Hi Chris On the rare occasions I use Windows I usually have been using Window-Eyes, until now. I plan to download version 7.5.1.4 when I get around to it, but only because it's free.
I haven't tried the Skype client as I'm not a regular Skype user. However, I will look around for it and try it just out of curiosity. Gordon On 15 May 2012, at 19:30, chris hallsworth <[email protected]> wrote: Lynn I have to agree with you about NVDA. It has come on leaps and bounds despite it being free and open source. The next major release is going to make it even easier to install and make portable copies for you to carry around. So stay tuned! I am beta testing this as I write. Be it free and open source the public can beta test this but like any other beta it is suggested not to use this on production machines unless you expect the program to break, big or small. This is just a claim and hasn't physically happened in my experience of testing beta software. They just do that so they can't be made liable if their software damages one's computer. I only bought Window-Eyes because of its nice interface in my view along with the new Remote Assistance. But as ever NVDA beats Window-Eyes by a mile. But Gw Connect I have a completely opposite opinion than Window-Eyes. I love it compared to the official Skype client! On 15/05/2012 02:38, Mrs. Lynnette Annabel Smith wrote: > Hello Chris > > On 14 May 2012, at 22:33, chris hallsworth<[email protected]> > wrote: > > • Just to let you know I am evaluating some voices as part of Infovox 3. They > are Lucy and Rachel, two British female voices. Like Ivona they are human > sounding and very clear, as well as quite responsive. But what I have noticed > is that the voices are somewhat louder than Ivona. What I also like is the > fact I can evaluate them as much as I like. You can download a free, 60 > minute per Windows session, export as MP3 feature in Speech Creator disabled > version, from > http://www.acapela-group.com/infovox3-37-3-speech-solutions-tts.html > > Gordon uses the Rachel voice on his Mac and PC all the time. The > responsiveness on both platforms is good; although Window-Eyes itself is very > very sluggish in comparison to NVDA. In fact, it's so darn slow that I can > actually see the characters drawing themselves on the screen sometimes whilst > the voices are stuttering and stammering. That doesn't happen with NVDA which > is very very fast by comparison all round. So Gordon is leaning towards > switching to using NVDA all the time. > > He has an "InKey" version which comes on a USB thumb drive and gives you a > three-license pack. So he can use the voices installed locally on 3 machines > at once, or just plug the thumb drive in without any installation and it just > works like a portable version of NVDA works. It comes bundled with NVDA and > Thunder, another free screen-reader for Windows. > > GW Micro really is not doing itself any favours with the recent releases of > Window-Eyes. That was Gordon's first comment when he finally got to sit down > and play with the new Samsung notebook he has. Neither of us can tolerate > that abysmal Dectalk32 synthesiser, Eloquance is just as bad and the Nuance > voices aren't much better. One thing that really bugs Gordon is the > inability, so it seems, to change the voice that Window-Eyes uses at the > log-in screen. Why they elected to make that hard wired is something of a > mystery. But they did, and they wouldn't answer questions when I contacted > them about that. They just told me it can't be changed, so live with it. > > Whatever comes next though, unless it's a huge major astronomical improvement > in terms of quality, we will never be purchasing any further upgrades, (and I > use that word very reluctantly in this particular scenario, from GW Micro or > their dealership network. Window-Eyes is now a bloated utility just like > Windows itself. They've been papering over the cracks for years it seems, and > now some of the plaster is definitely coming off the wall. We both think it > needs a total rewrite from the ground up. They're still using libraries which > were in use in Windows 3.0 so we are told. That tells you something, I think. > > Lynne > > > ======================================= > > The Techno-Chat E-Mail forum is guaranteed malware, spyware, Trojan, virus > and worm-free > > To modify your subscription options, please visit for forum's dedicated web > pages located at > http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/techno-chat > > You can find an archive of all messages posted to the Techno-Chat group at > either of the following websites: > > http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/techno-chat/index.html > > Or: > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]> > you may also subscribe to this list via RSS. 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