[Blindmath] Math editing and conversion

Thu Feb 5 03:24:29 UTC 2009

I would also add that LaTeX is free, that is, you won't need to spend 
a  penny on any of the packages you need for creating professional 
quality drawings. it's all thanks to a world wide community of 
academics and hobbiests alike who give up their time to maintain 
LaTeX as a high-quality typesetting tool.
Paul

At 02:36 05/02/2009, you wrote:
>Graphing is the final unsolved problem for blind people.  Well at least as
>far as information reading/authoring is concerned.  You can create graphs on
>the computer in many ways, including Excel and the ViewPlus Audio Graphing
>Calculator (full disclosure - ViewPlus is my company).  And you can make
>those accessible with a ViewPlus embosser.  There are several low tech ways
>to make graphs by hand, such as using the APH Quick Draw paper, priced at
>only $3/page.  Or with a Sewell drawing kit from Howe Press.
>
>The problem with all these methods is that you cannot erase and correct the
>graph without redrawing the whole thing.  At this time, my best
>recommendation is velcro and string for something "erasable".  Or with a bit
>more work, a felt pad and velcro strips.  I have heard of people using
>tactile graph paper and some sticky string called something like sticky
>wickis or wicki sticks that is purchased at art stores.  I've never used it
>myself though.
>
>Whatever you do, if you are required to produce graphs for the benefit of
>the faculty, you must be able to see those graphs.  Otherwise you have no
>idea whether your sighted assistant is doing it right.  If the university is
>short on resources that are essential to your doing this, well, lack of
>resources is not an excuse.  They must provide the minimum for your needs.
>Happens to be a law in the US.
>
>John Gardner
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>Behalf Of Blind Collegian
>Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 4:23 PM
>To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
>Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Math editing and conversion
>
>Hello everybody,
>I greatly appreciate the various suggestions on how to make doing math
>effective and less time-consuming.
>Does anyone have an idea what to do when your instructor wants you to work
>with a sighted person on the portion of the course that deals with graphs? I
>told the professor I cannot do the drawing, all I can do is answer the
>assigned problems in the textbook. But he wants me to find a way to
>represent my answers in a graph. It just doesn't seem to be possible, is it?
>
>Does LaTeX support graphing?
>The biggest challenge is that none in the Math and Science Division seems to
>recognize LaTeX; instead, most utilize MathType only. Any suggestions? It
>does not seem like there is a more uniform and efficient solution other than
>to struggle with various approaches. Additionally, what works for some
>students does not work for others, in large part because not all
>universities/colleges have the resources.
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "P. R. Stanley" <prstanley at ntlworld.com>
>To: "Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics"
><blindmath at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 2:58 PM
>Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Math editing and conversion
>
>
> > \Alternatively, typeset the whole thing in LaTeX using a simple text
> > editor and, using the tex package from www.miktex.org, convert the code to
>
> > a pro standard PDF for your sighted recipients.
> > It only takes one command, "pdflatex filename.tex", to produce the PDF.
> > It's that simple! No bug-ridden wysiwyg package, no need for a super
> > computer to drive the software engine. it's light, efficient, free and
> > there for the taking.
> > Cheers
> > Paul
> > At 22:03 02/02/2009, you wrote:
> >>The new version of MathType translates Latex in MS Word to displayed
> >>visual
> >>math.  You can just write a Latex equation, with $ signs around it, and
> >>MathType gobbles it up and inserts an equation in its place.  Once
> >>converted, you can get MathType to export Latex to the clipboard too.  Not
> >>really as usable as it could be, but better than nothing.
> >>
> >>
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> >>On
> >>Behalf Of Alastair Irving
> >>Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 10:04 AM
> >>To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
> >>Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Math editing and conversion
> >>
> >>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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> >> >> edm%40g
> >> >>
> >> >> mail.com
> >> >>>
> >> >>
> >> >>
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> >> >>
> >> >> l.com
> >> >>
> >> >>
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> >> >
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> >> >
> >>
> >>
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