[Blindmath] Colllege calculus Questions

Fri Jul 9 03:40:59 UTC 2010

Hi Peter,
You're right. I apologize for belabouring the point. You make a good  
point about theory-based programs without any experience being a  
challenge for many. I think this is true of both the blind and  
sighted, but definitely the blind face unique challenges. I was  
fortunate to get a "mainstream" summer job, but I know that is  
uncommon. My question to you is what would you suggest? How would you,  
in collaboration with people on this list and the mainstream  
population, make this better? There is potential for a really good  
discussion here if we are willing to listen to each other.

I hope not all the info I gave was redundant. Take a look at these  
three programs: I mentioned the first two but forgot to put the links  
in my original message.
InftyReader:
http://www.sciaccess.net/en/InftyReader/index.html
ChattyInfty:
http://www.sciaccess.net/en/ChattyInfty/index.html
MathTalk (a program where you dictate math to your computer and it  
produces print math for you):
http://metroplexvoice.com/
I sincerely hopes this helps you somewhat.
Sarah

Quoting Peter Wolfe <sunspot005 at gmail.com>:

> Sarah,
>
>
>     You would also do well to bury this subject cause I'm not the one
> continuely antagonizing anyone anymore. Also, incomprehensive of s
> tudent, who probably doesn't even know whether or not you could even
> get a career out of a college degree filled with theory and no
> experience. This goes for lots of other fields that supposed NFB
> people go into as well like engineering fields. I mean just that you
> get a degree doesn't mean that either anyone will allow you to work or
> if technologies and or methods will be able to be adaptable on the
> long haul. For example, I know of someone who went to a major four
> year university and told me of bacteria driven computers and bio human
> interaction in the future. Do you think for one second they would care
> for us or even think twice about it? No, good the insurance excusers
> out there in whatever field but go ahead think you are smarter or
> superior cause your not. I appreciated the redundant information
> though.
>
> On 7/7/10, sarah.jevnikar at utoronto.ca <sarah.jevnikar at utoronto.ca> wrote:
>> Peter,
>> Having read most of your posts I am uncharacteristically unhappy. We
>> are hear to help; don't antagonize us at large if you want our
>> knowledge. My advice: stick to math. If you want to talk other things,
>> at least start a new thread. This list is one of the few useful places
>> to find math knowledge from the blind for the blind, so you'd do well
>> not to toss random and incomprehensible insults.
>>
>> I am a blind-from--birth actuarial science student. Lots of math
>> there. I'd recommend, if you don't know Nemeth code (math Braille)
>> then get a reader, use RFB&D (I can't but maybe others have experience
>> with them?). Also try InftyReader and ChattyInfty. They will convert
>> pdf files (if you can get your books that way) into LaTeX or spoken
>> words, respectively. Daisy is good too, though the translation time
>> ccan be slow.
>>
>> I don't think I can add anything that hasn't already been said.
>>
>> I wish you a very pleasant day.
>> Sarah Jevnikar
>>
>>
>> Quoting Peter Wolfe <sunspot005 at gmail.com>:
>>
>>> I want the informatyou have to give. You got me all wrong and it's
>>> funny how most NFB people are this way with no comprimise and willing
>>> to throw people out on the rug cause it's not their way. Was I
>>> directing it at you sir? No, I wasn't merelyt wanting understanding
>>> and a little background into the real America that nobody sees on a
>>> day to day bases. I won't get into the details with the prevledged few
>>> in this nation of arrogant individuals. Reminder: I wasn't talking
>>> about you more like gearing it towards the people that might roam on
>>> this list like other e-mail list to clearly point out my stance and
>>> that of most americans against their self-centerism is killing
>>> education in this nation.
>>>
>>> cordially,
>>> Peter
>>>
>>> On 6/27/10, Birkir Rúnar Gunnarsson <birkir.gunnarsson at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> If you are truly interested in math-related issues I will post back to
>>>> this list with a few thoughts, if you are using the questions for
>>>> pseudo political preaching, I would wish you to take it elsewhere.
>>>> I find math difficult and applicable because it teaches abstract
>>>> thinking, perhapds better than any other subject. Being a programmer
>>>> is to learn to solve problems in a certain way and approach the task
>>>> from a computer perspective. Therefore you may not use math directly
>>>> in many of your jobs (I used it little in my 4 years of programming
>>>> work) but what you learn from the math courses and the concept and
>>>> strategies are essential for many types of programming.
>>>> So, please tune down the attitude or post those thoughts in a
>>>> different avenue, if you are, indeed, ready to talk math I will post
>>>> back with a few more thoughts.
>>>> cheers
>>>> -B
>>>>
>>>> On 6/27/10, Roopakshi Pathania <r_akshi_tgk at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> One area where serious Math like integration and differentiation and
>>>>> sometimes even Physics is needed is Gaming.
>>>>> I suppose even blind programmers could work on certain aspects of games,
>>>>> but
>>>>> can't say if they do in the real world.
>>>>> Of course good audio games would also require Math.
>>>>>
>>>>> Continuing with Shane's example, automating platforms that deal with
>>>>> data
>>>>> should in my understanding require calculus
>>>>>
>>>>> And then there is programming mathematical, financial, and physics
>>>>> models.
>>>>> If the model deals with calculus in some way, I suppose the programmer
>>>>> should know about it.
>>>>>
>>>>>> A typical calculus problem in the course I took anyway
>>>>>> might be 10 or so steps.
>>>>>
>>>>> When you move on to integration and Differential Equations, problems can
>>>>> become longer.
>>>>> Trig identities and set theory proofs can also be longer, but that is
>>>>> not
>>>>> Calculus.
>>>>> Or just may be I'm imagining things.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Blindmath mailing list
>>>>> Blindmath at nfbnet.org
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>>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Peter Q. Wolfe, AS
>>> sunspot005 at gmail.com
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
> --
> Peter Q. Wolfe, AS
> sunspot005 at gmail.com
>
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