I started using Vocal-eyes 2.0 in late 1991. Hard to believe it will be 25 years soon since then. GW micro was a great company and I always love dealing with it. It doesn't look good now, and I will just say, I shall never, ever, use Jaws. I do not care about new management or new ownership. It is tainted beyond repair with me. Besides that, there are certain things they still cannot do right. I will continue to use what I have, and perhaps use NVDA if necessary. At some point, I expect to transition to iOS full-time. Doug was and is a wonderful person and we all benefited greatly from his efforts.
On Wednesday, October 19, 2016, Micallef Michael at FITA via Talk < [email protected]> wrote: > Waw what a nostalgia this morning, I remember that my first computer that > ever used was the Amstrad PC with 5.25inch floppy disk and with the votrax > type n' talk speech synthesizer. Later I switch to the double talk speech > synthesizer and the ASAP for dos screen reader, at that time the > WordPerfect 5.1 word processor was the best accessible word processor for > us the blind. Although today I'm feeling comfortable with Microsoft word, > but I'm still missing that WordPerfect for DOS. > > Anyway, as they say, every good thing, sometimes comes to an end. Now it > is the time for window eyes unfortunately. > > > > > > Michael Micallef > Officer in charge of ICT Accessibility Certification > and ICT Training for Persons with a Visual Impairment > > Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility (FITA) > > Email: > Office: > URL: > FB: > [email protected] <javascript:;> > +356 2599 2343 > http://www.fitamalta.eu > http://on.fb.me/1hCRTAx > > Kindly consider your environmental responsibility before printing this > e-mail > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Talk [mailto:talk-bounces+michael.micallef <javascript:;>= > [email protected] <javascript:;>] On Behalf Of Jim via Talk > Sent: Tuesday, 18 October 2016 17:25 > To: Pamela Dominguez; Window-Eyes Discussion List > Subject: Re: history of window eyes > > Hi there! > > My first windows screen reader was Artic Winvision. Yes I do like > Window-Eyes, but I thought that Winvision was the easiest to configure > on the fly as well as use straight from the box. We have come along > ways since then, and I really do appreciate the ease of use with W.E. > My first and only DOS screen reader was called TinyTalk. It was > referred to as the poor man's screen reader since I only paid $75 for > it. Just a bit of my history with screen readers. Have a Good 1! de > > <KF8LT><Jim>. > > > On 18-Oct-16 10:54, Pamela Dominguez via Talk wrote: > > Window bridge was the first windows screenreader I got for my first > > windows computer, which was a Gateway 2000, with windows 98. Pam. > > > > -----Original Message----- From: David Goldfield via Talk > > Sent: Monday, October 17, 2016 11:52 PM > > To: Jeff Samco ; Window-Eyes Discussion List > > Subject: Re: history of window eyes > > > > I'd like to add a few tidbits to this most fascinating thread. > > > > In addition to the Windows screen readers which were mentioned, > > Synthavoice's Window Bridge came out sometime in 1992, if my memory is > > correct. While I have not used that screen reader, another one that many > > have forgotten is Windows Master, which was produced by Blazie > > Engineering for Windows 3.1. I began working for Blazie Engineering in > > May of 1991 and, at that time, they had a DOS screen reader called > > Speaksys. Speaksys cost $150 and only supported the Braille 'n Speak as > > a synthesizer. However, it was unique in that it also allowed the Bns to > > be used for Braille input to a PC and I believe it even supported Grade > > 2 input. Eventually, the screen reader was enhanced with new features to > > try and bring it in line with other DOS screen readers at that time. Its > > name was changed to PCMaster and its price was raised to $395. > > Eventually, a talented programmer named Daehee Lee was hired to write a > > Windows version of this screen reader, which was called Windows Master. > > It also used a Bns for output (and I think input) and supported the SSIL > > library of synthesizers as well. I believe Windows Master came out in > > the summer of 1992 and may well have been the third or fourth Windows > > screen reader at that time, although I'm certainly willing to be > > corrected if this is incorrect. Actually, I vaguely remember hearing > > about what I think was the first Windows screen reader before Window > > Bridge, although its name now escapes me and I don't think it lasted > > more than a few years. > > > > This thread reminds me of a blog post from Chris Hoffstader (sp) who > > talked about the importance of those of us who have memories of this > > technology to document it online for posterity. I thought he had > > established a wiki for that purpose but my recent searches aren't > > locating it. > > > > > > > > David Goldfield, > > Assistive Technology Specialist > > > > Feel free to visit my Web site > > WWW.DavidGoldfield.Info > > > > On 10/17/2016 11:18 PM, Jeff Samco via Talk wrote: > >> Yes, Malcom Holser wrote the original Vocal-Eyes for my use. Malcom > >> was very gifted in many ways. He was a coworker as I worked as an > >> interpretive ranger in Yosemite. In 1985 we went in together and > >> purchased a used IBM PC 8086 with 256 KB of RAM and 2 double-sided > >> 5.25-inch floppy disc drives. Since it was used it only cost us > >> $3,000! Malcolm learned to program in assembler in writing Vocal-Eyes. > >> I also believe I was the first user of a screen reader to use Word > >> Perfect and alerted them to how well it worked with a screen reader. I > >> offered various suggestions to improve its accessibility. Many screen > >> reader users used this elegant and powerful word processor. > >> > >> Jeff > >> > >> At 11:41 AM 10/17/2016, you wrote: > >>> I might add that Malcolm, who worked as a ranger at Yosemite near > >>> Fresno where I lived at the time, initially called his PC > >>> screenreader Vocal-Eyes and I was one of the beneficiaries. He had > >>> originally designed it for a fellow ranger at Yosemite who was only > >>> partially sighted. I