Talk

Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2016 7:37 AM
To: Dave ; Window-Eyes Discussion List
Subject: Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

My first screen reader was called Enable Reader and my syn was a Votrax
PSS if I remember right.  I also remember paying $500 for a 20 Meg
internal hard drive so I did not have to use 5 1/4 floppy disks to run
the machine.  Of course that was a DOS machine
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Joseph Norton via Talk]

Hi:

The thing that made me come to that conclusion was a tape Doug made
for TSI (TeleSensory Systems, Inc.) about their screen-reader called
Vert Plus was called Valedictory Speech.  In the tape, Doug had Vert
Plus (using the Prose 4000) speech synthesizer sounding as if he was
giving a valedictory speech in front of an audience.  I couldn't help
feeling that Vert Plus sounded a little smug, as if to say, I'm
fantastic, and, if you don't have a lot of money, you can't afford my
excellent services.  Just my feeling back then, as I knew I'd never be
able to afford that particular speech system.

Actually, come to think of it, their is a Sapi 4 synth that sounds
just a little like the Prose.  It's called TrueVoice.  Maybe not quite
as good as the Prose, but, just reminds me of it a little.

On 10/19/16, Larry Higgins  wrote:
> Yes!, that is exactly how it sounded, though I never really thought of
> it that way until you suggested it .
>
> Thank you so much,
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Pamela Dominguez via Talk]

I remember a dos tape, but I don't remember who did it.  But maybe, was he 
using Vert Plus?  I was hoping I would get that, but the Commission gave me 
Artic.  Pam.


-Original Message- 
From: Larry Higgins via Talk

Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2016 8:56 AM
To: Don H ; Window-Eyes Discussion List
Subject: Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

OK folks, this question strays slightly off the precise topic a smidgen,
but here goes.

Some of you may have been acquainted with the intro  to DOS tapes made
by Doug Wakefield. I thought these presentations were quite good at the
time. But what I would like to know to this day is just what synthesizer
he was using on those tapes. I thought it sounded a bit more pleasant
than even DEC Talk. These must have been made in the late 80s or early 90s.

I do remember back in the day thinking that I would never get used to
the sound of the Artic Synphonic (spelling), and was aiming for a DT,
but ultimately had to settle for the Artic.

Anyway, if anybody knows the answer to my question, I would really like
to know, even after all these many years

On 10/19/2016 7:37 AM, Don H via Talk wrote:

My first screen reader was called Enable Reader and my syn was a Votrax
PSS if I remember right.  I also remember paying $500 for a 20 Meg
internal hard drive so I did not have to use 5 1/4 floppy disks to run
the machine.  Of course that was a DOS machine
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Larry Higgins via Talk]

Yes!, that is exactly how it sounded, though I never really thought of 
it that way until you suggested it .


Thank you so much,

Larry

On 10/19/2016 9:17 AM, Joseph Norton wrote:

Never having heard these tapes, though Doug Wakefield sure did make some
great tapes, I can hazard a guess.  At that time, the only synth comparable
to the DecTalk was the Prose 4000.  It was about the same price range, but,
had a pleasant, maybe even smug-sounding voice.  For the price, it could
afford to sound a little smug.



-Original Message-
From: Talk
[mailto:talk-bounces+joseph.norton=gmail@lists.window-eyes.com] On
Behalf Of Larry Higgins via Talk
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2016 8:57 AM
To: Don H <lmdd...@comcast.net>; Window-Eyes Discussion List
<talk@lists.window-eyes.com>
Subject: Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

OK folks, this question strays slightly off the precise topic a smidgen, but
here goes.

Some of you may have been acquainted with the intro  to DOS tapes made by
Doug Wakefield. I thought these presentations were quite good at the time.
But what I would like to know to this day is just what synthesizer he was
using on those tapes. I thought it sounded a bit more pleasant than even DEC
Talk. These must have been made in the late 80s or early 90s.

I do remember back in the day thinking that I would never get used to the
sound of the Artic Synphonic (spelling), and was aiming for a DT, but
ultimately had to settle for the Artic.

Anyway, if anybody knows the answer to my question, I would really like to
know, even after all these many years

On 10/19/2016 7:37 AM, Don H via Talk wrote:

My first screen reader was called Enable Reader and my syn was a
Votrax PSS if I remember right.  I also remember paying $500 for a 20
Meg internal hard drive so I did not have to use 5 1/4 floppy disks to
run the machine.  Of course that was a DOS machine
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RE: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Joseph Norton via Talk]

Never having heard these tapes, though Doug Wakefield sure did make some
great tapes, I can hazard a guess.  At that time, the only synth comparable
to the DecTalk was the Prose 4000.  It was about the same price range, but,
had a pleasant, maybe even smug-sounding voice.  For the price, it could
afford to sound a little smug.



-Original Message-
From: Talk
[mailto:talk-bounces+joseph.norton=gmail@lists.window-eyes.com] On
Behalf Of Larry Higgins via Talk
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2016 8:57 AM
To: Don H <lmdd...@comcast.net>; Window-Eyes Discussion List
<talk@lists.window-eyes.com>
Subject: Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

OK folks, this question strays slightly off the precise topic a smidgen, but
here goes.

Some of you may have been acquainted with the intro  to DOS tapes made by
Doug Wakefield. I thought these presentations were quite good at the time.
But what I would like to know to this day is just what synthesizer he was
using on those tapes. I thought it sounded a bit more pleasant than even DEC
Talk. These must have been made in the late 80s or early 90s.

I do remember back in the day thinking that I would never get used to the
sound of the Artic Synphonic (spelling), and was aiming for a DT, but
ultimately had to settle for the Artic.

Anyway, if anybody knows the answer to my question, I would really like to
know, even after all these many years

On 10/19/2016 7:37 AM, Don H via Talk wrote:
> My first screen reader was called Enable Reader and my syn was a 
> Votrax PSS if I remember right.  I also remember paying $500 for a 20 
> Meg internal hard drive so I did not have to use 5 1/4 floppy disks to 
> run the machine.  Of course that was a DOS machine 
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Larry Higgins via Talk]

OK folks, this question strays slightly off the precise topic a smidgen, 
but here goes.


Some of you may have been acquainted with the intro  to DOS tapes made 
by Doug Wakefield. I thought these presentations were quite good at the 
time. But what I would like to know to this day is just what synthesizer 
he was using on those tapes. I thought it sounded a bit more pleasant 
than even DEC Talk. These must have been made in the late 80s or early 90s.


I do remember back in the day thinking that I would never get used to 
the sound of the Artic Synphonic (spelling), and was aiming for a DT, 
but ultimately had to settle for the Artic.


Anyway, if anybody knows the answer to my question, I would really like 
to know, even after all these many years


On 10/19/2016 7:37 AM, Don H via Talk wrote:

My first screen reader was called Enable Reader and my syn was a Votrax
PSS if I remember right.  I also remember paying $500 for a 20 Meg
internal hard drive so I did not have to use 5 1/4 floppy disks to run
the machine.  Of course that was a DOS machine
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Re: Reminiscing about old Screen Readers and Synthesizers

[Don H via Talk]

My first screen reader was called Enable Reader and my syn was a Votrax 
PSS if I remember right.  I also remember paying $500 for a 20 Meg 
internal hard drive so I did not have to use 5 1/4 floppy disks to run 
the machine.  Of course that was a DOS machine

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