[Blindmath] Math editing and conversion

Mon Feb 2 18:03:40 UTC 2009

Hi

I believe there exists at least 1 Nemeth to LaTeX translator.
Therefore, assuming you can save a braille file on your BrailleNote and
transfer it to a computer, (if it is saved as a .brf or similar then no
translation should occur), you could translate the nemeth to LaTeX and
then compile the LaTeX to PDF.

I don't know what level of maths is involved in your class, but for
fairly simple algebra you could probably manage just using plain text,
with ^ for superscripts, / for fractions, etc.  The results obviously
won't be as pretty but its the most simple method provided things aren't
too complex.

Alternatively, you could look at Chatty Infty, or the lambda project.
Both of these are editors designed for use by blind people doing
mathematics, and I know that at least Lambda has Braille support.

Personally, I work in LaTeX directly, using the LaTeX-access scripts to
aid in reading, so have no actual experience of the above software.  If
you intend to do more Mathematics classes then I strongly advise
learning LaTeX, it has a steeper learning curve than any of the above
but the results are definitely worth it, especially considering the
volume of mathematical documents written in LaTeX.

Finally, I would suggest that if you're posting to the list in future
about a new topic then you start a new message rather than replying to
an old one.  Even if you change the subject line, various mail headers
are left which refer to the initial thread, meaning that people using
threaded mailreaders and also probably the archive will list your
message as part of the old thread.

Alastair

Blind Collegian wrote:
> Hello,
> I registered for an Algebra class and my instructor is not familiar with
> LaTeX and wants to know if there are any means of doing math more
> efficiently using a certain computer program to create math equations and
> expressions.
> Is there a computer-based math program that does not have a lot of learning
> curve? I want to be able to use it in Braille and either print it or email
> it to the instructor.
> I have a BrailleNote, but at this point I do not have the ability to print
> Nemeth Code straight out of the device without any translation happening in
> the background. Any ay advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robin Williams" <robster3 at hotmail.com>
> To: "'Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics'"
> <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 8:33 AM
> Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Spss 16 nightmare
> 
> 
>> Vincent,
>>  Yes, R can do everything that SPSS can do (almost certainly) and
>> probably
>> more if you use the various freely-distributed packages available. It is
>> accessible to a large degree, especially if you run the back-end terminal
>> (rterm.exe) found in the /bin directory.
>>  I don't know for sure, but there is almost certainly a plugin to enable
>> you to read SPSS files. Check out the r-project website. If I am wrong
>> and
>> there isn't, just export the output to some common format and import it
>> with
>> R.
>>  HTH
>>
>> Robin Williams.
>> Mobile:
>> 07525 809495
>> (Note: I have been giving an incorrect mobile number for the last several
>> months, please update your contact details).
>> Personal email and MSN:
>> robster3 at hotmail.com
>> University email (please use this address):
>> rmw205 at exeter.ac.uk
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>> On
>> Behalf Of Jared Wright
>> Sent: 31 January 2009 22:20
>> To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
>> Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Spss 16 nightmare
>>
>> Vincent, Is your instructor not using the standard JDK distributed by
>> Sun for developing Java? If that's the compiler being used, and I've no
>> idea why it wouldn't be, you should be able to just compile from the
>> command line with javac. Of course, if you like the interactive
>> environment of Eclipse, that's another story but if it's merely because
>> of compilation problems, this might be preferable.
>>
>> Will be happy to help further off list, but I venture beyond the scope
>> of this community now.
>>
>> Best,
>> Jared
>>
>> vincent wrote:
>>> Hello:
>>> I am taking a quantitative research methods and Engineering Psychology
>> class
>>> this semester and both are requiring me to use SPSS version 16 to
>> calculate
>>> results.  I have done everything imaginable to make SPSS talk enough for
>> me
>>> to use, but to no avail.  I have installed the old scripts and the Java
>>> access bridge.  It speaks somewhat, but not enough to truly function.
>>> The
>>> disability services office took my advice and is going to provide me a
>>> reader to read the screen for me, so I can at least complete my
>>> homework.
>>
>>>
>>> Does anyone know if the statistical package "R: can do the same things
>> that
>>> SPSS will do?  Also, will it read a .sav Spss file or will I have to try
>> and
>>> export the data from the spss file.
>>> Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, because I just don't have
>>> the
>>> time to do all the research this weekend myself.  I have to spend time
>>> catching up in my JAVA programming class.  Of curse the compiler the
>> school
>>> is using was written in JAVA and does not speak enough to use.  I have
>> moved
>>> on to Eclipse and am happily coding away.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, you'll
>>> be
>> a
>>> Man, my son!"
>>>
>>> Rudyard Kipling
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
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> 
> 
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