still see his name on the lists occasionally. > >>> Bill Grimm was then naming all his software releases Whatever-talk, > >>> so when Malcolm teamed up with Computer Aids, the program was renamed > >>> Screen Talk. When Doug Geoffrey took over Computer Aids, he named his > >>> screen reader Vocal-Eyes. Apparently Malcolm had no objection to > >>> that. Actually Doug wasn't even aware that the name had been used by > >>> Malcolm. Later GW Micro released Window-Eyes for Windows as, as you > >>> know, Vocal-Eyes was a DOS screen reader. > >>> > >>> Dave > >>> > >>> At 04:02 AM 10/17/2016, you wrote: > >>>> I don't have time to write a very long message, but here's a little > >>>> of the story. > >>>> In the early 1980s Bill Grimm formed a company, Computer Aids > >>>> Corporation, to create software for the Apple II family of > >>>> computers. They teamed up with Malcolm Holser to create a screen > >>>> reader for DOS called Screen-Talk, which was released in 1985, which > >>>> I bought and used. In 1986 Screen-Talk was linked with ProKey, a > >>>> macro program, and its functionality was extended. Somewhere in > >>>> there, Doug Geoffray was hired as a programmer. In 1988 Computer > >>>> Aids released the Sounding Board, an ISA-compatible speech > >>>> synthesizer that used the SSI-263 speech chip that was common in > >>>> those days. Dan Wyrick did major work on that project. Near that > >>>> time Bill Grimm died. > >>>> Dan and Doug put together a new company, GW Micro and marketed the > >>>> new-generation DOS screen reader as Vocal-Eyes. > >>>> The first Windows 3.0 screen reader was OutSpoken, released in the > >>>> summer of 1992. Later came Automatic Screen Access for Windows and > >>>> JAWS for Windows. Window-Eyes 1.0 came out quite late, in late 1995. > >>>> It worked with Windows 3 and 3.1, even though Windows 95 was already > >>>> out and had no screen reader support from anyone at first. > >>>> Window-Eyes 2 was the first W-E version to support Windows 95, and > >>>> came out in the spring of 1997, I think. > >>>> The revision history of Window-Eyes is on the GW Micro website, > >>>> going way back; it is instructive to read it to see where we have > >>>> come from. > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> Lloyd Rasmussen, Kensington, MD > >>>> http://lras.home.sprynet.com > >>>> -----Original Message----- From: Drew Clark via Talk > >>>> Sent: Monday, October 17, 2016 3:56 AM > >>>> To: Window-Eyes Discussion List > >>>> Subject: history of window eyes > >>>> > >>>> hi, > >>>> > >>>> i am interested to find out the history of window eyes, who created it > >>>> and how it was started. is there any webpage/audio podcast that > >>>> interviews the g and the w behind gw micro? > >>>> > >>>> thanks > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> -- > >>>> Sent using window eyes. > >>>> > >>>> _______________________________________________ > >>>> 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/lras%40sprynet.com. > >>>> > >>>> For subscription options, visit > >>>> http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > >>>> List archives can be found at > >>>> http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > >>>> _______________________________________________ > >>>> 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/dave%40basden.us. > >>>> > >>>> For subscription options, visit > >>>> http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > >>>> List archives can be found at > >>>> http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > >>> > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> 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/jsamco%40jps.net. > >>> > >>> For subscription options, visit > >>> http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > >>> List archives can be found at > >>> http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > >>> > >>> > >>> ----- > >>> No virus found in this message. > >>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > >>> Version: 2016.0.7797 / Virus Database: 4664/13227 - Release Date: > >>> 10/17/16 > >> _______________________________________________ > >> 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/david.goldfield%40outlook.com. > >> > >> For subscription options, visit > >> http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > >> List archives can be found at > >> http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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/geodom%40optonline.net. > > For subscription options, visit > > http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > > List archives can be found at > > http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > > > > > > ----- > > No virus found in this message. > > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > > Version: 2016.0.7797 / Virus Database: 4664/13229 - Release Date: > > 10/17/16 > > _______________________________________________ > > 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/wohlggie%40gmail.com. > > For subscription options, visit > > http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > > List archives can be found at > > http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > > _______________________________________________ > 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/michael.micallef%40gov.mt. > For subscription options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/ > listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > List archives can be found at http://lists.window-eyes.com/ > private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > _______________________________________________ > 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/krbarry%40gmail.com. > For subscription options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/ > listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > List archives can be found at http://lists.window-eyes.com/ > private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > -- Sent from Kevin's iPhone. _______________________________________________ Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared. 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