Sure did! I had a TI 99/4A with the speech synthesizer, then I bought an Echo GP, and used it with the TI for a while, so I could play Infocomm Games and run in Extended Basic and do a few other things. Actually, only one game, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Then, I switched to the Apple IIe, then, to the PC. Even kept the Echo GP for a while until I got a DoubleTalk with my PC. Anyway, that was a while back. -----Original Message----- From: Talk [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Bob Hicks via Talk Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2016 9:15 AM To: 'Micallef Michael at FITA' <[email protected]>; 'Window-Eyes Discussion List' <[email protected]> Subject: RE: history of window eyes Surely some else had the TI 99/4A with the speech module! Best Regards, Bob Hicks -----Original Message----- From: Talk [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Micallef Michael at FITA via Talk Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2016 1:46 AM To: [email protected]; Window-Eyes Discussion List <[email protected]>; Pamela Dominguez <[email protected]> Subject: RE: history of window eyes 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] +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:[email protected]] 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.n et. >>> >>> 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.goldfiel d%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%40opton line.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%40gma il.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.micall ef%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/bob%40seeingha ndassociation.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/joseph.norton% 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/archive%40mail-archive.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
