[Blindmath] new to list with a question

[Susan Jolly]

Hi Diz,

First let me compliment you on such a thorough and wonderful explanation of 
the many problems that arise when attempting to convert some sort of typeset 
mathematics intended to be read by a sighted person to Nemeth braille.

First I'd like to say that here in the US there are upwards of several 
hundred sighted certified Nemeth transcribers who can look at print math and 
enter correct Nemeth braille about as fast as they can type.  This should 
not be surprising as you are likely familiar with one of the numerous 
sighted mathematicians, etc. who can look at print math and enter the LaTeX 
equivalent about as fast as they can type.  (LaTex is considerably more 
cumbersome than Nemeth.) Of course, since almost no one in the UK uses 
Nemeth braille, it is not surprising that you don't find Nemeth transcribers 
on your side of the pond.

Our National Braille Association maintains a set of Forums where 
transcribers can ask questions about braille transcribing issues.  Here is 
the main page:
http://www.nationalbraille.org/Forum/
The Forum titled Mathematics, Science, and Computer Notation is the one for 
Nemeth in particular.

You wrote that Nemeth Braille is "really hard" for you to write.  I'm not 
sure what you meant.  I would certainly expect it would be hard for you to 
directly enter braille using a mechanical embosser or braille slate or even 
an electronic braille keyboard.  However, if you use the North American 
ASCII Braille transliteration for the braille cells, it is quite easy to 
type Nemeth from a standard keyboard as much of this particular 
transliteration is based on Nemeth.  (You can change to Duxbury's SimBraille 
font or any other font that based on the same transliteration to see the 
black ink dots.)  I don't mean to imply that you could easily get all of 
Nemeth correct with this strategy but you should be able to do quite well in 
a circumscribed area although, as you hint, perhaps not logic.  Here's an 
article I wrote about this:
http://www.dotlessbraille.org/readnem.htm

Cheers,
SusanJ